Grants and Tithing

Tithe Grant Thank you
Immigration Law Center of MN sincerly appreciates the generous gift of $2000 from SJTW. Your gift will help enhance opportunities for immigrants and refugees through legal representation, education and advocacy. Today’s immigrants and refugees continue to strengthen the fabric of our communities as they work, live and grow. Support for our work makes a difference in the lives of our clients, their families and their communities. For more information go to www.ilcm.org.

In October the Osseo Areas Schools McKinney-Vento Program was granted funding of $500.
The McKinney-Vento Act provides homeless and highly mobile students with certain rights so they have access to the same programs and services available to all other students, including transportation and supplemental educational services. 
In 2009, the Osseo Areas Schools (ISD279) started receiving federal funding to implement the McKinney-Vento Homeless Program. The mission of Osseo Area School's program is to inspire and prepare all students with the confidence, courage, and competence to achieve their dreams, contribute to community, and engage in a lifetime of learning. 
The grant provided by St. Joseph the Worker Church supports the 500 identified homeless students and their families with gas and food gift cards not currently covered under the McKinney-Vento Federal funding.
 

The Lift Garage applied for, and was provided, a grant in the amount of $3,000. 
The Lift Garage was founded in 2012 by a social worker who repeatedly saw how devastating the expensive cost of car repair could be. People who can't afford to have their cars fixed can't get to work and therefore lose their jobs. In a domino effect, without jobs they lack the money to pay for housing and end up homeless. In addition, she noted that clients who cannot afford the cost of car repair - but also cannot afford to stop driving - too often drive dangerous vehicles or spend winter in Minnesota living in a car without brakes or heat. When the Lift Garage opened its doors in 2013 it was open one day per week, but almost immediately demand for service required increased capacity. With community support, the Lift Garage is now open five days a week and has four working lifts, a diagnostic mobile van, four full-time and one part-time mechanic, and two full-time and one part-time administrative staff.
Their services now include car maintenance and repair, free pre-purchase inspections, car care classes, and social service resource and referral in order to allow them to remain stable, self-sufficient, and in their homes.
The funds donated by St. Joseph the Worker will be used for shop supplies, the cost of which, normally passed on to the customer, is absorbed by The Lift Garage; and for a one year subscription to software Identifix, the service, maintenance, and repair industry's largest and most reliable database utilized to diagnose and determine needed parts and repairs.
For more information, please see www.theliftgarage.org

St. Joseph the Worker provided a grant in the amount of $2,000 to the Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota to further its mission to enhance opportunities for immigrants and refugees through legal representation for low-income individuals, education, and advocacy throughout Minnesota. ILCM answers the urgent need for immigration legal service for low-income clients of all nationalities. In 2016 alone, ILCM provided services to 4,113 individuals, estimated to represent a total of 10,282 individuals when family members are considered, and 118 countries. In the current political climate, ILCM's services are in high demand to stabilize families and keep them safe. In addition, their education and advocacy work is critical to immigrant communities seeking trustworthy information about all aspects of the fast-changing immigration policy. 

ILCM's goals include remedying legal problems by providing quality immigration legal services to low-income immigrants and refugees of all nationalities, addressing the primary barriers New Americans face in achieving legal protections and leading stable lives; preventing legal problems by providing law-related education to immigrants and refugees of all nationalities, thereby alerting individuals and families to available legal protections and rights; and raising public awareness of immigration issues in order to encourage compassionate and practical public policy and protect universal human rights.

For more information please see www.ilcm.org

Mobile Hope - Dayton
Mobile Hope - Dayton requested and received a social justice grant from St. Joseph the Worker in the amount of $2,000. The mission of this organization is to honor God by building a culture of achievement in mobile home communities where families succeed, students excel, and the community shares hope for today and hope for the future. Mobile Hope is an organization of individuals, churches, and agencies invested in advancing their mission through student education, skills and opportunity enhancement for residents, and provision of healthy activities for everyone's participation, all based on Christian faith in action.
The Dayton Mobile Home Park is located far from other neighborhoods in the Anoka School District, which makes it almost impossible for children to stay after school for tutoring. Previously, the Dayton Mobile Home Park had no multi-purpose facility in which residents could gather, meetings could be held, or classes could be offered. Recently the park contributed a double wide trailer to alleviate that need. 
The $2,000 provided by the St. Joseph the Worker social justice parish tithe will allow the organization to reconfigure the existing small-office set-up. They expect to add class rooms and an art room, as well as adding a stove and refrigerator to the current kitchen so refreshments may be offered as appropriate during various programs. Contact Cathy Walter for information how you can get involved at 612-306-6943.

