“I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.”
Revelation 3:8
In 1960 our Founder, Elwood “Woody” Larson answered God’s call to serve the children and families of North Minneapolis and lead them to Christ. And 65 years later we remain true to his vision.
Black History Night
On February 19th we held our Annual Black History Event where our youth shared their talents and knowledge of Black history. Among them, our youth choir performed ‘Lift Every Voice and Sing.’
The food served represented the rich culinary traditions of the African diaspora and it was delicious! It included Jollof rice from West Africa, potato greens from Liberia, jerk chicken from the Caribbean, and soul food, which is deeply rooted in Black American culture.
Over 150 children and families gathered for this special event and the meal was served by HHYD staff, the HHYD Board of Directors, and volunteers from Holmes Corporation, JE Dunn Construction, Trinity Lutheran Church of Minnehaha Falls, Eagle Brook Church – Downtown Campus, and Starland Charities. We are grateful to all who helped to make this event possible. It was a wonderful evening, and we look forward to celebrating again next year.
BOARD SPOTLIGHT – JIM LARSON
Over the years, I’ve served on the Board of Hospitality House Youth Development (HHYD) at different times. I currently serve as Board Secretary. My father was Woody Larson, who founded HHYD in 1960.
Being involved with HHYD has given me the opportunity to honor my dad’s legacy and his passionate love for this ministry. His desire for young people to come to faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior never wavered. His selfless example is an inspiration to me.
I’ve experienced HHYD from the time I was a child. I played on the “Cubs” youth baseball team as a young boy. Many times older HHYD youth would visit our family’s home. Some of these kids became like family to us.
I admire the sacrifice and dedication of our staff who come alongside HHYD youth and their families. It has been rewarding to see the impact that HHYD has had on kids, their families and the Northside community over the last 65 years. My greatest hope is that people come to faith in Christ through the ministry of HHYD. In addition, HHYD can provide a “home away from home” where kids can experience love, support, academic help and can participate in other activities such as athletic teams.
I attended Robbinsdale High School and the University of Wisconsin – Madison. I continued to play baseball through my university years. After graduating, I had the opportunity to travel to several Latin American countries as part of an Overseas Crusades evangelistic baseball team. I am a real estate broker. I have served on various church committees and in lay leadership roles. My wife Kerri and I live in Maple Grove. We have 3 adult children and one (soon to be two) grandchildren.
CALLING ALL ALUMNI!
If you spent ANY amount of time involved with Hospitality House Youth Development as a student/member, athlete, staff/teacher, board member or volunteer over the last 65 years, we are proud to call you an alumni! We want to keep you in the loop on various upcoming alumni events celebrating our 65th anniversary in 2025 and filling out this contact form allows us to do that.
Please fill out this short contact form and pass it on to other alumni!
Would you or someone you know like to work at HHYD?
Did you know Hospitality House Youth Development is hiring? HHYD is always looking for high-quality candidates to join our team:
- Development Director
- Elementary Teacher
- Part-time Teen Lead
- Part-time Floating Teacher
If you or anyone you know might be interested, please share this link to the job descriptions: https://hhyd.org/jobs
Site Visits
We are so grateful for our partnership with NE Bank, and for their generosity. Recently, Ruben Rodriguez stopped by to visit and deliver a donation.
Pictured are Ruben Rodriguez, Relationship Development Banker; Ruben’s daughter Lexis Rodriguez; Charles Moses, Executive Director; and a group of young leaders.
Interested in a Site Visit? Contact Walter Cox, Development Officer wcox@hhyd.org or 612.522.4485
