Impact report 2010

Program IMPACT and QUALITY Report

Our Mission The mission of Volunteers of America–Minnesota is to provide opportunities which will make a significant, lasting impact in the lives of our program participants, and to elicit community support for our program participants.

We pursue this mission by empowering our program participants with the motivation, education, support and competencies necessary for age- and disability- appropriate independence and selfreliance. We strengthen communities by fostering within them the readiness to support their citizens in achieving this independence and self-reliance.

Our Vision We envision a society in which all persons are valued and have the assets for achieving self-reliant, independent, fulfilling lives. We envision communities which support families in providing this opportunity to their children. We envision a society which cares for persons with disabilities and for elders, extending to them the needed supports and appropriate opportunities for independence and dignity. We envision a society which fosters self-reliance and a high standard of ethical behavior, in which citizens freely contribute their time, talent and resources for the common good.

We envision Volunteers of America–Minnesota effectively serving as a catalyst to realize this vision.

We have been reviewed by the Minnesota Charities Review Council and are proud to have fully met its Accountability Standards.

The majority of the individuals pictured in this publication are Volunteers of America participants, volunteers and staff. Only two photos feature models.

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Table of Contents Organization Wide Message from the President and CEO Organization Wide Accomplishments

page 3 4

Children & Families Programs Family Treatment Programs Children’s Mental Health Case Management Family Treatment Foster Care Family Prison Visitation and Transportation In-Home Relief Avanti Center for Girls Bar None Residential Treatment Services Children’s Residential Treatment Center (CRTC) Omegon Residential Treatment Center

5 5 5 5 6 6–7 7 7–8 8

Mental Health Clinics 8–9 DBT Intensive Outpatient Therapy Program 9 Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) Family Focused Therapeutic Service Program 9 Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) Mental Health Services 9–10 Family and Parenting Development Program 10 Home-Based/CTSS Program 10 Outpatient Program 10 Services for Students 10 Somali and East African Behavioral Health Program 10

Programs for Students

19–21 19–20 20–21

Senior Mental Health Services Senior Nutrition Senior Partners Care (SPC)

21 21 21

Senior Volunteer Programs RSVP Experience Corps

22 22 22

Services for Persons With Special Needs

Residential Services Non-Residential Services Columbia Heights Board and Lodge

23 23–24 24

Affordable Housing Programs Housing Services Our HOME The Village Franklin Station

25 25 26

Services for Adults Completing Rehabilitation Programs Group Residential Housing (GRH) Residential Reentry Centers (RRCs) Women’s Recovery Center (WRC)

27 27–28 28

Community Programs

Service Adventure Leadership (SALT) High School Phoenix High School Opportunity High School and Adult High School Diploma Program Charter School Authorizing

11–12 12–13 13–14 14–16

Programs for Seniors, Their Families & Caregivers Assisted Living Program Care Management and Consultation Community Outreach Social Workers DayElders Estate and Elder Law Services Highrise Social Services Hmong Elder Connections Protective Services

Senior Community Centers Southwest Center Park ElderCenter

Bowling for Backpacks Operation Backpack Thanksgiving Food Drives Adopt a Family Scholastic Books Buses for Baseball Action Team

29 29 29 29–30 30 30 30

page 17 17 17–18 18 18 18 19 19

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Message from the President and CEO This report reflects Volunteers of America—Minnesota’s commitment to being able to articulate the results our programs achieve in the lives of our program participants. In Fiscal Year 2010 we served 26,512 program participants, but simply serving these individuals is not sufficient. We seek to make lasting, significant differences in their lives and our commitment is to being able to articulate these differences.

We sponsor over sixty programs serving a wide range of individuals in multiple ways. One or two organization-wide measures would not be able to reflect the wide range of changes our programs seek to effect, so each of our programs reports its own measures. For our seniors, we seek to achieve a longer period of independent living while retaining a high quality of life. For those with disabilities, we foster active participation in the community, including employment for those with the ability. For those completing rehabilitation, we seek employment, stable housing, and positive contribution to the community. Our housing programs offer safe, stable housing for many seniors, homeless families, and persons with disabilities.

Our programs for children and their families seek to prevent abuse, ameliorate the effects of the abuse that has happened, and help families find the skills and readiness to offer a safe, stable, nurturing family environment. Our schools offer a welcoming, responsive style education for students who have not been successful in other schools. For all of the children and adolescents we work with, we focus on high school graduation and some form of subsequent education and training.

Our accountability to the community is to be able to report specifically the results we have been able to achieve through use of the significant resources our community has invested with us. This report exercised this accountability.

We hope you will peruse the report, taking a great deal of satisfaction in knowing that your support of our organization has enabled these 26,512 program participants to achieve these levels of positive changes in their lives.

Michael Weber President and CEO

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Organization Wide Organization Wide Accomplishments Volunteers of America–Minnesota holds certification as being in full compliance with the standards of the Minnesota Charities Review Council (www.smartgivers.org). The Council sets high standards for accountability, governance, financial management, fundraising, and ethical standards. As a service to charitable donors, the Council assesses and certifies nonprofit organizations as partially or fully in compliance with the Council‘s standards. We have received the highest level of certification the Council offers.

Nationally, Volunteers of America received a Three-Star rating from Charity Navigator, America’s largest independent evaluator of charities indicating the organization “exceeds or meets industry standards and performs as well as or better than most charities in its cause.”

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Programs for Children and Families Children’s Mental Health Case Management Our Family Treatment program served 278 children, families and adults in our Mental Health Case Management program during fiscal 2010 by setting up and coordinating services needed to help children with emotional and mental health issues remain living safely in their own homes.

• For children and youth who participated in the program during the year, 93% of the children and youth were able to continue to live successfully in their family homes.

• Eight of eleven of the program youth who were seniors in high school during the 2009/2010 school year graduated in June 2010. The three who did not graduate continue to attend high school.

• 65% of program youth improved functioning at school, home and in the community, and 63% improved family functioning as assessed by the Student Data Evaluation System and as reported by their parents.

Family Treatment Foster Care Our Family Treatment Foster Care program served 70 children and youth in our foster homes during fiscal 2010.

• Of the children served, 86% have been able to remain living with their foster parents or were reunited with family, adopted or emancipated into adulthood. Only 14% were unable to continue in our care or return to a more stable living arrangement, reflecting Volunteers of America’s foster care program’s successful efforts to end the cycle of multiple placements that most foster children experience.

• Seven of nine of our foster children who were seniors in high school during the 2009/2010 school year graduated in June 2010. The two who did not graduate both continue to attend high school.

• In 2010, the Minnesota Council of Child Caring Agencies (MCCCA) board of directors selected Pastor Henry and Kathy Bonner for its annual “Foster Care Provider of the Year” award. The Bonner’s have been licensed foster parents with Volunteers of America–Minnesota for 25 years.

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Family Prison Visitation and Transportation Family Prison Visitation and Transportation enabled 26 children (and their caregivers) to visit their mothers who were incarcerated in a federal prison in Illinois during fiscal 2010. The program prepared both the children and their caregivers for the visits, and offer support upon their mother’s return to their homes.

• 100% of participating children surveyed “Agreed” or “Strongly Agreed” that the program trips make them feel happy and more connected to their mother, and 90% “Strongly Agreed” or “Agreed” that the program trips have helped them to understand their mother’s situation better and have helped them feel more prepared for their mother to come home.

• 100% of caregivers surveyed “Agreed” or “Strongly Agreed” that the program has helped to reduce stress in the relationships with both the incarcerated mothers and their children.

• Our program was one of three Volunteers of America programs nationwide to receive the Annie E. Casey Foundation Family Strengthening Award which recognizes especially effective programs that work toward improving child well being by strengthening the entire family.

