People Serving People Inc

Homelessness prevention program:psp's family homelessness prevention program was launched as a pilot program in 2021. With community support, psp increased the direct financial assistance available to participating families and expanded the program to serve more families. This program aims to prevent the experience, or re-experience, of homelessness through connection with fast and flexible resources and limited case management, allowing families to stay stably housed. For participating families, 2024 saw a dramatic increase in need and requests for assistance. These requests were typically for support with security deposits, back rent, rent support, car repairs/ transportation/tire replacement, and cell phones to assist with job searches and childcare communications. In 2024, 285 families received services and prevented the re-experience of homelessness through this program, and 58 families could remain stably housed before experiencing homelessness.

Family support services programs:while staying at psp, families are encouraged to participate in the organization's strengths-based, client-centered programming that empowers families to reach stability by addressing their self-identified barriers and areas of potential growth. Every family is assigned an advocate who will be their primary touch point and case manager throughout their stay, although they can speak to any advocate anytime. These advocates offer individual sessions and conversations to help families work toward their self-determined stability goals. In 2024, psp advocate staff held 480 1:1 meetings with guests (unduplicated). In addition to these individual support systems, psp also offers more structured programming. In 2024, 313 parents were able to attend personalized financial fitness classes, and of those guests, 91 opened new savings accounts. To find job openings and housing opportunities, psp supported 127 guests with employment services sessions and visited psp's technology resource center to search for jobs, prepare resumes, and seek out opportunities for their careers. While 9.7% of guests were employed when they arrived at psp, 30% were employed when they left.

Educational programs:people serving people's commitment to helping families address the root causes of their homelessness and return to stability is grounded in the importance of education. In 2024, 170 children were able to enroll in our shelter's education programs. These programs included the onsite licensed and nationally accredited early childhood development program which serves children aged infancy through preschool monday through friday. Psp's k-12 youth engagement program offers educational support for school-aged children, including homework help, social activities, and other celebrations. This program is offered after school and during the summer. In addition to on-site offerings, psp operates the offsite center of excellence preschool and learning center located at first covenant church of minneapolis. This program features education and childcare for infants, preschool, kindergarten preparation, parent engagement programs, and systems change work to improve the field of family resilience and trauma-informed education and service. The center is part of psp's continuity of care initiative which enables us to provide supportive continuity of services for families transitioning out of emergency shelter and families at risk of experiencing homelessness and other chronic adversities.