Who Is My Edina Neighbor?

2014.08.14 Who Is My Edina Neighbor

“Who is my neighbor?”

It’s an eternal question and we don’t always like the answer because it can be challenging. Our neighbor could include the stranger, the broken, the enemy. But maybe that relationship is precisely the one that could surprise us the most.

Last night I spent nearly five hours at the City Hall in Edina, MN to listen to public discussion before the City Planning Commission on an affordable housing project proposed by Beacon Interfaith Housing Collaborative. They’re hoping to build a 39-unit building across the street from Southdale and need approval to build in a part of the city that would need special permission because of its zoning regulations. This building and the professional services inside will help young adults, ages 18-22, who have experienced homelessness be able to transition to living on their own, paying rent, getting a job, going to school, and so on. I fully support this.

There has been tremendous support and recently there’s been some dissent, as well. There was a lot of powerful testimony from many perspectives last night, appealing to so many ways of thinking about this issue. From safety and security concerns for current residents and businesses to safety and security for homeless young people who need a second or third chance. From the potential for local business growth to the nervousness of business damage. From location to money to parking to community. No one spoke superfluously; all spoke from the heart. And whether I agreed with them or not, and whether I thought everyone spoke with healthy wording or not, I appreciated that all who did speak did so with passion. It shows a tremendous investment in the community and for my money, only good things can come from that.

What follows is what I said at the forum. I honestly can’t recall speaking at a public forum like this before so it was new to me and an interesting experience. I came because friends from Richfield United Methodist Church encouraged me to attend and I’m glad they did. I spoke because I heard people talk about this community or that community but not everyone together as the community. So here’s what I said (going off my notes and memory):

My name is Nate Melcher and I’m the Associate Pastor at Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church in downtown Minneapolis. My family and I live at XXX X XXXX XXXXXX in Minneapolis, just a few blocks north of The Hub at West 66th. My previous vocation was running a residence life program at a community college and I’ve seen first-hand what happens when a community of young people come together to live and have assistance from intentional, in-house professional services.

I’m highly-interested in young people finding meaning in their lives. In the research that’s out there in the

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UPDATE: Simpson Shelter Has Taken the Lead; Help Them Keep It.

2013.02.20 Please Help Simpson Shelter With Your Vote
Update: Simpson Shelter moved into first place in the voting last week. Help them stay in the lead and win a $25,000 kitchen makeover. Will you please help?
What’s the contest?

The Family Handyman magazine and IKEA are co-sponsoring a contest called “Rescue Remodel” running through March 30 to award one community organization an IKEA kitchen makeover worth up to $25,000. Here’s what the contest at RescueRemodel.com says:

Deserving community organizations from across the country were nominated by their communities to win an IKEA® dream kitchen through our Rescue Remodel Contest. The organization with the most votes will receive a dream kitchen renovation valued at $25,000. And since it’s all from IKEA®, it will be full of smart and innovative ideas to make their lives a little bit easier so they can better serve our communities.
When I first posted about this contest, Simpson Shelter was behind by 2000 votes. Now it’s taken the lead by

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Please Help Simpson Shelter With Your Vote.

2013.02.20 Please Help Simpson Shelter With Your Vote
You can help a homeless shelter win a $25,000 kitchen makeover with a few clicks. Simpson Shelter’s work is important to so many men and women. Will you please help?
The Family Handyman magazine and IKEA are co-sponsoring a contest called “Rescue Remodel” running through March 30 to award one community organization an IKEA kitchen makeover worth up to $25,000. Here’s what the contest says:

Deserving community organizations from across the country were nominated by their communities to win an IKEA® dream kitchen through our Rescue Remodel Contest. The organization with the most votes will receive a dream kitchen renovation valued at $25,000. And since it’s all from IKEA®, it will be full of smart and innovative ideas to make their lives a little bit easier so they can better serve our communities.

I make no comment on whether the other four organizations up for the prize are worthy. Obviously, they are. They’re all very worthy and deserving of such generosity. What I can tell you, however, is that I’ve witnessed first-hand what Simpson Shelter does for homeless men and women. Volunteers from across the twin cities metro come in to cook and serve meals which they, the volunteers, also bring. They do this in the kitchen in the basement of Simpson United Methodist Church – a basement which is now fully dedicated to providing services for homeless men and women who need help.  Volunteers from the church and other organizations join in with a small staff to offer services for homeless persons in crisis, in need, and in hope of transitioning to being a person with a home.
And at this shelter, it’s not just beds and it’s not just meals. It’s savings accounts. Volunteer social workers. Volunteer lawyers. Volunteer health care professionals. Showers. Donations of hygiene products, socks, underpants. A comfortably couch and a big screen TV. Dignity. It’s a monumental undertaking and while I would prefer there would be no need for homeless shelters, there is need. And Simpson Shelter does amazing work to fill that need in their own little way.
Here’s a brief video from Simpson Housing Services and I have a little to add below:

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