Programs for Childrens and Families

In-Home Relief In-Home relief provides respite services to families caring for children and young adults who have physical and/ or developmental disabilities. The program assists these families in meeting the high needs of these children so that they may continue residing in their family home.

• In fiscal 2010, we provided respite services for 22 children and 100% of the children maintained their independence and remained living in their family’s home.

Avanti Center for Girls Our Avanti Center for Girls, which opened during fiscal 2008, provided shelter, evaluation and treatment services for 89 adolescent girls experiencing emotional and behavioral problems in fiscal 2010.

• During 2010, 73% of Avanti youth demonstrated clinically meaningful improvement from intake to discharge from programming at Avanti. What’s more, 100% of Avanti youth expressed satisfaction with the programming received at Avanti when provided an exit interview.

• Prior to admission to Avanti, 89% of residents exhibited suicidal thoughts or behaviors, and six months after discharge from Avanti only 17% exhibited these symptoms, a reduction of 72%.

• Avanti staff and residents participated in the Out of the Darkness Walk for Suicide Prevention in September 2010. Many of Avanti’s residents have

experienced suicidal ideation, attempts and/or been affected by the suicide of a loved one. Residents who attended expressed increased awareness of the impact of suicide, greater feeling of community support and motivation to continue progress towards their goal of building a life worth living.

• Avanti employees received training and refresher trainings on crisis management focusing on de-escalation of physical interventions. As a result, physical interventions with residents were decreased by 89%.

• In July 2010, Avanti held its second annual Celebration Banquet to recognize the work of its program participants. 100% of Avanti youth were in attendance, as were some recently ssuccessful graduates of the Avanti program. Family members and/or county social workers from the community accompanied youth in attendance at the event.

• As a contributing part of the community, Avanti seeks out opportunities for its residents to engage and give back to the community. In the last year, Avanti residents packed food for shipment to feed 120,000 kids for Feed My Starving Children, supervised children with behavioral and developmental disabilities while parents attended a support group at ARC, participated as recreation volunteers for Dakota Communities, Inc. which serves people with disabilities, and made 13 blankets for homeless cats of the Coon Rapids Humane Society.

Additionally, Avanti youth made cards and sent them to U. S. soldiers, as well as assembled and donated school supplies for our Operation Backpack program for low-income, at-risk students.

• An Avanti clinical coordinator supervised a clinical intern during the past year through a partnership with St. Catherine’s University and attended trainings at the University to assist with her professional growth. Providing a clinical internship to graduate students gives Avanti an opportunity to help develop future clinicians and gives them experience in a residential setting.

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Avanti Center for Girls Continued • Avanti administration and clinicians attended a two part Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) Intensive Training, providing them with increased knowledge of DBT and the ability to better implement a DBT program for residents and counselors. In addition, Avanti’s participation in these trainings promotes and publicizes the presence of the Avanti Center in the DBT community.

• Avanti maintained certification to provide services for youth with Severe Emotional Disturbance (SED) from the Department of Human Services. This affords Avanti access to insurance referents, as well as allows counties to access funding which makes the program more affordable.

Bar None Residential Treatment Services Bar None Residential Treatment Services provided a variety of residential treatment and aftercare services, as well as evaluation and stabilization options, for 161 at-risk youth with emotional and behavioral problems in fiscal 2010.

• 80% of Bar None youth were discharged to a less restrictive setting such as a foster home, group home, independent living situation, or with family after program completion.

• 95% of youth expressed satisfaction with the programming received at Bar None when provided an exit interview survey.

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• As a contributing part of the community, Bar None seeks out opportunities for its residents to engage and give back to the community. 100% of eligible residents from Bar None’s Stepping Stone unit gave back to the community by completing a summer of cleaning boat landings for the Long Lake Association.

Additionally, all five units had more than 90% of residents participate in scheduled Adopt-AHighway clean-ups.

• The Bar None Olympics was held in July 2010 with 100% participation for eligible residents. The event was themed “Greek Olympics” and included a torch relay to kick off the event, followed by a week of activities including hot shot basketball, volleyball, four-person relay, a canoe race and many more.

A closing award ceremony was held at the end of the week to recognize participants.

• Bar None’s Work Readiness Program (WRP) built and sold three varieties of cedar picnic tables, unit couches, bed frames, entertainment centers, tables, and storage cabinets. Currently the WRP participants are working on a project to build closets for Bar None to replace the existing bed room lockers, eliminating the need for an outside contractor and building the skills of the youth.

• Bar None maintained certification to provide services for youth with Severe Emotional Disturbance (SED) from the Department of Human Services.

Children’s Residential Treatment Center (CRTC) During 2010, our Children’s Residential D Treatment Center (CRTC ) provided T mental health residential treatment m services for 42 severely emotionally s disturbed adolescents from throughout d Minnesota.

• 100% of residents completing the program were placed in setting less restrictive than residential treatment.

• For youth completing our pro gram during 2010, 88% of the youth remained living in a stable, less restrictive placement than residential treatment at the time of six month follow-up and 100% of the youth were regularly attending school or had completed school.

Programs for Childrens and Families • Exit interviews were completed by residents, families and social workers following discharge to evaluate several components of the CRTC program. Their average rating for “Outcomes or Results of Services” was 5.3 or “Very Good” based on a 6.0 scale. Select written coments on the surveys included the following: “The best part was all of the care I received and the consistency of staff being there to help me out, seeing how much and how hard people work and change,” “The best part of the program was it saved my life, it showed me a new way of living,” and “I feel good about myself now!”

Omegon Residential Treatment Center During fiscal 2010, our Omegon Residential Treatment Center provided services for 71 adolescents who experienced serious social, emotional and/or behavioral disorders, combined with abuse of or dependency on mood altering chemicals.

• 47% of youth discharged from the program successfully completed the program, which is significant because the youth referred to this level of care have significant histories of disruptive behaviors and are particularly challenging.

• For youth discharged from our program during 2010, 68% of the youth were living in a stable, less restrictive placement than residential treatment at the time of six-month follow-up and 100% of the youth discharged were regularly attending school or had completed school.

• Exit interviews were completed by residents, families and social workers following discharge to evaluate several components of the program.

Based on a six point scale, families/workers average rating for “Outcomes or Results of Services” was 5.1 or “Very Good.” Select written comments on the surveys included: “The program is wellrounded, offering group and individual therapy, group therapy and family therapy. Omegon also adheres to a structured approach that young people can and do respond to when they are ready” and “The best part was all the drastic changes I have made and all the things I have leaned about myself.”

• Omegon residents and staff celebrated National Alcohol & Drug Addiction Recovery Month with a BBQ and talent show in September 2010. The celebration was held in the Omegon backyard and 21 residents and 45 guests attended.

• Omegon seeks to provide opportunities for volunteers to engage with the program staff and residents. In the last year, Omegon hosted work groups from Land O’Lakes, FilmTech and Comcast who worked on landscaping, grounds clean up and painting projects. Throughout the projects, Omegon staff and clients engaged with volunteers. Additionally about 40 volunteers from local AA groups spoke at weekly Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meetings for Omegon residents.

Mental Health Clinics Our Mental Health Clinics provided home-based, schoolbased, outpatient and intensive outpatient comprehensive mental health services for children, youth and families, including prevention and early interventions programs, psychotherapy, skills development, psychiatric services, psychological testing, and continuing care services for more than 1,200 participants of Volunteers of America–Minnesota programs, and children and families in the general community in fiscal 2010.

