2018 Annual Report 2018 Valedictorian Address
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2018 Annual Report 2018 Valedictorian address Every spring, Life House holds the Celebration of Success fundraising event. This event honors youth who have made significant progress on their personal goals, ranging from completing their GED to maintaining sobriety to keeping employment. One youth is selected to give a short speech to the 250 community members who attend. Below are words from this year’s honoree. I never thought I’d come this far. When I first came to Life House I was homeless, broke and hope- less. The moment I walked through the door, hope hit me like a smack to the face in the form of staff that welcomed me with open arms. Within a month, they helped me get a place of my own and that began my start to a new life. Within a year, I decided to go to college at LSC. I’m proud to say that I have been surprisingly on the Dean’s list twice. I am also proud to say I just finished my fifth semester, but I still have a long way to go. I couldn’t have done it without the support and guidance of Life House. They gave me hope when I thought I had none, they became much more than staff, they became what I call my second family. Without them, I don’t know where I would be at this very moment. Which brings me to my final take away. A poem that I wrote not too long ago titled: “STAY OR GO?” that I thought unintention- ally fit this moment perfectly. STAY OR GO? “Stay or go?” That question pops into my head whenever I look at anyone I care about. I often find myself picturing a day where I’d either be sobbing uncontrollably while I stare at their back as they walk away in the opposite direction or I find myself picturing a day where I’m laughing hysterically while we drive down the street with the music blasting so loudly it almost drowns out the sheer amount of happiness that wants to burst out of my chest when I stare at the person that chose to stay by my side throughout the years. But then there are days when I get home and stare into the mirror and ask myself the same question: “Stay or go?” I often find myself picturing that some day I’d either be sobbing uncontrollably while I stare down at my cut filled arms, bleeding; or I’d find myself picturing that some day I’d be sitting in a rocking chair, smiling with the thought that I’ve made it to the point in my life where my hair is grey, my skin is wrinkled, but my spirit isn’t broken and that I chose to stay all those years ago. For those of you that think of this same question, “Should I stay or should I go?” Do I have what it takes to succeed?” Choose to stay and never give up on your dreams because one day you’ll say the same thing I did, I never thought I’d come this far. -2018 Celebration of Success Valedictorian 2018 Numbers 843 Youth Reached Through All Programs 12,092 Meals Served in the Youth Center 1277 Visits to the Free Store 427 Youth Center Groups, Classes & Activities 55 Youth Resided in Life House Housing Program 74 Placed in Affordable Housing in the Community 11 Youth Stayed at Sol House for Trafficking Survivors for 826 Bednights 24 Youth Stayed at The Loft Teen Emergency Shelter for 1501 Bednights 106 Youth Provided Mental Health Counseling and 39 Received Drug Counseling 20 Active in “Sober Life” Sobriety Support Group 118 Youth Received Academic Support 10 Completed High School, GED, or a Post-Secondary Degree 94 Youth Received Employment Support 29 Youth Received an Average of 45 Hours of Paid Job Training in the Legitimate Hustle Program 2018 Board of Directors Ron ALston Eric Huie Shane Jopke, Co-Chair Community relations A Touch of Plasch United Health care Patrick Boyle Morgana Kolenda Leanne Ventrella, Co-Chair St. louis county Commissioner maurices MN 6th Judicial District Charles Fai Nick Lepak David Barnes, Treasurer Minnesota sex offender program Duluth PolicE Department U.S. Bank Renee Gibbs Jim Paulson Laurie Hull, Secretary Fond Du Lac Retired Center for Alcohol & Drug Treatment Cheryl Goldberg Gudrun Witrak IGO Legacy Hotel Group Retired Financial Report Expense Revenue Futures $219,983 10% Contributions $271,945 11% Housing $1,118,421 53% Foundation Grants $661,638 27% Youth Center $234,528 11% Government Grants $1,286,739 53% Wellness $252,052 12% Fundraising Events $58,201 2% Management/General $257,310 12% Program Revenue $160,956 7% Fundraising $15,587 1% Other $7,528 0% Total $2,097,881 Total $2,447,007 Funding Partners • Anonymous • North Star Foundation • Ben and Jeanne Overman Charitable Trust • Northland Foundation • Bernick Family Foundation • Open Your Heart to The Hungry And Homeless • BNSF Railway • Ordean Foundation • Cathedral Community Cares • Pachel Foundation • City of Duluth • RBC Wealth Management Foundation • CN • Rotary Club #25 • Duluth Superior Area Community Foundation • Shavlik Family FoundationExpenses Graph • Essentia Health Foundation • St. Louis County Placeholder • Harbortown Rotary • State of Minnesota • Head of the Lakes United Way • The Victory Fund • Hearth Connection • US