SJTW Grants $1500 to Mary’s Pence
Mary’s Pence was founded in 1987. They invest in women across America by funding their initiatives and fostering collaborations to create social change.

Funds donated will be used to support the ESPERA program. The program partners with existing women’s groups to fund community lending pools, loans from these pools are used by women for income generating projects which enables them to gain increased economic security. For more information, go to www.maryspence.org.

Girls in Action
In May, St. Joseph the worker granted $2000 to Girls in Action. GIA motivates, mentors, empowers, engages and educates girls to succeed in school and life.
The funds requested will be used to provide college scholarship to all recent ‘Girls in Action’ high school graduates. The goal is see that every girl graduates from high school on time and enrolls in college. This goal is supported by providing these girls with $250-$1000 scholarships.
For more information, go to www.giaction.org.

Freedom Works
Freedom Works is one of the organizations SJTW donates to in our tithe grants. Their mission is a Christian community providing housing and meaningful employment, trusting God to transform prisoners’ lives through Bible study, personal accountability, service and fellowship. You are invited to a "Get Involved" volunteer breakfast on Saturday, May 20  from 9-10:30 a.m. at Wayzata Evangelical Church. Please rsvp to admin@freedomeworks.com or call 612-522-9007 to attend.

Cross Peace of Mind Housing Assistance Program
St. Joseph the Worker granted $2000 to Cross Peace of Mind Housing Assistance Program. Its mission is to provide mercy and aid to those in the community who are seeking help by providing compassionate and supportive services. For 40 years, Cross has provided assistance to families and individuals living in Maple Grove, Osseo, Champlin, Corcoran, Dayton and Rogers.
Cross requested funding to assist local families in housing crisis through the Peace of Mind Housing Assistance Program. Funds provided through St. Joseph the Worker’s Social justice Fund along with other funders will help families remain in their homes and in the community by providing monetary mortgage/rental assistance during financial crisis.
For more information, go to www.crossservices.org.

Elpis Enterprises
St. Joseph the worker granted $1000 to Elpis Enterprises. Founded in 2002, the mission of Elpis has been Youth development through social enterprise. Elpis provides paid work experience and employment readiness training that meet the needs of young people between the ages of 16 and 23 years who are homeless or at the risk of homelessness. Its goal is to make the trainees employment-ready or able to launch a career of their choosing. Requested funds will be used to support employment readiness training that helps trainees develop the soft skills needed to gain employment. For more information, go to www.elpisenterprises.org.

Avenues for Homeless Youth
In January, St. Joseph the Worker granted $2000 to Avenues for Homeless Youth. Located in Brooklyn Park and also known as Brooklyn Avenues, its mission is to provide emergency shelter, short term housing and supportive services for homeless youths in a safe and nurturing environment. Through these services, Avenues seeks to help these youths achieve their personal goals and make a positive transition into young adulthood. Brooklyn Avenues youth are supported by youth counselors, volunteers, an education support specialist, a nurse and a mental health therapist. For more information, go to www.avenuesforyouth.org

Home Free
In April, St. Joseph the worker granted $2000 to Home Free. Funding will be used to support the program which provides emergency shelter and support services to nearly 20,000 battered women and their children. Our parish has had a long time partnering relationship with Home Free to support domestic abuse survivors. For more information, go to www.missionsinc.org/programs/home-free

In November, St. Joseph the Worker granted $1500 to WomenSource.
Women source is a nonprofit pregnancy resource center dedicated to restoring hope to women facing unplanned pregnancies. They are committed to providing pregnancy related services in a respectful caring environment. They do not refer or perform abortions but offer a safe supportive environment to come for acceptance, encouragement and hope as women explore their options and address their unplanned pregnancies.For more information, go to www.womensource.org.