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Mental Health Clinics Continued • The Minnesota Family Based Services Association (MFBSA) honored Christine Harnack, MA, LP, LMFT, Director of our Mental Health Clinics, with its “Presidential Award” in February 2010. The award recognized Ms. Harnack for the stellar outcomes she has achieved for children and families, as well as for exemplifying strengthbased, family-centered philosophy, earning the respect of her peers, and for serving as a leader in the community.

• A Mental Health Clinics program manager was selected to participate in a national clinical consultation initiative for Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TR-CBT). She is involved in a phone clinical case consultation with other TR-CBT therapists across the nation, led by the developers of the TR-CBT evidenced-based practice.

• DBT Intensive Outpatient Therapy Program Our Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) Intensive Outpatient Therapy Program serves adolescents who experience an emotional/behavioral dysregulation pattern. These individuals often suffer from chronic suicidal ideation, self-injurious behavior and repeated hospitalizations.

— For the high-risk youth who participated in the program during fiscal 2010, 83% avoided hospitalization, 74% minimized self-injury or suicidal ideation, and 83% extinguished selfinjury or suicidal ideation.

— The Mental Health Clinics was chosen by the Department of Human Services for a DBT practice improvement project to support high fidelity programs in other agencies to become “certified” DBT providers.

— In December 2010, our DBT program expanded to also provide services for young adults ages 18-26.

• Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) Family Focused Therapeutic Service Program Our Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) Family Focused Therapeutic Services Program offers parent education, case management and support services for deaf and hard of hearing parents of pre-school age children who are considered at-risk for child abuse and neglect.

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—D During i 2010 2010, 100% off participating ti i ti ffamilies ili were successful in improving their parent/child relationships lowering their risk for child protective services intervention, and 100% of DHH parents in the programs increased their parent/child interactive time during their involvement in the program.

• Deaf and Hard of Hearing Mental Health Services Our Deaf and Hard of Hearing Mental Health Services offers culturally competent, specialized mental health services for Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) children and their families using therapists who are fully proficient in American Sign Language (ASL).

— Our Mental Health Clinics is one of the few clinics in Minnesota which provides specialized mental health services to DHH children. The delivery of mental health services is schoolbased, home-based, and office-based.

Services are also provided at satellite clinics at the Metro Deaf School/North Star Academy and on the campus of the Minnesota Academy for the Deaf (MSAD) where both outpatient and intensive outpatient services are provided.

— Our Mental Health Clinics is also the only clinic in Minnesota which provides specialized mental health services to DHH children using Tele-Mental Health Technology (video conferencing). Using this innovative tool, we were able to bring our specialized mental health services to a total of twelve DHH children living in greater Minnesota who otherwise would not have access to culturally specific mental health services.

Programs for Childrens and Families — Rebecca Goffman, Psy.D., supervisor and mental health therapist for our Mental Health Clinics’ Deaf and Hard of Hearing Mental Health Program, was presented with the “Clinical Service Excellence” award from the Minnesota Association of Community Mental Health Programs (MACMHP) in for outstanding service.

— In November 2010, 75 people from the community attended our Mental Health Clinics and the Minnesota State Academy for the Deaf (MSAD) open house for the newly launched DHH IMPACT program which serves deaf students with severe emotional problems and their families.

• Family and Parenting Development Program Under a contract with Hennepin County, our Mental Health Clinics initiated the Family and Parenting Development Program which offers parent skill building, therapeutic parent/child interaction, coordinated therapeutic services and support services for families with children ages 0-17. We are the only agency in the Twin Cities who was granted the ability to contract for all three levels of the program.

— The program was launched in October 2010 and in its first three months served a total of 25 families.

• Home-Based/CTSS Program Our Home-Based/CTSS (Children’s Therapeutic Services and Support) provides mental health services to children and their families who need frequent, intensive interventions so that the children may continue to live safely at home.

— 94% of the children served through our program were able to continue living safely with their families, avoiding out-of-home placement.

— Additionally, 90% of the children who participated in the program were able to successfully and demonstrably improve their functioning at home, school and in the community.

• Services for Students Our Mental Health Clinics continued to provide mental health services and support groups for students enrolled in Volunteers of America-Minnesota schools including the SALT High School, Opportunity High School, Phoenix School, and Success Academy.

— Of the students treated during fiscal 2010, 76% reported improvement on the mental health issues which initially brought them to the program.

— 64% of the students referred followed through with services to completion, an increase from 60% in the previous year.

• Somali and East African Behavioral Health Program Our Somali and East African Behavioral Health Program offers school-based and home-based individualized mental health services to Somali and East African children, adolescents and their families.

— 100% of the children served were able to continue living safely with their families, avoiding out-of-home placement.

— Additionally, 65% of the children who participated in the program were able to successfully and demonstrably improve their functioning at home, school and in the community.

— During fiscal 2010, we provided 34 presentations to various groups (990 people) on Immigrant and Refugee Mental Health issues including depression, stress, culture and conceptions of mental health, and post traumatic stress disorder.

— The Hennepin County Juvenile Corrections Department selected our program for High Fidelity “Wrap Around” Services for Somali and East African youth. “Wrap Around” is a process for multiple systems to come together with youth and their families to create a highly individualized plan to address complex emotional and behavioral issues.

• Outpatient Program Our Mental Health Clinics’ Outpatient Program offers individualized mental health services for children, adolescents and their families.

— In fiscal 2010, 96% of the children, adolescents and families who participated in our program reported improvement on the issues which initially brought them to the program.

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Programs for Students Service Adventure Leadership (SALT) High School Our Service Adventure Leadership (SALT) High School is a Minneapolis Public Schools specialty school which serves grades 10 through 12 and features an experiential and environmental themed program focused on leadership development and community-based service learning. SALT students are typically those who may benefit from hands-on, experiential learning, have a passion for outdoor adventure and environmental activities, and/ or may have been unsuccessful in traditional classroom settings.

• SALT High School was named “Program of the Year” by the Minnesota Association of Alternative Programs (MAAP) for the 2009/2010 school year. MAAP is a professional coalition of alternative schools throughout Minnesota, with membership ranging between 500 and 1000 alternative educators.

• 27 students graduated in June 2010 and, by the end of January 2011, another 14 students graduated from the program. The increase is due in part to the expansion of the Independent Study Program (ISP) which serves parenting and working students, as well as students who wish to prepare for collegestyle work. Nearly all graduates had applications in to attend college immediately following graduation, or had plans to enroll in the next six months.

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• Student surveys about the 2009/2010 school year indicated that 96.7% of students “Agreed” or “Strongly Agreed” that they are learning in our school, 96.3% “Agreed” or “Strongly Agreed” that SALT staff holds high expectations for their academic and behavioral performance, and 88.9% indicated that they explicitly know the learning objectives in all classes.

• For the 2009/2010 school year, students made Adequate Year Progress (AYP) in attendance, besting our target average attendance goal by 5.2%.

To date for the 2010/2011 school year, we are close to maintaining our target attendance rate of 85% or better.

• For 2009/2010, average attendance rose 14.5% over the previous year. 46% of students participated in SALT Out-of-School Time (OST) extra-curricular environmental and adventure programming options.

The average attendance rate of those students was 12% higher than that of their peers, demonstrating a clear correlation between attendance and afterschool/weekend programming.

• Suspensions and disciplinary actions were reduced by 73% from the previous year indicating fewer behavioral disruptions due to high quality instruction in the classroom and quality relationships with the staff.

Programs for Students • For the 2009/2010 school year, 100% of students made Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) in Reading. Based on Fall 2009 to A Spring 2010 testing on the NWEA Measures of Academic Progress (MAP), 100% of students who tested during the period made their expected growth in both Math and Reading. Additionally, 43% made at least four times their expected growth in Math and Reading.