Bank Foundation • Junior League of Duluth • US Department of Housing and Urban • Kiwanis Club of Friendly Duluth Development • Lahti Family Charitable Trust • US Department of Justice: Office on Violence • Lloyd K. Johnson Foundation Against Women • Mardag Foundation • Young Athletes Foundation • Miller-Dwan Foundation • YouthPrise 2018 Donors Patrick Day and Jamie Sathers-Day GIfts Of $2,500 + gifts of $500 - $999 Lynn and Patrick Devlin Anonymous Michael and Ellen Altman Beth and Rick Elstad Hillary Allard Patricia Anderson William and Colleen Erickson Cheryl Goldberg Tammi Gimple Joe Everett David and Lisa Goldberg Kevin and Prerna Brisky Laurie Fosnacht Jim and Nancy Holmgren Hans Casperson Keith & Lynne Hamre Ward and Charlotte Johnson Wendy Champness & Loren Snyder Dennis Hamsher James & Diane Miner Deb DeLuca and Eric Dott Doug Hoffman and Jennifer Pearson Dore Stubenvoll Mary Dwan Jim and Kris Jarocki Thomas and Barbara Elliott Eric Johnson Dean and Tammy Fox Nick Johnson and Amy White Gifts of $1,500 - $2,499 Kandi Garrison and Paul Fish John Judd and Karen Olesen Richard and Linda Goese Diane Kauppi Jinell Abernethy Steve Grindy Lesley Kleveter Patrick and Jennifer Boyle Gilbert Harries Morgana and Leroy Kolenda Liliya Gokhberg Carolyn Heistad Dennis Lamkin and Jon Niemi Robert E. Hoyt Scott & Amber Johnson Donna and Joel Manns Harvey Plasch and Eric Huie Shane & Nichole Jopke John & Anne Marxhausen Patrick & Gail Schoenfelder Andrew Korteum Todd Mayclin Leanne Ventrella and John Hoivik Diane Krueger Michael and Julie McDonnell Elise Lindaman Cindy & Jim McLean Timothy and Karyn Lutz David and Anne Miller Gifts of $1,000 - $1,499 Melvin Maki Linnea Betzler Mirsch Joel and Marilyn Bamford Sean and Deena Peterson Clinton Moen Richard and Liz Burns Dan and Rosey Skorich Randi Nyholm Debbie Cervenka Wade Smith and Kathleen Braddy Donald and Claudia O’Connor George and Elizabeth Goldfarb Steve & Kim Squillace Sandra Pederson Theresa Grosser Michael & Luanne Wachula Hilde & Steve Perala Roderick and Kathleen Hood Tina Welsh and Kathy Heltzer Joanne and Steve Piper-Mauer Laurie Hull Katherine Zeppa David Rovano Lloyd Ketchum and Kimberly Michael Sadowski Krohn Gifts of $250 - $499 Nancy Samuelson Danielle Lindberg Dean and Debra Ager John and Peggy Scott Joan Mork Tim and Kay Allen Mary and Bill Seitz James Mohn & Heather Muster Paul and Carol Anderson Bruce and Kaye Stender James and Linda Paulson Christine and Edward Barta John and Susan Streitz Mickey and Keely Pearson Karis Boerner Bob Stubenvoll Sarah H. Sneve Mark and Mary Dell Carlson Ronn and Pamela Tomassoni Elaine Wickstrom Donald and Jodi Christensen Gay Trachsel Geof and Gudrun Witrak Jill Christie Robert and Lorraine Turner Noah Craft Mark Wick Darrel and Pam Zimmer *Don’t see your name listed? We apologize. Please let us know. 2018 Donors Bernadette Burnham Jeffrey and Kelly Goetzman Bill and Pat Burns Susan and Stan Goltz Cynthia Busch Nelson Tif Grange Mary Campbell Gary & Jeanette Grell Peter and Virginia Campbell Richard and Dawn Griffith Al and Yvonne Carl Terri and Joe Griffiths John & Pat Carow Tom and Pam Griggs Gifts Under $250 Chris and Jeanne Carroll Beverly Grindahl Jean Abramson David Carroll Michael Grossman and Holly Church Steve Acheson Nancy E. Cashman Jim Gruba Beth Adams Jeremy and Robin Churchill Charity Gurovitsch Barb Akre Gerald Cleveland and Marjorie Lucie Han Dean and Terri Alexander Anderson Sarah Hanhan Maria L. Allen Dawn Conlan John and Anne Hansen Jolene Allison Thomas & Carlyle Conrad Lindsey Hansen Ron and Jane Alston Marylou Crain Bill and Jan Hanson Linda Amundsen Eddie Crawford Geraldine Hanson Catherine Anderson Lesley and Stewart Crosby Kyle and Mary Ann Harriss Heather Anderson Tony and Erin Cuneo Beverly and John Hart William and Karen Anderson Christopher and Carmel Demaioribus Peggy Haselow Tim and Laura Andrew Kathryn Dexter Todd and Mary Hautajarvi Judy Aspling Gayle and Mary Draxten Mark and Rachel Hayward Judith Bailey Roberta Dwyer Eve and Eric Hessler Lee Ball Emily Edison Johanna Hislop David and Julie Bard John and Diane Edwards Alexander Hoffman Robert & Marilew Barnidge John Erickson and Gail Blum Egil & Gudrun Hoivik Elizabeth Bartlett Amanda Evans Betsy & John Holcomb Winfried Baur Chuck and Vicki Faegre Phil and Jill Holsinger Carla Bayerl Charles Fai and Shannon May Wendy and Brian Homstad Diane Bean Donna Farrell Elliot and Elissa Hoole Kim Beard Angela and Tim Fellman George and Connie Host Terry and Sharon Becker Pat Finney LeAnn House Gwen Benson Shaun and Sara Floerke Oliver and MaryAnn Houx Linda Benson Brian and Monique Forcier Leanna Lee Hudson Thomas Betts and Therese Presley Bill Forseth and Lorrie Fox Robert Hunter Cindy and David Blomberg Michael & Ernestine Forsman Ryan Irlbeck Elizabeth Twining Blue Diane Foss-Engstrom Julie Jago Russell Boheim Harold and Ruth Frederick Lynda John David and Kelly Bolgrien Fred and Alana Friedman Brent and Leslie Johnson Natalie Bothwell Robert and Marcia Fulton Gunnar and Ingrid Johnson Merlyn and Mary Bowker Tina Gagne Joseph B.