歪歪漫画

A new nonprofit aims to help Hubbard County youth facing with homelessness.

Kori Nelson is the founder of Youth Emergency Shelter & Supports (YESS).

Their mission is to provide 鈥渁 safe and supportive environment for youth in need of crisis emergency shelter,鈥� she said. 鈥淭his came through conversations with MAHUBE-OTWA and social services. I kept asking them, 鈥榃hat does Hubbard County need?鈥� Hubbard County needs a safe place for youth to stay.鈥�

Nelson recently presented her plan to the Park Rapids 歪歪漫画 Board.

She鈥檚 a Park Rapids Area High 歪歪漫画 graduate. Nelson has a master鈥檚 degree in public administration, but she鈥檚 also been a mental health skills worker and domestic violence advocate.

鈥淚t鈥檚 an estimated 6,000 youth that are homeless in the state of Minnesota on any given night,鈥� Nelson said.

When Hubbard County Social Services places youth in a shelter, Nelson said it鈥檚 currently outside of the county, like Bemidji, Duluth or St. Cloud.

鈥淭hey aren鈥檛 housed in Hubbard County unless there happens to be a foster place open,鈥� she said. 鈥淗ubbard County Social Services tells me, 鈥榃e鈥檒l keep your shelter full.鈥� There鈥檚 no doubt about it.鈥�

A local youth shelter means taxpayer dollars will stay in Hubbard County, she added.

A 2019 student survey found that northwest Minnesota 鈥渉ad the highest number of youth trading sexual activity for a safe place to stay or meet their basic needs.鈥�

In 2022, Nelson pointed out that 4,600 students in northwest Minnesota answered yes to the question 鈥淗ave you ever traded sex or sexual activity to receive money, food, drugs, alcohol, a place to stay or anything else?鈥�

According to MAHUBE-OTWA, Nelson said at least 14% of Hubbard County youth identify as homeless. Nelson estimates that鈥檚 roughly 150 kids.

During summer and fall 2023, Nelson talked to two focus groups at the Alternative Learning Center (ALC).

She found some confusion about the term 鈥渉omeless鈥� among the 22 youth. It can take many forms: sleeping in a car, having a hotel room one night, hopping from couch to couch.

Almost every single kid in ALC said they knew someone who was homeless or they had experienced it themselves, Nelson reported.

She said at-risk kids don鈥檛 know about the mental and social resources available at school and within the community. One of YESS鈥� goals is to get all resources in one location.

There鈥檚 also a need for more accurate surveys of students and families to determine the level of homelessness in the county, Nelson said.

YESS plans to open a 24/7 youth shelter, with emergency food, clothing and counseling.

The goal is to house eight to 10 kids.

Youth would also be taught basic life skills, like cooking and cleaning. They would be referred to community resources.

YESS is still in the strategic planning process, Nelson said, which will be followed by a capital fundraising campaign to either build or buy a building.

鈥淚f I鈥檓 looking for a five-bedroom house, which would be ideal, I鈥檓 looking at around half a million dollars,鈥� Nelson said.

She鈥檚 leaning toward building new, in the hopes of finding a contractor looking for a partial write-off and then YESS fundraises the other half.

More than likely, Nelson said the shelter will be located in the Park Rapids area, so that it would be along school bus routes for easy transportation.

YESS has 501(c)(3) status. Nelson said the organization will be seeking grants from the Homeless Youth Act, Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program, United Way of Bemidji Area and other sources.

Starting in December, Nelson hopes to begin taking donations from individuals, businesses and organizations.

If a bed is available, YESS would temporarily house a teen who has been sexually exploited or trafficked. Safe Harbor Law provides funding for that, Nelson said.

YESS is seeking board members with grant writing, marketing and nonprofit operating expertise.

YESS can be reached at (218) 831-2420 or youthmatterinhubbardcounty@gmail.com.