In December 2016, St. Joseph the Worker granted $2000 to Sangrada Familia Apostolate.
Founded in 2012, Sangrada Familia is a ministry of St Stephen’s church in Minneapolis. Its mission is to offer hope, healing and guidance to couples, families and unborn babies and support their effort to build and live faithful and purposeful lives.The funds donated would be to support medical referrals to prolife physicians.
For more information, go towww.ststephenscatholic.org.


Also in December 2016, St. Joseph the Worker granted $1000 to Freedom works.
Freedom Works is a Christian community providing housing and meaningful employment to offenders who have completed their sentences and are entering society, while trusting God to transform their lives through Bible study, personal accountability, service and fellowship.

The funds raised would be used to support ‘Life Skills Training’. The Life Skills classes consist of credit repair and budgeting, career development, apartment search and readiness, conflict resolution, computer training and family matters. 
For more information, go to www.myfreedomworks.com.

Parish Tithe Grants in Oct 2016

Grant to North Side Pregnancy Options
In October, St. Joseph the Worker granted $1500 to North side Pregnancy options. North Side Pregnancy Options is a non-profit pregnancy resource center dedicated to providing a respectful, caring and compassionate environment for pregnant women who are experiencing crisis and/or are low-income. Their services include quality prenatal care and comprehensive services before and after birth.
North side Pregnancy options requested funding to purchase baby gear such as cribs, car seats, safety gates and also baby toiletries to stock their Small Steps store. 
For more information go to www.northsidelifecare.org

Grant to Centro Guadalupano
(Andale! - Out of School Time Enrichment)
St. Joseph the Worker granted $2000 to Centro Guadalupano. Centro Guadalupano is an outreach center for Holy Rosary Catholic Church serving the East Phillips neighbourhood of South Minneapolis. Formed in 2000 by Dominican sisters, their mission is “ To be companions on the journey with immigrant families and the economically disadvantaged by providing educational programs and human services.”
The purpose for which funds are requested is for the Anadale! program whose goal is for Latino youths to increase academic achievement and build confidence through artistic skills.
For more information, go to www.guadcenter.org

Grant to Osseo Area Schools ISD #279- Homeless students program
In 2009, ISD #279 started receiving federal funding to implement the McKinney-Vento Homeless program. In October, St. Joseph the Worker granted $1000 to Osseo Area Schools’s McKinney-Vento Homeless program.
The mission of this program is to inspire and prepare all students with the confidence, courage and competence to achieve their dreams, contribute to community and engage in a lifetime of learning. This program was implemented within the district to ensure educational rights and protection for children and youths experiencing homelessness. The program is responsible for ensuring the identification, school enrollment, attendance and opportunities for academic success for students in homeless situations.
The funds requested will support homeless students and their families with needed supplies and support services not currently supported under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act. 
For more information, go to www.district279.org.

Grant to The Lift Garage – Sept 2016
In September, St. Joseph the Worker granted $2000 to The Lift Garage. Located in Minneapolis, The Lift Garage repairs cars for low-income earners that cannot afford the repairs. By providing this service, these low-income clients are able to transport themselves to their jobs and also avoid fi nancial ruin which could in turn lead to losing their homes. For more information, go to www.theliftgarage.org

Grant to Immigration Law Center of Minnesota – Sept 2016
Also in September, St. Joseph the Worker granted $2000 to the Immigration Law Center of Minnesota. Founded in 1996, Immigration Law Center of Minnesota’s mission is to enhance the opportunities for immigrants and refugees through legal representation for low income individuals of all nationalities and through education and advocacy with diverse communities. For more information, go to www.ilcm.org.

Tithe Grant to Mobile Hope, Dayton
In August, St. Joseph the Worker granted $2000 to Mobile Hope, Dayton Founded in 2015 and located in Dayton, Mobile Hope’s mission is to honor God by building a culture of achievement within mobile home communities where families succeed, students excel and the community has a hope for the future. Mobile Hope requested funding to help pay for rent and utilities on the trailer used by students and the volunteers that help them with homework after school. Funds are also needed to pay for legal services and to cover costs for books, tables, chairs, book racks, a computer to log activities. For more information, go to www.mobilehopemn.org or contact Cathy
Walters at 763-306-6943

Tithe Grant to CTUL
In August, St. Joseph the Worker granted $2000 to Centro de Trabajadores Unidos en Lucha (CTUL). CTUL organizes low wage workers across the Twin cities and empowers them to seek fair wages and better working conditions in their workplace. The purpose of funds requested will go towards CTUL’s Defensores program which offers workplace rights education, leadership development coaching and structures for peer to peer mentorship which enables these low income workers win back stolen wages and also fi ght for changes that would prevent wage theft.
For more information, go to www.CTUL.net.

