Temporary Relief Shelter

Neighborhood Resources / By

“Don’t close your ears to the cry of the poor.”

Proverbs 21:13

Elim Church and Strong Tower Parish located on 13th Ave NE across from the Logan Park Rec Center will be opening a temporary relief shelter for those experiencing homelessness. Veteran consultant and shelter director Monica Nilsson will run the shelter program taking place between the two neighbor churches. They currently have funding for 3 months beginning (tentatively) Feb 14. Thank you to the Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation for their generous support!
Please see https://elimstrongtowershelters.org for more information.

DONATION NEEDS
Donated items like yours allow us to meet basic needs, provide comfort, and assist with building trusting relationships with our program participants.

DONATION QUALITY STANDARDS
We welcome donations of high-quality items. Most items must be new, except where noted. Items must meet the following standards:

  • Toiletry items and food must be unopened and unexpired.
  • Staff assess items and may request that you donate items to another agency based on the quality of the items and our current needs.
  • Donations of assembled toiletry kits, or blessing bags, may be helpful depending on our storage space.
  • Unsure whether you should donate an item? Ask yourself if you would give the item as a gift to a friend.

DROP OFF LOCATION/HOURS:
Elim Church
685 13th Ave NE
Minneapolis, MN 55413
(please use 13th Ave door)

Evening Hours: 7 days a week: 6pm to 9pm (upon shelter opening)

Daytime Hours (varied):

Mon: 9am to noon
Tue-Thu: 9am to 4pm
Fri: 9am to noon
Sat: no day hours
Sun: 7:30am to 9:30am

Clothing Needed:

  • Winter gloves, scarves/hats
  • New thermal long underwear for adult men and women
  • New adult underwear/bras, socks and t-shirts
  • Disposable underwear
  • Coats

Sheets or Towels

  • Bath towels: high quality gently used or new
  • Wash cloths: high quality gently used or new
  • Pillows & pillow cases, twin size fitted and flat sheets, pillows and pillow cases: high quality gently used or new
  • Sleeping bags

Toiletries and Personal Care Items

  • Travel/full size body wash, deodorant, soap, shampoo, conditioner, and lotion
  • Toothpaste, Toothbrushes
  • Razors, Shaving cream
  • Foot powder, Disinfectant spray for shoes & feet
  • Lotion, Q-tips
  • Combs & brushes, African American hair & skin care products
  • Products for natural/textured hair

Food Products

  • Coffee, tea bags
  • Hot cocoa packets
  • Milk, Cereal
  • Non-refrigerated juice
  • Disposable eating products
  • Non-perishable snack items

Cleaning Products

  • Paper towels, toilet paper, facial tissue

Other

  • Bus passes
  • Cub Foods gift cards
  • Backpacks & duffel bags: high quality gently used or new
  • Combination locks and padlocks with keys
  • Laptops

Here’s Elim Church’s statement on the new Temporary Relief Shelter. Thank you to our Northeast neighbors for providing this wonderful resource!

“Dear neighbors and greater Northeast community,

Guided by core values of hospitality, compassion and love for all people, Elim Church and Strong Tower Parish have been in communication about how to better serve women and men facing homelessness. Elim has operated a volunteer led cold-weather shelter for men, as we are able, over the past 8 years and operates Hope Avenue, a weekly drop-in program. Strong Tower Parish operates a food shelf weekly. Together, we have 1400 congregants. In partnership with Tasks Unlimited, a 50 year old non-profit and a long-time advocate for people experiencing homelessness and Monica Nilsson, we have pursued temporary funding to take in women and men who are without a place to sleep at night for the next 3 months at each of our churches. Elim will accommodate women; Strong Tower will take in couples and men. People will be able to keep their bed while working with professional staff so there will be consistency and stability in the community.

We are providing this temporary relief with support from the Richard Schulze Foundation (the founder of Best Buy). We will discern during this time if there is a continued need and the support of our congregations, the community and funders or we will close. We are contacting you to keep you informed and invite you to share in this experience of serving those in need: whether by dropping off towels or twin size bedding in good condition, volunteering your time or serving a meal. Helpful links will be coming shortly on our church websites for your review. You are also welcome to visit the program once it is running in mid-February. It will operate nightly from early evening to early morning. This program will work in complement with existing day programs and guests will be provided a bus token in the morning to make their way.”

As Proverbs 21:13 tells us, “Don’t close your ears to the cry of the poor.” We stand ready to do what we can and invite your engagement.

If you’re interested in volunteering, please reach out to the contacts below.

Paul Stephen Olson, Lead Pastor Elim Church, 685 13th Avenue NE Office: 612.789.3591

Becky Hanson, Pastor of Congregational Care and Hope Avenue Elim Church, Office: 612.789.3591

Pastor Emmanuel Olowokere, Senior Pastor The Redeemed Christian Church of God, Strong Tower Parish, 697 13th Ave NE

Deacon Niyi Adekunle, Strong Tower Parish, 612.396.7755

Monica Nilsson, Program Director, 612.239.4789, monicanilsson2016@gmail.com