Life’s Missing Link and RS Eden, two of the Twin Cities’ most respected non-profit organizations, announced that Lindquist Apartments, a supportive housing facility for young people, officially opened its doors September 21st to homeless youth. The new complex will be staffed 24 hours per day by Life’s Missing Link to help residents transition to independent living through life skills training, employment assistance and mentoring, among other services.
“Lindquist Apartments fills a much needed gap in the continuum of housing options for young people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. The new facility will not only provide housing, but also 24 hour support to homeless youth through a variety of services,” said Deborah Renshaw, Executive Director of Life’s Missing Link. “Our vision is to create a stepping stone to stability and productivity, helping residents learn how to live on their own.”
Celebrating the opening of the $6 million facility, key city, county and state officials, donors, developers and other notable leaders hosted a grand opening in the parking lot of the newly constructed site at 1931 Broadway in North Minneapolis.
Tim Marx, Minnesota Housing Finance Agency commissioner and Hennepin County commissioner Gail Dorfman joined Mayor R.T. Rybak and the apartment’s co-developers to speak about the great impact the new facility will have on youth in the Twin Cities.
Lindquist Apartments will provide the following:
· 24 efficiency apartments for single males and females aged 16 and older who are homeless, transitioning from situations such as foster care or in tenuous housing situations;
· On-site programming from Life’s Missing Link, including: case management, life skills training, social activities, truancy prevention, employment and referral assistance and mentoring;
· A safe, secure and sober environment.
According to the Wilder Research Center, on any given night in 2003, there were 500 to 600 homeless youth in Minnesota who were unaccompanied by adults, with a large portion in the Twin Cities. About one in six had a child of his/her own who also was homeless, 42 percent skipped school and one out of ten had even traded sex for shelter, food and clothing.
Lindquist Apartments is named in honor of Leonard Lindquist, co-founder of Life’s Missing Link and founder of Lindquist and Vennum Law Firm.
For information on Lindquist Apartments, please contact Deborah Renshaw of Life’s Missing Link at (612) 871-0748.
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