St. Stephen’s Safety Committee and Executive Team have determined that St. Stephen’s will continue to work as remotely as possible through March 31, 2021. Thus far in the pandemic, the majority of client interactions at our main office have happened outside. We know that is unsustainable for a Minnesota winter, and we are working diligently to reconfigure indoor spaces for safe, socially distanced interactions.
If you plan to make a donation from our wish list over the next several months, we will continue to request that you make a drop-off appointment in advance, and that you wear a face covering, even if the interaction happens outside. Thank you for helping us maximize safety for all.
Here are a few updates on how our various programs are adapting to serve clients:
-
All Early Intervention program models continue to deliver services virtually. We anticipate seeing a large spike in demand once the eviction moratorium is lifted, as more households in our community will be facing more immediate and impactful housing crises. We are making a plan for how we can assist as many households as possible while operating within the scope of our current funding contracts, and also staying apprised of what new or evolved resources we can refer folks to when our funds are expended each month.
-
Our Street Outreach team continues to try to serve as many people as possible, including many folx who have recently fallen into homelessness, and to coordinate closely with our shelter team to maximize the rooms we have available for unsheltered clients at the hotel location. Read more about how our Street Outreach team has pivoted to meet current needs here.
-
Clients in our Shelter Program continue to be served through a single hotel location with 24/7 staffing. While there have been challenges operating shelter programming in this new model, we are proud to share that to date, 23 individuals have moved out of hotel shelter and into stable housing. Because of the physical distancing that the hotel setting allows, we have had zero cases of COVID-19 among shelter guests since the start of the pandemic. Many guests have been able to secure new employment due to 24-hour access to a private room that allows guests to sleep according to the schedule that best suits their needs. With an end to COVID-related funds for hotel operations looming, we are facing a return to shelter spaces that reduce the number of beds system-wide while a pandemic and cold weather conditions threaten the health and safety of our clients.
-
Housing continues to be stabilized by direct rental subsidies, and landlord negotiation. In some cases, this has involved reminding landlords of current limitations on least terminations due to Minnesota’s Executive orders. Our Single Adult Supportive Housing Program is building new landlord relationships. During this economic downturn, supportive services and guaranteed rent create a strong pull for landlords.
-
In our Family Programs, many families are adjusting to the idea of long-term distance learning -- including adjusting expectations of the feasibility of caregivers working outside of the home. We anticipate that the combination of “school from home” and limited job opportunities may mean some families’ time in the Family Rapid Re-Housing Program will need to be extended. Nevertheless, the Family Rapid ReHousing Program has housed 42 families (and counting!) since mid-March.
-
Since the beginning of the pandemic, we have needed to reduce the number of on-site volunteers. Currently, our volunteer team is assisting by sorting donations, providing support at the shelter hotel, translating housing support documents, making face masks for clients, and dropping off donations of our most-needed items. Through these ever-changing times, our long-time and new volunteers alike have demonstrated remarkable flexibility, and we are so grateful for that!