• During the 2009/2010 school year, there were more than 20 events for students outside of the traditional classroom experience. Examples included experiential learning trips to Glendalough State Park, Hawk Ridge, Gooseberry Falls State Park, rk, Jay Cooke State Park, and Grand Marais. Students also participated in city-based service learning and adventure programming which included Urban Plunge (a joint project with Edina and Crosby-Ironton High Schools), Earth Day, World Aids Day, the Minnesota Association of Alternative Programs (MAAP) STARS statewide competition, Minnesota History Day, and other assorted activities. So far for the 2010/2011 school year, our events and expeditions have included a men’s trip to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area, and girls horseback riding camping retreat, a service project at Glendalough State Park, the Fall Colors Tour, MAAP Stars conference, Urban Plunge and rock climbing.

• Students from SALT High School’s Eco-Arts and Creative Writing classes created the “Write Me Up!” shanty for the Art Shanty Project, a four-week exhibition on Medicine Lake in January and February 2010. Their shed was constructed as a chalk board and magnetic poetry cube, where students asked questions and received answers from the community. All of the construction was based on LEED (environmental building) standards, with a project goal of using 85% or more recycled or reused materials. Staff and students maintained a blog about their experience during the event.

• 78% of our students participated in one of several college-related service projects which included Augsburg College, University of St. Thomas, and Concordia University.

• 100% of staff have active memberships in their subject area professional associations and one staff member contributed to a nationally published guide to service-learning.

Phoenix High School Our Phoenix High School, located in Southeast Minneapolis near Powderhorn Park, joined the Volunteers of America-Minnesota network of contract alternative schools in 2008. The program offers students a small school environment with strong student support in Math, Science, and the Humanities, as well as credit recovery opportunities.

• 29 students graduated in June 2010.

• During the 2009/2010 school year, 62% of students met or exceeded expected growth in Math, while 55% met or exceeded expected growth in Reading.

These growth rates are promising since most students come to the school significantly behind grade level in Reading and Math. Average attendance was 64%, which was under our program goal, but 4% higher than last year.

• Phoenix High School moved to a new location during the 2010/2011 school year and added student access and course options in Physical Educatiwith the presence of a gym and weight lifting room.

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Phoenix High School Continued • Also during the 2010/2011 school year, the program restructured administrative staff and support positions by adding a Spanish speaking receptionist and a restorative justice behavioral specialist to help increase attendance and enhance contact with the students’ families.

• In September 2010, Phoenix opened its first after-school program modeled after a similar program at our SALT High School, but will expand options to include an ACT prep class, a drama/theater team, the Adventure Team (partner of the SALT collaborative), a dance team, and other physical activities such as basketball and soccer soccer. So far far, nearly half of Phoenix students have participated in an after-school activity since the start of the program.

• Phoenix has established a solid partner with the Adler Graduate School and will have two intern counselors to help support students. Interns will work under the supervision of Serena Schmidt, our Phoenix High School counselor.

Opportunity High School and Adult High School Diploma Program Opportunity High School is a contracted specialty school with Minneapolis Public Schools and serves students grade 9 through 12 up to age 21, while our Adult High School Diploma Program serves students age 18 and over. Both programs specialize in meeting the education needs of English language learners. Many students are recent immigrants from Somalia who come to us with little formal schooling and have overcome incredible obstacles to earn their diplomas. Day and evening classes offer flexibility for students to choose programs that best meet their needs.

• For the 2009/2010 school year, 75% of students met or exceeded expected growth in Language Usage, 69% of students met or exceeded expected growth in Math. Additionally, the attendance rate was 86.8% which was a 2% increase from the previous year.

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Programs for Students • 80 students graduated in June 2010. Special guest, Mayor R. T. Rybak delivered the commencement address and presented diplomas to graduates.

• 100% of graduating students completed MyLife Plan which includes completing a college application.

MyLife Plan is series of requirements students must complete to graduate and includes post secondary planning, college application and senior capstone.

• 134 volunteers provided 4,546 hours of volunteer tutoring services for our students representing a dollar value of approximately $93,000.

• Our Adult High School Diploma Program was recognized by a consortium of 18 ABE/ESL program (Adult Basic Education/English as A Second Language) for being successful in achieving government goals for the year, as well as program growth.

Charter School Authorizing Volunteers of America–Minnesota was the first nonprofit organization in the nation to authorize a charter school.

We now authorize sixteen schools throughout Minnesota, each filling a unique niche in its home community. We authorize schools that meet our five hallmarks: 1) ensures high quality educational opportunities, 2) focuses on underserved communities, 3) demonstrates a commitment to racial, ethnic, and socio-economic diversity, 4) encourages small school environments, and 5) promotes community engagement.

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Charter School Authorizing Continued • We approved Cornerstone Montessori Elementary School to open in the Phelps neighborhood of St. Paul in fall 2012. Cornerstone will provide a Montessori-based education to early elementary-aged children with a strict commitment to academic excellence and closing the achievement gap. The Walton Foundation recently rewarded Cornerstone with a start-up grant, the only charter school in the state to receive this grant for 2010/2011.

• Each year we honor our authorized charter schools that have demonstrated strength in the areas of educational programming, financial management and oversight, and school board governance. For the 2009/2010 school year, Global Academy received the award for Outstanding Learning Program, Birch Grove received the award for Outstanding Financial Management and Oversight, and TrekNorth received the award for Outstanding Board Governance. For the 2008/2009 school year, Global Academy received the award for Outstanding Learning Program, TrekNorth received the award for Outstanding Financial Management and Oversight, and Metro Deaf/North Star Academy received the award for Outstanding Board Governance.

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• Global Academy, one of our authorized charter schools, was recognized in 2009 and 2010 by the Star Tribune as a school that is “Beating the Odds” as demonstrated by strong MCA II test scores, especially among those students with low socio-economic status.

• Metro Deaf School-Minnesota North Star Academy, one of our authorized charter schools, placed second in the Midwest Regional Academic Bowl competition hosted by Gallaudet University at the Oklahoma School for the Deaf in February 2010.

• One of our authorized charter schools, TrekNorth High School, was one of four successful Advanced Placement (AP) participation and performance sites toured during AP Week by the College Board and Commissioner Alice Seagren and Deputy Commissioner Karen Klinzing of the Minnesota Department of Education.

• Under the new 2009 Charter School Law, authorizers must be approved by the Minnesota Department of Education in order to continue authorizing charter schools. Volunteers of America-Minnesota was one of the first authorizers to be approved by the Minnesota Department of Education in April 2010, and through the process many of our authorizing practices were recognized as model practices by reviewers.

Programs for Students • In partnership with Friends of Education, our program was selected by the National Association of Charter School Authorizers (NACSA) to receive a grant to implement the “Minnesota Action Data Project,” a new public accountability system for Minnesota authorizers and charter schools that will turn school performance into accountable action for the purpose of enhancing charter school quality.

• We have been very active in efforts to reform the charter school law to increase authorizer account ability and authorizer funding. We worked with other authorizers, the Minnesota Department of Education, and the Minnesota Association of Charter Schools to help pass major reforms to the charter school law. The law has been recognized nationally as a model charter school law for improving accountability among charter schools.

• CfBT Education Trust is publishing a report in January 2011 on best practices in quality authorizing and plans to showcase our program as one of a handful of authorizers throughout the country with quality practices in oversight and accountability.

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Programs for Seniors Assisted Living Program Our Assisted Living Program offers older adults all the supports and services necessary for participants who are at-risk of nursing home placement so they may remain active in their community and living in their current apartment homes.

• Of the 110 senior adults and those with special needs for whom we provided assisted living services for the past year, 100% continue to remain living in their own apartment homes with our support.

