MINNEAPOLIS, Dec. 19, 2018 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- People Serving People, Minnesota's most comprehensive emergency shelter for families and a dedicated leader in homelessness prevention, announced today its Holiday Helper volunteer program. Annually, more than 6,500 volunteers donate their skills and time to People Serving People's programs, which served more than 3,000 individuals from 1,104 families in 2017.
"Holiday Helper volunteer opportunities are a great way for corporate groups and individuals alike to give back during the holiday season," said Daniel Gumnit, People Serving People's CEO. "Guest families staying at our emergency shelter during the holiday season are with us during such an uncertain time. Our 'Holiday Helper' volunteers have signed up well in-advance—sometimes more than a year ahead of time—to bring joy and smiles to both parents and our youngest guests."
According to Gumnit, the average age of a child at People Serving People is just six years old.
"While People Serving People's annual Holiday Helper volunteer opportunities have been formally offered since 2012, numerous groups and individual volunteers are onsite each day to help keep our emergency shelter clean, assist school-age children with homework, support infants and toddlers in our early childhood classrooms, and conduct mock-interviews alongside staff for guests seeking stable employment," said Noah Gerding, Director of Development for People Serving People.
Gerding added that the need for volunteers extends well past the holiday season.
"Our philanthropic community in Minnesota ranks among one of the highest in the nation, and our volunteers understand that the need for gifts of their time and skills continues to extend well after December 31," Gerding said. "Our unique Holiday Helper volunteer opportunities are available October through January and include a winter carnival for families, meal service shifts, toy shop set-up, gift-wrapping and delivery, and supporter envelope addressing."
Ameriprise Financial is one of People Serving People's dedicated corporate volunteer partners, supporting monthly meal service shifts and assisting with Holiday Helper roles.
"For families in need, People Serving People is more than a shelter. It's a place that offers foundational life skills to land a steady job, educational opportunities for kids and full-service support when people need it most," said Brian Pietsch, head of community relations at Ameriprise Financial. "We are proud to support their mission to help those with an immediate need, while continuously working to address the more significant issue of systemic homelessness in the community."
Fifty-two percent of people experiencing homelessness in our community are families. With statistics like that the need for volunteers is ever-pressing.
"As we deepen investments in prevention and systems change work, our philanthropic supporters, like Ameriprise, make a significant difference as we work to address some of the systemic barriers faced by the families we serve. We're grateful for the deep and long-term volunteer and financial support we receive from Ameriprise," Gumnit said.
Before arriving at People Serving People during the holiday season last year, Traverna's life was not very stable.
"I had a little boy, who's almost three now, but I really had to start over when I was in shelter," she said. "Being at People Serving People was not stressful. The routine and scheduled programs were always consistent, which helped me breathe and get my life back in a place where there was peace again."
Traverna has good memories of the 2017 holiday season, and of her time staying at People Serving People last year. "My advocate was so instrumental in helping me realize I could work for myself again," she reflected. "I was also able to have my resume reviewed and when I was there, my family received great holiday gifts. I just remember pouring out love, and in-turn receiving so many blessings when I was in the shelter."
Support from volunteers totals more than 30,000 unduplicated hours each year. Holiday Helpers and year-round volunteering help ensure that People Serving People can walk alongside more than 1,100 families each year to provide three nutritious meals a day, safe emergency housing, toiletries, basic needs, and comprehensive and holistic onsite and upstream programs designed to break cycles of homelessness, instability, and poverty.
About People Serving People
People Serving People is the largest and most comprehensive emergency shelter for families experiencing homelessness in Minnesota and a dedicated leader in homelessness prevention. Their downtown Minneapolis shelter has 99 emergency housing units and provided shelter to 3,093 individuals from 1,104 families in 2017. People Serving People combines crisis response with prevention and systems change work, helping children and their families who are experiencing homelessness and other adversities manage crisis situations and build a strong foundation for their long-term success. For more information go to http://www.peopleservingpeople.org or call 612.277.0219.
About Ameriprise Financial
At Ameriprise Financial, we have been helping people feel confident about their financial future for more than 120 years. With a nationwide network of 10.000 financial advisors and extensive asset management, advisory and insurance capabilities, we have the strength and expertise to serve the full range of individual and institutional investors' financial needs. For more information, visit http://www.ameriprise.com
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SOURCE People Serving People
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