Building Our Home is an initiative of Mount Olive Lutheran Church in Minneapolis that seeks to build our home, the Twin Cities, as we literally build homes for the most vulnerable in our community.  Partnering with three non-profit developers, Building Our Home will leverage the resources of congregations, individuals, and community organizations to build over 2100 units of affordable and supportive housing.

                 Donate to This Effort                    

7914 %

raised toward our $21.3 million goal.

The Problem

According to the Wilder Foundation study of those experiencing homelessness in Minnesota, there were approximately 6,700 individuals experiencing homelessness in the seven county Twin Cities metro area in 2018.  “More than half of respondents (56%) said they have had difficulty renting an apartment or getting housing because there was no housing they could afford.  In addition, 81% of adults experiencing homelessness struggle with a chronic physical or mental health condition.

The Initiative

Mount Olive has existing relationships with three non-profit affordable housing developers, Beacon Interfaith, Aeon, and Alliance Housing. 

Each of these organizations has a list of in-progress projects awaiting funding.  Private donations and money from the State of Minnesota through bonding are two of the most signifiant sources of funding for affordable housing.

The total funding goal for Building Our Home is 21.3 million dollars.  Mount Olive is seeking partnerships with its Twin Cities sister congregations of the Evangelical Church of America, along with other faith communities, organizations, and individuals.

While this goal is significant, we believe in the “many hands make light work” philosophy.  We have set a goal of engaging 63,000 people in this initiative at an average donation of $338 per person.  This is doable!

In addition to opportunities to participate financially, there will be opportunities for members to participate in advocacy work with our elected leaders.

The Ask

There are two primary ways to join the Building Our Home initiative.

Faith Communities and Other Organizations

If you are part of a faith community or organization that is interested in partnering with Mount Olive in the Building Our Home Initiative, please email Jim Bargmann, Coordinator of Neighborhood Ministry at Mount Olive.  We can work together to customize a plan for your organization’s involvement.

Individuals

If you are an individual wanting to contribute to Building Our Home, click here.  This link will take you to the secure, online giving platform used by Mount Olive members and friends.  Simply follow the instructions and specify that your donation should be directed to Building Our Home.

Will This Help?

While 2,100 units of housing does not solve the issue of homelessness in the Twin Cities metro area, it will have a huge impact.  Truly affordable and supportive housing that provides comprehensive social service supports for residents, like Building Our Home will help build, has proven successful in housing those who have experienced homelessness.

Is affordable housing really the answer?  Or do we need more shelter space?

A leader in one of our partner organizations compares housing to a pipeline.  In this analogy, each section of pipe represents a category of housing.  At one end, there are shelters, at the other, market rate rental housing.  The middle pieces represent various levels of affordable and supportive housing.  Shelters are designed to be temporary, transitional housing space.  They serve as a place for people to come in off the street to find help with basic necessities, health care, and finding more stable housing.  Moving people out of shelter to affordable and supportive housing makes the existing shelter beds available for those on the street or in other places not intended for human habitation.