• Approximately 90% of our assisted living participants engage in our community socialization and activities, congregant dining, and education and wellness forums.

Some activities are scheduled weekly and others are planned monthly. These activities include current events discussion, exercise groups, arts and crafts, flower arranging, manicures/pedicures, origami, special theme meals, board games and Bingo, and movie matinees.

• We take a holistic approach to quality of life, independence and dignity, and wellness of being by providing programs that are designed to be inclusive, celebrating the diversity and unique character of the community in which we serve. As a result, 99% of participants in our Assisted Living Program exhibit a brighter outlook on life, a greater sense of happiness and belonging, as well as feel more secure, less isolated and more willing to be involved.

Care Management and Consultation Our Care Management and Consultation program offers objective multi-dimensional assessments that clarify an older adult’s needs. In the last year, our program participants found less restrictive housing or care and increased their quality of life. Furthermore, their family caregivers were relieved of burden and gained skills to more effectively provide care.

• In fiscal 2010, the program assisted 61 people and supported their families to ensure the participants’ care and safety needs were met while considering their preferences and advocating for their wishes.

This was an increase of nearly 20% compared with the previous year.

• Our Care Management program obtained 42 new cases for fiscal 2010.

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Community Outreach Social Workers In fiscal 2010, our Community Outreach Social Workers served 581 individuals at our community centers or within the privacy of the individual’s own home to assist with a variety of matters affecting well being and enabling the seniors to access services needed to maintain independence. Typical issues included Medicare and healthcare eligibility, housing options, financial concerns and legal issues.

• 99% of senior participants reported access to and receipt of culturally appropriate services, and 91% of senior participants reported that they now have the information and support to make decisions about services that meet their individual needs.

• Over the last year, our Special Access program hosted monthly outreach wellness luncheons to address the specific health issues of African American elders including diabetes, heart disease and hypertension. The program served 475 African American elders and 170 Hmong elders. Of those served, 93% indicated that the information and service provided were useful in maintaining or improving their ability to continue to live independently in the community and that the program and services provided reduced their sense of isolation.

Programs for Seniors, Their Families and Caregivers • In 2010, our Caregiver Support Services program offered coaching, counseling, information, support and practical assistance for 60 primarily African American caregivers who are caring for someone over age 60, or a disabled family member, at home.

In a review of case records, 98% of caregivers indicated that the services we provided helped them provide care longer, and 80% indicated that our services helped them cope better in their caregiver role.

DayElders Our DayElders program offers care and a structured day program at select locations for older adults who have limitations of mobility, stamina and cognitive functioning. The programs provided a variety of health, social and support services for 56 participants during the year, enabling them to continue to live independently.

• During fiscal 2010, 84% of participants were able to remain living safely in their own homes as a result of participating in our program.

• The Southwest DayElders participated in a 10-week music program that taught them how to build and play the Mountain Dulcimer (a stringed instrument) and how to work together as a group to perform.

Most of the seniors had never played a musical instrument before. The group held concerts at Walker Methodist, Barton Open School and Southwest Senior Center in May 2010.

• Kathy Webster, DayElders Assistant at Southwest DayElders, was recipient of the 2010 “Direct Care Staff Award” from the Minnesota Adult Day Services Association for her innovative work with older adults.

• 87% of respondents to a satisfaction survey indicated they received “Excellent” service and 13% indicated they received “Good” service. No respondents indicated they received “Fair” or “Poor” service.

Highrise Social Services Our Highrise Social Services offers residents of 40 designated Minneapolis Public Housing Authority apartment buildings and a Volunteers of America owned building, who are age 60 and older and/or are disabled, case management, information, referral and group services.

• In fiscal 2010 and the first six months of 2011, the program assisted 5,942 residents in managing a variety of individual social services matters including economic assistance eligibility, physical and mental health, financial concerns, housing needs and personal crises. Additionally, our staff worked with Hennepin County and other community social service agencies to identify appropriate services to assist residents in continuing to live independently. Of these, we helped to prevent eviction for 635 residents with mental health issues and 105 residents with major housing concerns who were at-risk of losing their housing without our intervention.

• In the first six months of 2011, we also provided coordination and/or assistance with “Activities of Daily Living” (ADLS) and “Instrumental Activities of Daily Living” (IADLS) for 1,345 residents, assistance with health care services for 491 residents, assistance with immigration issues for 140 residents, assistance with employment/volunteerism/education for 200 residents, and mediation/conflict resolution for 119 residents.

Estate and Elder Law Services Estate and Elder Law Services offers a variety of affordable legal services including assistance with estate planning, wills, powers of attorney, health care directives, guardianship, Medical Assistance issues and real estate matters.

• In 2010, the program provided legal advice and representation to 1,148 clients, 271 of whom qualified to receive services at subsidized rates.

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Hmong Elder Connections Our Hmong Elder Connections offered positive cultural, educational and social experiences for 267 elders of the Hmong community to help preserve their physical and emotional health and well being during fiscal 2010.

Protective Services Our Protective Services offers information and assistance, and referrals and assessments, regarding incapacitated adults who are having difficulty with financial management and/or personal decision-making and who may need a guardian and/or conservator.

• Our program assisted 874 callers with intensive telephone consultation, information and advice, and referrals to relevant agencies. The services were valuable, timely and met the needs of callers, while exceeding their expectations according to feedback which included the following comment, “Your work has been nothing short of outstanding. When all is said and done it will be your work over the last few years that will probably be the most significant factor in extricating my aunt from a complex situation when she suffered emotional and financial abuse.”

• Customer feedback surveys indicated that more than 95% of respondents felt that our services were beneficial, interventions of staff were helpful in accessing information and improved understanding of how to meet the needs of the individuals, and that staff were respectful of cultural issues, rights and individuality. y

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• Ten University of Minnesota medical students completed their service learning requirements by participating in our Unbefriended Elders Project which serves individuals 65+ who are at risk of incapacity and who have no clear support group to help make medical decisions. The students went on home visits with the project coordinator, worked to assess each individual’s competence, and initiated or completed health care directives for the individuals.

• In fiscal 2010, our program assisted 49 unbefriended elders to locate family members or family medical surrogates, identify health care wishes and/or complete health care directives.

• Protective Services offered written testimony on issues of Unbefriended Elders to the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Aging, through committee member Senator Al Franken, as well as presented information and issues related to Unbefriended Elders to the Metropolitan Area Agency on Aging for consideration in strategic plan development.

• Protective Services staff presented on the ethical and professional implications of using therapeutic “fibs” in working with people with dementia to over 100 professionals from many disciplines at the conference of the Minnesota Association for Guardianship and Conservatorship.

Senior Community Centers Our senior community centers, Southwest Center and Park ElderCenter, w provided activities and services that p ssupported nearly 900 older adults iin their efforts to remain healthy, iinformed and engaged in the community so that they could continue n to t live as independently as possible.

• Southwest Center — In January 2011, Southwest Center hosted Cristal Thomas, Regional Director, Region V, of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and approximately 75 older adults in a discussion of The Affordable Care Act and its impact on Medicare.

Programs for Seniors, Their Families and Caregivers — 20 seniors from our Southwest Center worked for three months with worldclass autoharp and Mountain n Dulcimer player, Karen Mueller, to build, decorate and learn to play the Mountain Dulcimer, a stringed folk instrument.

The group held concerts at Walker Methodist, Barton Open School and Southwest Senior Center in May 2010.

— Over 95 seniors who took part in the “Braina-thon” at Southwest Center were presented with awards for completing at least 26 brain healthy activities ctivities (such as participating in exercise classes, computer t and knitting classes, brain games, and activities such as crosswords and Sudoku puzzles on their own) between March and May 2010. 18 seniors received special awards for completing over 200 “brain healthy” activities during that time.