Grant to City House
January 2016

In January, St. Joseph the Worker granted $1000 to City House.
City House works to inspire hope, trust and healing through spiritual listening. Trained spiritual listeners listen to people who are troubled including those experiencing poverty, addiction, homelessness, domestic violence, imprisonment and HIV/AIDS to help them find inner strength, healing and make changes in their lives.
Funding from St. Joseph the Worker will enable City House strengthen the base of trained volunteers that work to help people rebuild their lives.
For more information go to www.city-house.org

Grant to Avenues for Homeless Youth
January 2016

Also in January, St. Joseph the worker granted $2000 to Avenues for Homeless Youths.
Located in Brooklyn Park and also known as Brooklyn Avenues, its mission is to provide emergency shelter, short term housing and supportive services for homeless youths in a safe and nurturing environment. Through these services, Avenue seeks to help these youths achieve their personal goals and make a positive transition into young adulthood.
The funds donated would assist Avenues in providing a full range of supportive services which include case management, mental health therapy, nursing consultation, family counseling, life skills training, education and employment support, housing search and after care support.
For more information, go to www.avenuesforyouth.org.

Grant to Familia Juntas
January 2016

In January, St. Joseph the worker granted $500 to Familia Juntas. Founded in 2013, Familia Juntas purpose is to unite families that are separated or facing separation, to support families facing immigration problems and educate them on immigration issues. It also lends support to immigration reforms that recognize the contribution of immigrants and upholds the dignity of every human being. Funds donated will be used for advocacy work for detained immigrants, publishing and promoting informational materials about issues of immigration as well as for the support of immigration reform.


Grant to Cross Services
February 2016

In February, St. Joseph the Worker granted $2000 to Cross Services Cross Services, also known as Peace of Mind Housing Assistance Program is committed to serving families and individuals in times of need. Its mission is to provide mercy and aid to those in the community who are seeking help by providing compassionate and supportive services. For 38 years, Cross has provided assistance to families and individuals living in Maple Grove, Osseo, Champlin, Corcoran, Dayton and Rogers. Cross requested funding to assist local families in housing crisis through the Peace of Mind Housing Assistance Program. Funds provided through St. Joseph the Worker’s Social justice Fund along with other funders would help empower people in the Cross service area to remain in their homes and in the community by providing monetary mortgage/rental assistance during financial crisis.
For more information, go to www.crossservices.org.


Grant to Cookie Cart
February 2016

Also in February, St. Joseph the Worker granted $500 to Cookie Cart.
Cookie Cart provides teens from 15 to 18 years of age with meaningful work, life and leadership skills through training and experience in an urban nonprofit bakery.
Cookie cart offers “Earn as you learn” programs that offers teens from low income families a chance to learn skills and gain experience while earning a modest wage.
Funding from St. Joseph the Worker will be dedicated to supporting hands-on work experience, classroom work readiness training, formal customer service education, skills certification and financial literacy classes.
For more information go to www.cookiecart.org.


Grant to Compatible Technology International.
February 2016

In February, St. Joseph the Worker, granted $2500 to Compatible Technology international (CTI).
Compatible Technology international (CTI) is a nonprofit organization that designs and distributes tools in collaboration with small farmers and their communities to improve food and water security in developing countries. They work with partners in Sub-Saharan Africa and Central America to distribute their tools which provide the rural poor with opportunities to access safe water, improve food production and raise their income.
Funds donated will be used specifically to reduce food losses and women’s drudgery in Senegal, empower women entrepreneurs in food processing with CTI”s grinder, provide permanent, affordable safe water in rural Nicaragua and raise rural income among peanut farmers in Malawi.
For more information, go to www.compatibletechnology.org