PEOPLE RESPONDING IN SOCIAL MINISTRY
1220 ZANE AVE N, GOLDEN VALLEY, MN 55422 www.prismmpls.org

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Organizations Filed Purposes: TO PROVIDE SOCIAL SERVICES AND CONNECTIONS THAT EMPOWER PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY TO BUILD HEALTHY, STABLE LIVES.

PRISM IS A 501(C)(3) NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION FOUNDED IN 1970 BY COMMUNITY MEMBERS CONCERNED ABOUT LOCAL HUNGRY AND HOMELESS FAMILIES. WHAT STARTED AS AN INFORMAL EFFORT HAS SINCE EVOLVED INTO A STRONG, SUSTAINABLE ORGANIZATION THAT IS CONSIDERED A LEADING PROVIDER OF BASIC NEEDS SERVICES IN THE NORTHWEST SUBURBS. OUR MISSION IS TO PROVIDE SOCIAL SERVICES AND CONNECTIONS THAT EMPOWER PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY TO BUILD HEALTHY, STABLE LIVES. OUR CORE VALUES OF COLLABORATION, INNOVATION, DIGNITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY GUIDE OUR WORK. THE CONTINUED GENEROSITY OF THE COMMUNITY ENABLES US TO MEET THE FOOD, CLOTHING, AND HOUSING NEEDS TO NEARLY 7,000 LOW-INCOME CHILDREN, ADULTS, AND SENIORS EACH YEAR. PRISM'S MARKETPLACE FOOD SHELF, OUR PRIMARY PROGRAM, SERVES RESIDENTS OF GOLDEN VALLEY, NEW HOPE, ROBBINSDALE, CRYSTAL AND PLYMOUTH (EAST OF 494), AS WELL AS RESIDENTS OF SURROUNDING CITIES. OTHER CORE SERVICES INCLUDE HOUSING AND CHILDREN'S PROGRAMS, WHICH SERVES RESIDENTS OF HENNEPIN COUNTY, AND SHOP FOR CHANGE THRIFT SHOP, WHICH IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. COVID POSED A CHALLENGE FOR PRISM TO MEET THE EXPONENTIAL GROWTH IN NEED FOR FOOD AND HOUSING SERVICES, AND PRISM MET AND CONTINUES TO MEET THIS NEED. PRIS'S FOOD DISTRIBUTION-ALTHOUGH MODIFIED-NEVER STOPPED SUPPLYING FAMILIES WITH FOOD. IN ADDITION, HOUSEHOLDS NOW VISIT ONCE PER WEEK, AS OPPOSED TO ONCE PER MONTH PRE-COVID. BETWEEN 10/1/19-2/29/20, FOOD SHELF VISITS AVERAGED 827 PER MONTH. BETWEEN 3/1/20-9/30/20, FOOD SHELF VISITS AVERAGED 1,191 PER MONTH.