— Over the last year, more than 180 seniors participated in the “Health-a-thon”, an exercise and nutrition program developed by Southwest Center to encourage seniors to exercise more and increase their fruit and vegetable consumption. To encourage greater participation, the Center offered twice weekly exercise classes and monthly nutrition classes at four locations, including two in senior apartment buildings. At the end of the program, 68% of the participants who responded reported that they ate more fruits and vegetables that they did before they started the “Health-a-thon.”

73% said that their overall physical health significantly improved because of participation in the “Health-a-thon.” 80% of the respondents said that they tried to incorporate more fiber into their daily diet as a result of participating in the “Health-a-thon” and 86% said that the program gave them good insight on ways to address weight issues.

— In 2010, the Center distributed fresh fruit and vegetables weekly to area seniors from its community garden located at the nearby Mental Health Collective.

— Teams of seniors and students from Barton Elementary School met three times to play “Brain Games” a great way to build intergenerational understanding and to challenge the minds of young and old during the last year.

Two high school and college groups sponsored Saturday pancake breakfasts in the fall of 2010.

— In 2010, 35 seniors spent a pleasant June afternoon during “High Tea at the Park”, while 20 seniors enjoyed a “Snowflake High Tea” and music hosted by our Southwest Senior Center and Lyndale Farmstead Park in December.

• Park ElderCenter — Our Park ElderCenter hosted Senator Al Franken, senior advocates, and senior service providers for a discussion of upcoming changes to the Older Americans Act in August 2010. The Act funds many critical services for seniors in Minnesota. At the meeting, Senator Franken reported the findings of sessions conducted with more than 400 seniors across the state about what’s working and what needs improving.

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Park ElderCenter Continued — Seniors at our Park ElderCenter celebrated Black History Month and the contributions of African Americans in February 2010 with a series of educational programs including “Tribute to the Black Soldiers of WW II” featuring World War II historian Joe Brown and “Black History from a Generation-X Perspective” presented by Reggie Edwards, a professional speaker on Black History in America. The series engaged approximately 75 participants.

— Kathy Greenlee, the U.S. Assistant Secretary for Aging at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), toured our multicultural Park ElderCenter in Minneapolis in July 2009.

During the visit, Ms. Greenlee, her administration, and representatives from the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging had lunch and visited with seniors.

— Twins players Nick Punto and Kevin Slowey joined high school student volunteers from our Minnesota Action Team, as well as other special volunteers, for “Homerun to Health,” a baseball-themed health fair for older adults at Volunteers of America’s Park ElderCenter in June. The event provided about 100 older adults with awareness and information about improving and maintaining their health including blood pressure/blood sugar management, maintaining flexibility, engaging the brain and improving eye-hand coordination.

Senior Mental Health Services Our Senior Mental Health Services offers a full spectrum of age-specific diagnostic and treatment options to address the specialized mental health needs of adults age 55 and older.

• In fiscal 2010, we helped 258 older adults deal with a wide range of problems and behaviors associated with major mental illnesses such as depression, anxiety, changes in sleeping or eating habits, grief, loss, isolation, thought disorders, and other issues that cause distress, put a person at risk, or reduce his or her ability to function in the community.

• Our staff provided structured training on the topic of suicide prevention with older adults at a Minnesota Department of Human Services video conference where over 200 social service workers were in attendance around the state. Additionally, staff

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provided two Senior Mental Health Gatekeeper trainings to service providers at Presbyterian Homes and one mental health public education presentation to a senior community.

Senior Nutrition Our Senior Nutrition Program offers people age 60 and up nutritionally balanced meals.

• In fiscal 2010, the program provided in excess of 405,800 congregate and home-delivered meals to more than 6,400 individuals in 31 locations throughout Anoka and Hennepin counties.

• Due to the Twin Cities’ growing immigrant population, the demand for culturally appropriate meals is increasing. Our program continued to expand into ethnic meals by opening a fourth Somali dining site at Hiawatha Towers in Minneapolis. This expansion brought the total number of our ethnic dining sites to seven (four Somali, one Kosher, one Hmong, and one Latino). Additionally, we now offer Vietnamese home-delivered meals in south Minneapolis.

Senior Partners Care (SPC) In fiscal 2010, our Senior Partners Care helped 1,405 low to moderate income Minnesotans on Medicare obtain treatment from participating healthcare providers who agreed to waive Medicare’s co-payments and deductibles and accept Medicare payment as payment in full.

Programs for Seniors, Their Families and Caregivers Senior Volunteer Programs • RSVP provides volunteers, age 55 and over, who want to be actively engaged in making a difference in their community, with meaningful opportunities to address significant community issues that range from preserving the environment, to feeding the hungry, to building affordable housing.

— For fiscal 2010, a total of 1,398 older adults volunteered at 199 volunteer stations and provided 228,419 hours of service to the community in eleven counties, with a time value of $4,833,346.

— RSVP’s “Pretty Good Players” which is a group of older adults 55+ who use theater to educate community audiences about aging issues and other pertinent topics, performed for 13 groups, or a total of 821 people. The Players consistently receive very favorable reviews, and subsequent bookings are typically a result of an audience member recommending the group to other audiences.

— East Central Minnesota RSVP partnered with the Chisago County Sheriff’s Office to place 18 volunteers in the Volunteer Bailiff Assistant Program. The Volunteer Bailiffs worked 2,052 hours during the year. Each of the county judges, the Court Administrator and the Sheriff submitted letters of appreciation for the program.

One of the judges stated, “I am so impressed with the quality of the Volunteer Bailiff Program and the work of the RSVP volunteers. During these times of significant budget cutbacks, thier service is invaluable and much appreciated. It is such a pleasure to work with each of them.”

While the program is a service to the community, it is also a way for RSVP to reach and recruit previously untapped groups of “young seniors.”

— During 2010, RSVP was instrumental in planning, coordinating and implementing three successful community-wide events in Carver County. Plans to make them annual events are now under way. The first was a Carfit event that trained and utilized volunteers to provide drivers age 55 and over with a personalized consultation on the proper adjustments for their seat, steering wheel and mirrors in order to maximize safe driving habits. In October, as part of National Make a Difference Day, RSVP volunteers from

across the community came together to put together care packages for deployed military personnel from the local area. The event closed with a panel of veterans who shared their personal stories of serving in the military.

In November, RSVP participated in the first ever Project Community Connect held in Shakopee.

The event brought together service providers from across the area, from food shelves, to employment services, to on-site dental care, providing a “one-stop” opportunity for those in need of services to connect with providers.

— During 2010, in Ramsey County, RSVP formed a new partnership with the Youth Literacy Plus Program. This program, started and supported by the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Department as a gang-prevention effort, serves at-risk youth afterschool and throughout the summer, by providing tutoring, homework help, and sports and recreational activities. RSVP is launching a major recruitment initiative, in partnership with the program, to expand the program and eventually recruit and place 225 volunteers to serve 400 youth annually.

• Experience Corps In fiscal 2010, Experience Corps trained and placed 84 senior volunteer tutors in our ten partner schools located in Minneapolis and St. Paul. These tutors were matched with students who were identified by teachers as reading below grade level. Many students are learning to speak English at the same time they are learning to read. Over 600 students were identified in K–3 classrooms and Experience Corps tutors worked with them one-on-one at least twice per week using materials from the classroom.

— 55 Experience Corps members who served from 10-15 hours each week were recognized for the value of their time commitment to the program.

