CHUM Annual Report 2012

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ENSURING SURVIVAL AND HOPE FOR A BETTER TOMORROW By Elizabeth Olson, Congregational Outreach Director When you almost double the number of volunteer hours that are logged within just one year, you are bound to see an enormous impact take place. This was exactly the case for CHUM during the past fiscal year, as more volunteer hours were logged than ever before. A total of 18,022, to be exact! Volunteers directly impact the lives of those served at CHUM by filling stomachs with nourishing food on a regular basis in the CHUM Center and sleeping on cots in their own church in order to provide a safe, warm place for an increasing number of homeless families. We work together, not only to strengthen CHUM, but to build a stronger community: we form coalitions, alliances, and create more space for volunteers to come together for change. We build statewide networks to better respond to current action alerts. We prevent programs from being cut, ensuring funding for safety net programs that keep thousands of individuals alive on a daily basis. Another letter to the editor means another voice asking for, and receiving, money for affordable housing in the bonding bill. We think big. We look at the potential for improving our health care system. We recruit volunteers from the client population to share stories which in turn impact law makers. We build the capacity of our leaders through training and leadership development opportunities. We launched a campaign to defeat the voter restriction amendment; recruiting volunteers to reach hundreds more to ensure the rights of eligible voters are protected. It is our hope that through advocacy work and volunteer efforts, we can influence the lives and policies that affect those who are without basic needs. Together with our loyal volunteers, we can ensure daily survival and the hope for a better tomorrow. Pastor Robyn Weaver of Glen Avon Presbyterian Church led the 2011 Christmas Vigil where community members remembered all those who died while homeless. Author Shane Clairborne encouraged us all to work for social justice at a presentation held at the Mitchell Auditorium. 4 Trixie Wedding, member of the CHUM Organizing Steering committee, speaks before boarding a bus to St. Paul where a group of volunteers met with elected officials about the development of a people-friendly Health Insurance Exchange. CHUM MEMBER CONGREGATIONS Asbury United Methodist Cathedral of Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Center City Catholic Concordia Lutheran Duluth Congregational Duluth-Superior Friends Meeting Eastridge Community Elim Lutheran Family of God Lutheran First Lutheran First United Methodist French River Lutheran Glen Avon Presbyterian Gloria Dei Lutheran Hillside United Methodist Holy Cross Lutheran Holy Family Catholic Hope United Methodist Kenwood Lutheran Lakeside Presbyterian Lester Park United Methodist Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd Our Savior’s Lutheran Peace United Church of Christ Pilgrim Congregational United Church of Christ Salem Lutheran St. Andrew’s by the Lake Episcopal St. Benedict’s Catholic St. John’s Catholic St. Mark African Methodist Episcopal St. Michael’s Catholic St. Paul’s Episcopal St. Scholastica Monastery Temple Israel Trinity Lutheran Unitarian Universalist of Duluth United Baptist Christian
WHERE IS THE HOUSING? An Urgent Question in Need of an Answer By Matt Traynor, Community Organizer & Julie Krienke, Intern It’s a question that has lived in the consciousness of CHUM housing advocates for quite some time. Despite the implementation of new and promising ideas during the past year, the constant presence of this question illustrates the fact that many still do not have a place to call home. “It all goes back to the Gospel – feeding the hungry and clothing the naked and providing shelter for folks, which is really CHUM’s mission,” said Jim Soderberg, executive director of CHUM. “To the extent that we can serve folks who are struggling and in need, we are helping the broader community.” Serving individuals who are living on the margins of society, CHUM is now aware that the answer to the question “Where is the housing?” is further away than it has ever been. The number of families seeking shelter at CHUM began increasing over the past year, as high barriers stood in their way of housing. CHUM decided to take action, advocating for more affordable housing. For years, the Seaway Hotel on West Superior Street has served as a placement for those seeking housing assistance at CHUM. It serves a broad spectrum of individuals struggling to find housing, and it lacks the restrictions that cause many to be ineligible for public housing. It is a home to those who choose to live there as well as for those who have no other choice. “So many of the Seaway residents are connected to CHUM,” Soderberg said. “They provide housing for many single adults who have the same destabilizing factors we see at CHUM. If the Seaway closed, we would see more people at CHUM and even people camped outside.” Nearly three years ago, CHUM was a driving force in keeping the Seaway open, but just this summer, a condemnation order was placed on this diverse housing facility. CHUM took a stand. In an effort to put a face on those who call the Seaway home, CHUM held an affordable housing rally and presented resident stories to the Duluth City Council. 5 The condemnation was lifted, and the Duluth Housing Redevelopment Authority (HRA) secured funding through the Greater Minnesota Housing Fund to start repairs. “The big concern now is that the owner wants to sell the building,” Soderberg said. “As a community, we need to focus on what will replace the Seaway, and by replace, I mean putting up housing that will serve that population.” For this reason, CHUM has gotten involved in the Hillside Apartments Project, a plan that involves building 44 units of affordable housing that will include services to the families residing there. It is CHUM’s goal that those who will find a place to live in these facilities won’t face the same question that hundreds of Duluthians are now asking – “Where is the housing?” What can the CHUM community do? CHUM believes that asking the multiple housing agencies in Duluth to work with the city to create more housing is entirely in the realm of realistic goals. This process has begun, however everyone in the community needs to stay focused so we don’t loose the urgency that has been created due to the near condemnation and potential sale of the Seaway. It would be a tragedy to continually put ourselves in a position to fail in meeting the basic human right of having four walls and a roof. So what can we do? We can ensure that those in the position to make choices know our view. We can bump affordable housing up the priority ladder in the political realm and within our own circle of influence. Call your city counselors and let them know you expect to see things done to answer the question “Where is the housing?”
Page 1 and 2: Food • Shelter • Dignity • Ho
Page 3: CHUM CONGREGATION POOLS RESOURCES T
Page 7 and 8: FY 2012 FINANCIAL POSITION CURRENT
Page 9 and 10: Michael & Sheryl Van Scoy Jim & Ali
Page 11 and 12: Marvin & Judith Haugen Janet Haynes
Page 13 and 14: Carlotta Unger Richard & Virginia U
Page 15 and 16: Susan Johnson Meg Kearns Mike & Car

CHUM Annual Report 2012

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