THE MARKETPLACE FOOD SHELF ENSURES CHILDREN, ADULTS, AND SENIORS DO NOT GO HUNGRY. AN AVERAGE OF 1,000 FAMILIES VISITED THE FOOD SHELF EACH MONTH BETWEEN 10/1/19-9/30/20. IN ADDITION, WE DISTRIBUTED 1,371,048 POUNDS OF FOOD BETWEEN 10/1/19-9/30/20. PRE-COVID, PRIOR TO ACCESSING THE FOOD SHELF, PARTICIPANTS MET FACE-TO-FACE WITH A CASE MANAGER TO DISCUSS CONCERNS, IN ADDITION TO THEIR STRUGGLE WITH PROVIDING FOOD FOR THEIR FAMILIES. WHAT WE HAVE FOUND IS THAT MOST PARTICIPANTS AND FAMILIES WERE JUST MAKING IT ALONG, UNTIL AN EMERGENCY-OR UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCE-KNOCKED THEM DOWN, AND THEY ARE NEEDING A HAND-UP TO GET BACK ON THEIR FEET. WHILE IN THE FOOD SHELF, PARTICIPANTS SHOPPED FOR AND BAGGED THEIR OWN GROCERIES, MUCH LIKE IN A GROCERY STORE. THIS IS CALLED A "CHOICE" MODEL, AS INDIVIDUALS WERE SELECTING THEIR OWN HYGIENE PRODUCTS AND APPROXIMATELY ONE WEEK'S WORTH OF FREE GROCERIES TO MEET THEIR DIETARY NEEDS AND PREFERENCES. SINCE COVID, WE CONTINUE TO MODIFY OUR FOOD DISTRIBUTION MODEL. ON MARCH 16, 2019, WE BEGAN DISTRIBUTING FOOD USING A DRIVE-UP MODEL. WHILE PARTICIPANTS WAIT SAFELY IN THEIR CARS, PRISM STAFF LOAD TRUNKS AND BACKSEATS WITH A WEEK'S WORTH OF GROCERIES. CASE MANAGERS STOPPED SEEING PARTICIPANTS FACE-TO-FACE AND SPENT MUCH TIME ON THE PHONE CHECKING IN WITH REGULAR PARTICIPANTS AND OTHERS WITH QUESTIONS OR WHO NEEDED RESOURCES. NOW, AS THINGS ARE SLOWLY OPENING, WE ARE WELCOMING PARTICIPANTS BACK INTO THE BUILDING BY APPOINTMENT ONLY TO PICK UP A PRE-PACKED CART OF FOOD AND THAT THEY TAKE TO THEIR CARS. PARTICIPANTS MEET BRIEFLY WITH A CASE MANAGER IN-PERSON WHEN THEY COME TO PICK UP THEIR CART OF GROCERIES. CASE MANAGERS LATER FOLLOW-UP BY PHONE WITH THOSE PARTICIPANTS THAT REQUEST FURTHER ASSISTANCE. CASE MANAGERS PROVIDE REFERRALS TO COMMUNITY RESOURCES TO ADDRESS THESE ISSUES. THEY MAY ALSO PROVIDE GIFT CERTIFICATES TO THE THRIFT SHOP TO ACCESS CLOTHING AND HOUSEWARES, AS WELL AS EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE TO PREVENT EVICTION. BETWEEN 10/1/19-9/30/20 WE PROVIDED 36 FAMILIES WITH GIFT CERTIFICATES TO THE THRIFT SHOP AND ASSISTED 105 FAMILIES WITH CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES. PRIOR TO THE PANDEMIC, PARTICIPANTS COULD ACCESS THE FOOD SHELF ONE TIME PER MONTH. SINCE MARCH 16, 2020, PARTICIPANTS ARE NOW INVITED TO VISIT ONCE PER WEEK. THIS SUMMER WE CONTINUED AS THE AS THE SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (SNAP) BENEFITS COORDINATOR AT THE GOLDEN VALLEY AND NEW HOPE FARMERS' MARKETS. THIS PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR SNAP BENEFIT RECIPIENTS TO BUY FRESH FOOD FROM LOCAL FARMERS. BETWEEN 10/1/19-9/30/20 FAMILIES WERE ABLE TO USE THEIR SNAP BENEFITS TO PURCHASE $1,593 WORTH OF FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES THEY OTHERWISE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO PURCHASE WITH THEIR SNAP BENEFITS. PARTICIPANTS OF THE FOOD SHELF WERE ALSO INVITED TO PARTICIPATE IN CHILDREN'S PROGRAMS, WHICH PROVIDED MORE THAN 1,285 CHILDREN WITH SCHOOL SUPPLIES, HOLIDAY TOYS, NEW BABY ESSENTIALS AND BIRTHDAY GIFTS BETWEEN 10/1/19 - 9/30/20. UNFORTUNATELY, WE ARE NOT CURRENTLY GIVING OUT BIRTHDAY GIFTS.

PRISM'S HOMELESSNESS PREVENTION PROGRAM KEEPS FAMILIES SAFELY AND STABLY HOUSED. BETWEEN 10/1/19-9/30/20 WE HELPED 200 FAMILIES AVOID THE LOSS OF THEIR HOME DUE TO FACING A FINANCIAL CRISIS; THIS IS TWICE AS MANY AS FY 18/19 WHERE WE ASSISTED 102 FAMILIES. THIS PROGRAM OFFERS EMERGENCY FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE, ADVOCACY WITH LANDLORDS TO HELP AVOID COSTLY HOUSING COURT PROCEEDINGS AND EVICTION, ASSISTANCE WITH APPLICATIONS FOR ENERGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS, AND REFERRALS FOR COMMUNITY RESOURCES TO ADDRESS OTHER ISSUES LIKE TRANSPORTATION, EMPLOYMENT, AND MENTAL HEALTH CARE. PARTICIPANTS OF THE HOUSING PROGRAMS MAY ALSO ACCESS THE FOOD SHELF, THRIFT SHOP, AND CHILDREN'S PROGRAMS AS THEY WORK TO REGAIN STABILITY. AS OF JUNE 2019, WE STARTED A LONG-TERM DATA COLLECTION PROCESS ABOUT THE IMPACT OF RENTAL ASSISTANCE, SURVEYING OUR HOMELESSNESS PREVENTION PARTICIPANTS WHEN THEY FIRST RECEIVE ASSISTANCE, AND THEN AGAIN AT 3, 6 AND 12 MONTHS AFTER. HOUSEHOLD STABILITY IS ASSESSED BY ASKING ABOUT CHANGES TO HOUSEHOLD'S MEMBERSHIP, MOBILITY OR TRANSIENCE, AND CHANGES IN MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH. ADDITIONALLY, WE ASK ABOUT TYPICAL BARRIERS TO STABLE HOUSING, SUCH AS HOMELESSNESS, CHILD PROTECTIVE SERVICES INVOLVEMENT, AND CONVICTIONS. TO CREATE A MORE COMPREHENSIVE UNDERSTANDING OF WHO WE SERVE WE REVIEW SURVEY DATA ALONG WITH THE COLLECTED DEMOGRAPHIC DATA AND CASE NOTES. THIS PROVIDES A MORE HOLISTIC UNDERSTANDING ON THE IMPACT OF OUR SERVICES WHILE ALSO PROVIDING KEY CONTEXTUAL INFORMATION ABOUT EACH PARTICIPANT'S UNIQUE SITUATION.

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