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Services for Persons with Special Needs Our Services for Persons With Special Needs (SPSN) currently serves 162 persons with developmental diabilities. Our residents range in age from 8 to 83. Of those served, 31 are children under the age of 18. We offer these program participants a wide range of supports and services to enable them to enjoy a life of active community participation while living in their own home or in one of our four-resident community homes.

Residential Services Our residential foster homes are designed so each that client has a room of their own and each house has a maximum capacity of four residents. This allows for greater individualization in the activities of each home to fit the needs and preferences of the residents. Each of our homes strives to engage residents in the community and maintains a comprehensive list of community activities for resident involvement.

• Each of our residents is working toward individually established goals and typically work on more than one objective each week. Each time a resident makes progress toward completing an objective, the degree of success is assessed and documented.

Progress toward these objectives is reviewed regularly by those most involved in supporting the program participant, including his/her family or a conservator,

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to further promote goal achievement. 100% of residents have made progress during the year on at least one objective.

• More than 50% of residents worked on increasing personal behavioral or social skills helping to increase the resident’s acceptance by the community and their peers.

• More than 69% of the objectives for residents’ personal health were met.

• 100% of residents were encouraged to participate in community activities one or more times per week. Of these, a majority of residents chose to participate in one or more community activities each week. Over one-third of residents have objectives to increase community inclusion and participation.

There are no limits to the type or location of activities that we will assist our program participants in attending. This year, activities for Mora participants included a multitude of holiday-related parties and dances, regional bowling competition for Special Olympics, recreation night with the police department, concerts, camping trips, fish fries, Texas Hold’em competitions, and more. Milaca outings included parties, dance, bowling, and card playing tournaments. A Milaca resident was invited to play holiday piano music for a special event at a local floral shop. The performance drew a crowd of more than 40 people. Princeton residents were active in school events, the fitness center, and church groups.

Our St. Paul residents g participated in the DNR introduction to fishing at Fort Snelling State Park weekly for six weeks.

They also took a boat ride on the St. Croix and went swimming at the Great River Water Park, as well as volunteered for the Midway Training Services (MTS) “Walk Roll or Run” and “Made in the Shade” fundraiser.

MTS provides life skills and employment services training for the Developmentally Disabled.

Services for Persons with Special Needs Non-Residential Support Services We have a broad network of supports for individuals with intellectual disabilities who live in their own homes.

As much as possible, program participants are assisted with attending a church of their choice and participating in community activities that help them to develop and maintain their sense of support and belonging.

These participants regularly utilize local libraries, community education classes, bowling leagues, community church groups, exercise clubs, card playing competitions, and any other activity available to the general public, with assistance or encouragement from staff as needed. Program participants have active staff teams that help them to choose the most important goals to improve their independence in the community. In addition, our participants are included in many of our residential program activities and have been able to enjoy holiday parties, sporting events, outdoor recreation and other activities.

• Each year, program participants and their representatives are given an annual satisfaction survey. For 2010, 83% of the surveys returned rated our services as “Very Good” to “Excellent.”

• Throughout the year, we provided program participants living on their own or with a relative an individualized level of support needed to live productive and healthy lives. Each participant established outcomes developed in a support team model. Once an objective was achieved, newer and more challenging objectives were put into place, allowing the participant greater growth and independence.

• For the fifth year, we participated in the ANCOR (a nonprofit trade association) Performance Metrics Benchmarking Project to define and measure outcomes based quality performance. The project helps to show how the lives of people with disabilities are improved or changed through the services and supports offered by providers.

Columbia Heights Board and Lodge Our Columbia Heights Board and Lodge, which offers residential services, board and supports for individuals with a primary diagnosis of serious and persistent mental illness, provided services for a total of 27 individuals in fiscal 2010. This facility assisted the residents by providing a safe and healthy living environment with supports.

Clients established a daily routine of staying involved in mental health supports and were given reminders for taking prescribed medication.

Residents actively helped maintain their own rooms and common areas in addition to assisting in food preparation for the group. Many residents sought outside employment and developed skills for functioning independently in the community.

• In fiscal 2010, Columbia Heights Board and Lodge discharged fifteen program participants; eight of whom were able to move to a more independent living situation.

• Three individuals located competitive wage employment in the community.

• One individual was accepted to a local technical college with program assistance.

• No residents were readmitted for hospitalization for treatment during the last year showing consistent program and service quality.

• Upon discharge from the program, four residents had found stable employment.

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Affordable Housing Programs Housing Services Our Housing Services provided management oversight and consultation for residents of 695 apartments, providing safe, affordable, permanent homes for seniors, families, and persons with disabilities in the metropolitan and central Minnesota areas. These independent housing programs with supportive services enabled many residents struggling with disabilities or increasing frailty to remain in the independent living settings of their choice.

• Over 78% of our residents have remained in our managed housing settings for more than five years, providing the stability to maintain age-appropriate independence and fostering stability for children in family home settings.

• Our regulatory agencies rated our properties and management services as successful. Our managed HUD properties all received facility (RE AC) inspection scores over 89 on a 100 scale and are deemed high performers, with the individual building scores as follows: Milaca Living Center = 89, North Park Plaza = 98, Mora Living Center = 97, Oxbowl Bend = 94, and Nicollet Towers = 89.

• Our managed HUD properties received satisfactory ratings for management compliance under the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency (MHFA) “Management and Occupancy” review process.

• Our residents rated us highly favorable with an average of 93% expressing overall satisfaction with our housing.

• In December 2010, we celebrated the closing on financing for renovations at our largest managed property, Nicollet Towers in downtown Minneapolis. This financing will allow for over $16 million in renovation and the addition of a program to assist 19 families and individuals that have been prone to long-term homelessness. The project team partners include Volunteers of America, Minnesota Housing Finance Agency, The National Affordable Housing Trust, The McArthur Foundation, Cornerstone Real Estate Advisors, and the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

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Our HOME Our HOME offers permanent supportive housing in Isle, Minnesota to families who are prone to homelessness and have a family member with a disability. The program not only provides safe and affordable housing for eight families, but also includes supportive programming to ensure successful families and quality family life.

• In 2010, all families received supportive counseling including referral to community programs, coordination with mental health providers, occupational counseling, parenting skills education, household skills education, personal finance skills education, and coordination with local public schools regarding the successful education of children in the program.

• Over 62.5% of our participant families have lived at Our HOME for more than 12-months, offering longterm stability for families who may never have experienced safe, affordable, consistent housing before.

• 87% of adult program participants found employment or were engaged in continuing occupational education.

• Of the families that moved from Our HOME in the past year, 100% moved to a non-service intensive permanent housing settings in the community.

• In 2010, to address fiscal concerns, the program applied for the assistance of a Vista volunteer through the Initiative Foundation in Little Falls. The new Vista member is in place and will help to develop a volunteer /mentoring program to reduce expense for issues such as transportation and child care, as well as develop a program to keep the program financially sound through local community support and outreach.

Affordable Housing Programs The Village at Franklin Station The Village at Franklin Station offers 90 subsidized housing units and has a programmatic goal of helping residents maintain it as their permanent home. This program also provides social service coordination for residents, allowing them to avoid homelessness and maintain age- and ability- appropriate independence. • Social service coordination is available to all of the residents in both English and Somali in response to the culturally diverse resident population. In a 2009 survey, 87% of the resident population indicated that the service coordination available through the program has helped them maintain a satisfactory quality of independent living. • Over 50% of residents involved in the homelessness prevention program have found stable residence in the building since the inception of this program in January 2007 with over 75% of them staying more than one year.

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Services for Adults Completing Rehabilitation Programs Group Residential Housing (GRH) Our Group Residential Housing (GRH) offers housing for adult women who are coming out of chemical dependency treatment as a “step down” measure allowing them to regain employment and prepare them to seek and obtain permanent housing.

• The program accepted its first residents to the 24-bed facility in May 2010.

• Several residents of our GRH assisted the local Habitat for Humanity organization to rehabilitate a local home. The women themselves were homeless before GRH but felt a desire to give back to the community because of the benefits they have received through our program.

• Following an eight-week course given by the King Boreas Toastmasters Club, several women who are residents of our GRH received awards for achievement in public speaking and delivered acceptance speeches.

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Residential Reentry Centers (RRCs) Our Residential Reentry Centers (RRCs) offer reentry services for 520 men and women annually who are being released from federal/state prison. The program emphasizes employment, family reunification and accessing any services needed for addiction, mental health, and related community resources. In keeping with this commitment to the community, our RRCs also host a variety of self-help groups offered to members of the immediate neighborhood and broader community.

Typically, 130 people from the community per week have benefited from this service.

• 100% of RRC residents developed an individual goal plan addressing financial, employment, housing and social reintegration. This occurred in one-onone sessions with a case manager and were developed during the first week of residency.

• 100% of RRC residents attended group sessions on financial education, housing, and job readiness.

• 80% of RCC residents obtained employment within the first 45 days of arrival. Of the remaining 20%, some have mental health or medical conditions which required more creative goal and release planning.

Program staff assisted and guided these residents to appropriate community resources. A process of re-education and continued support for employment seeking is provided for those continuing to job seek in this tough economy.

Adults Completing Rehabilitation Programs

• 93% of RRC residents indicated on an exit survey that they were able to achieve the goals they set for themselves during their stay in the program.

90% of residents agreed with the statement, “Overall my experience here was more positive than I expected.”

• During the year, the RRCs regularly hosted guest speakers who provided information on employment and training programs, housing, education, and other community services available to the RRC residents.

Additionally, the in-house job readiness program provided resume building, mock interviews, master application preparation, skills/goals assessments and job leads, with an emphasis on soft skills and creative job searching.

• RRC residents provided clean-up services for the Lake Street businesses during the spring, summer and fall months 2010.

Women’s Recovery Center (WRC) In the course of the last year, the Women’s Recovery Center (WRC) offered nearly 100 women residential chemical dependency services, while addressing related issues involving psychological trauma and physical needs resulting from the lifestyle of prostitution.

• 100% of graduating WRC participants were accepted into supportive housing to continue their recovery.

• The WRC added specialized programming including physical education and artistic expression to teach positive alternatives, as well as build and promote a chemical-free life.

• 20 community volunteers coached and supported our WRC residents through group or one-on-one sessions.

• The WRC program continued to host several clinical interns during the course of the year which served as a training ground for new therapists.

• The WRC was the focus of two doctoral dissertations authored by candidates for degrees in behavioral sciences in both California and Texas.

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Community Events Volunteers of America–Minnesota community events and programs offer the larger community an opportunity to engage in our mission of making a lasting difference in the lives of some of our community’s most vulnerable citizens. Many participate in these events as individuals or as families, others as part of corporate, civic, or faithbased groups. In the past year, we have experienced an increase in participation from corporate groups seeking to give back to the community in meaningful ways.

Bowling for Backpacks • Bowling for Backpacks is a fundraising event to benefit Volunteers of America of Minnesota and kick-off Operation Backpack. Teams of bowlers raise sponsorship dollars to benefit our organization, then spend a fun-filled night of bowling for a great cause. In 2010, Bowling for Backpacks raised $11,500 and attracted 135 participants representing 12 corporate groups.

Operation Backpack • Operation Backpack 2009 provided 1,800 lowincome students with all new school supplies and backpacks so they would go back to school prepared to learn. This was accomplished with the assistance of 200 engaged individuals and 10 new corporate groups. Qwest conducted a company-wide drive and collected 1,200 filled backpacks and $5,000 in Target gift cards for our teachers.

Panera Bread, provided us with 22 café locations for Operation Backpack drop-off sites.

• Operation Backpack 2010 provided 1,200 lowincome students with all new school supplies and backpacks. Qwest conducted a company-wide drive and collected 600 filled backpacks.

Thanksgiving Food Drives • Our Thanksgiving Food drives in 2009 engaged approximately 25 groups (approximately 750 total volunteers) including Cummins, Humana, Target, 3M, Datacard, United Health, and others, in collecting and donating Thanksgiving meal packs for people in need. The food drives provided 400 complete Thanksgiving meal packs which included a grocery store gift card to buy a turkey for 200 individuals and 200 families; a total of over 1,000 people.

Additionally, the drives provided an extra 300-500 pounds of non-perishable food items and 60 extra grocery store gifts cards for 130 people. Snyders Drug Stores ran a Fall Food Drive in all 22 of their Metro area locations to benefit our food drives which brought in over 900 pounds of non-perishable food items that were distributed to more than 90 people at our Park ElderCenter. In total, 1,190 program participants benefitted from the drives.

• Our Thanksgiving Food Drives in 2010 engaged over 25 groups, including Cummins, Edward Jones Mortgage, UnitedHealth Group, General Mills, CDW, and more. These groups collected Thanksgiving food and grocery gift cards for the purchase of a turkey, and assembled over 500 Thanksgiving meal packs impacting nearly 1,500 people in need.

Adopt a Family • Adopt a Family 2009 provided more than 2,500 of our lowincome program participants with holiday gifts. Recipients included 310 families, 105 adult participants of various day programs, 320 seniors, and 675 at-risk children and youth. Over 520 individual, corporate, and group sponsors purchased, wrapped, and delivered gifts, held collection drives to fulfill ongoing program needs, provided financial contributions, and volunteered on drop-off day.

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Community Programs

Buses for Baseball • In August 2009 and 2010, 90 youth from Bar None, Children’s Residential Treatment Center, Family Treatment and the Mental Health Clinics, attended the annual Buses for Baseball event and were given the chance to meet Minnesota Twins players and, for many, see their first baseball game.

• Adopt a Family 2010 provided more than 3,000 of our low-income program participants with holiday gifts. Recipients included 250 families, 100 adult participants, 250 seniors, and 800 at-risk children and youth. Over 505 individual, corporate, and group sponsors purchased, wrapped, and delivered gifts, held collection drives to fulfill ongoing program needs, provided financial contributions, and volunteered on drop-off day.

Scholastic Books • Through a national partnership with Scholastic, we distributed 2,500 books to children and families throughout the state to help foster literacy in fiscal 2010.

Action Team The Action Team, which is sponsored jointly by Volunteers of America and the Major League Baseball Players Trust, mobilizes Minnesota Twins baseball players and area high school student Team Captains to encourage young people to get involved in their communities by volunteering.

• In June 2010, the Action Team students joined Minnesota Twins players Nick Punto and Kevin Slowey and seniors from our Park ElderCenter for “Homerun to Health,” a fun, baseball-related event that provides seniors with activities, awareness and information about improving and maintaining mental and physical health.

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Making a Difference. Changing Lives.™ Volunteers of America–Minnesota is a nonprofit organization founded in 1896 which offers a wide variety of services for more than 26,500 children, adolescents and their families, older adults, students, persons with disabilities and special needs, and adults completing rehabilitation programs each year.

We are one of the oldest, largest and most comprehensive human service organizations in the state and have more than 60 programs, 900 employees and 13,600 volunteers. We have a rich history of developing innovative programs to meet emerging social issues. We pride ourselves on sponsoring programs which are able to articulate the outcomes achieved in our program participants’ lives.

Corporate Support Office 7625 Metro Boulevard | Minneapolis, MN 55439 ph. 952.945.4000 | fx. 952.945.4100 | www.voamn.org