Recent E-Newsletters

Dear Friends of Hospitality House Youth Development, On behalf of the Board of Directors of Hospitality House Youth Development (HHYD), I want to announce the retirement of our Executive Director Rev. Johnny Hunter effective December 31st, 2023. Rev. Hunter has served at HHYD for over 17 years and looks forward to the next season of family focus and ongoing ministry. Rev. Hunter attended HHYD as a youth beginning in 1967 and has always said that HHYD changed his life forever. He credits the staff’s genuine care and constant availability for drawing him back to HHYD and the North Minneapolis community. Rev. Hunter started as a volunteer in HHYD’s gang intervention program called Midnight Basketball and ended up running the program for two years. He joined the Board in 2007 and served as our interim Executive Director until becoming our full-time Executive Director about a year later. While taking on these leadership responsibilities, Rev. Hunter also continued to work directly with our youth. Their spiritual development has always been his top priority and the impact can be seen in the faces of those returning to HHYD after graduation to catch up with Rev. Hunter and sometimes to join our staff. Hospitality

“The Lord bless youand keep you;The Lord make His face shine on youand be gracious to you;the Lord turn His face toward youAnd give you peace.”Numbers 6:24-26 See how churches, individuals and companies are being a Blessing. Are you doing all you can to join HHYD in being a Blessing to the children and families of North Minneapolis? Summer Spot Photos HHYD attended CREATE A MEMORY, “I Played Ball At Target Field” 2023 and had a great time, children and staff alike. We ran the bases, played softball, wiffleball, kickball, radar toss, and did a home run derby. In addition to all the fun there was a baseball clinic with Steve Winfield, autograph tables with celebrities and topped if off with a behind the scenes tour of Target Field. 3rd picture: The children professing their love for Jesus by being creative and doing street art in front of HHYD.4th picture: HHYD children enjoying a cool dip in the lake.5th picture: Children testing their agility at a local park. Each afternoon our classes engage in a cooking activity. Today the 5th and 6th graders finished a session of Pickleball then went directly to making Avalanche cookies. They had much fun adding

“For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.”Romans 12:3-5 This summer we are teaching our youth about humble service in the Body of Christ. Annual Women’s Luncheon Next Month All ladies are invited to our upcoming Women’s Luncheon Fundraiser on Thursday, July 27, 2023 at The Minikahda Club in Minneapolis. We will have special music from our HHYD girls with featured speaker Clara ‘Missie’ Mothershed. Please RSVP today and send this to any and all women you know who might be interested in attending. Download Our 2022 Annual Report June 20th, First Day of Summer Spot at HHYD Safety training for the little ones, making sure they know how to use their seat belt. Teacher/staff introduction. We had over 80 children show up the first day.

“Train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old he will not depart from it.”Proverbs 22:6 Watch the full replay of our Breakfast event here: Please take a look at our 11th annual Business Breakfast that took place on Thursday May 18, 2023. Our theme was “COMMUNITY”, about which Inspector Charlie Adams of the 4th Precinct delivered a great message. As of now we have nearly $165,000 in donations! Last year our total was $150,000 so we are well above that with more expected as several guests took their pledge sheets home. So a special thank you to all of our guests and supporters who attended in person and in spirit. It was an amazing event made possible by supporters and our wonderful Lord. To our event sponsors: Impact, Tradition Bank, Ryan Companies, Cornwell Companies, Green Wealth Management, Liberty Diversified Inc, and Northeast Bank – We thank you for helping us kick this event off. To Rahri and Great Grandma Helen – Thank you for sharing a little of your life. (presented in video) There is still a need for more donations to continue growing the ministry. Please consider giving today. Super Students Super

“For if we have been united with Him in a death like His, we will certainly also be united with Him in a resurrection like His.”Romans 6:5 NIV During Resurrection week at HHYD we taught the youth about the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ and what it meant personally for each of us. Spring Break – Kids Club During our kids club on April 6, the younger kids went to a movie and we had a fire truck and recycling workshop with the Minneapolis Fire Department, including Assistant Fire Chief Melanie Rucker, the Minneapolis Police Department, including Police Chief Brian O’Hara, and a special guest Rusty Recycling. Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara Popsicle Sticks Bridge Building Winners Community Gardens Ready To Go 3-on-3 Basketball 3 on 3 Basketball tournament was a community builder hosted by Ascension School. HHYD had about 10 players involved with our very own staff member Victory George helping put on the event. HHYD middle school team won the championship. HHYD high school took the consolation prize. RSVP for the Business Breakfast Our next fundraiser, the annual Business Breakfast is coming up on Thursday, May 18, 2023. This year’s guest speaker is Inspector Charles Adams from

“They waited for me as for showers and drank in my words as the spring rain.”Job 29:23 NIV Black History Month dinner for students and families was planned for February, but Minnesota weather had other plans. So on Thursday, March 2, 2023 this very fun evening was held. The Students learned their parts, the Staff set-up for dinner, the Board came to serve and about 150 people attended. Lots of joyous laughter and fun happened while learning history. This showed the importance of Community with our HHYD staff, Board of Directors, students and their parents. Check Out The Highlights Video: Champions Again! Buzzer-beater caps thrilling youth basketball championship – Congratulations to our Hospitality House Boys 13U Team! Read the full article: https://spokesman-recorder.com/2023/03/11/buzzer-beater-caps-thrilling-youth-basketball-championship/ Fun Fridays Each Friday we do things a bit different, calling it Fun Friday. Our K-thru-3rd graders did some Paintings. They had an awesome time painting things that were important to them. RSVP for the Business Breakfast Our next fundraiser, the annual Business Breakfast is coming up on Thursday, May 18, 2023. This year’s guest speaker is Inspector Charles Adams from the Minneapolis Police Department’s 4th Precinct. And we just got word that we’ll be receiving a Challenge

Hospitality House celebrates Black History month:Black history is American history A portrait of the Rev. Robert Hickman created about 1877. Hickman founded the first Baptist church in Minnesota. Born into slavery in 1831, the Rev. Robert Thomas Hickman led fellow slaves on a harrowing river journey to freedom in 1863. Details of his escape from Missouri to Minnesota remain murky, but various accounts all confirm that Hickman convinced as many as 75 fellow slaves — his self-described “pilgrims” — to board a raft or makeshift boat with him and head up river. Reports have it that the steamboat Northerner found them adrift and towed them to safety past jeering dockworkers, and a second group of escaped slaves joined them 10 days later. On Nov. 15, 1866, Hickman and his followers formally organized Pilgrim Baptist Church in St. Paul. Two white ministers led the church until 1877, after which Hickman became the congregation’s official minister in 1878. He died on Feb. 6, 1900. The church, at 732 W. Central Ave., hosts services every Sunday. Our 11U Minneapolis Park Board League Team is Currently Undefeated As they head into the playoffs, our boys in purple are undefeated! Staff & Board Retreat On

Remembering Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. CORRECTION: Thanks To All Gift Donors and Volunteers We sincerely apologize that last month’s update included an incomplete list of our generous donors during Christmas With Dignity. We are so eternally grateful for their gifts that we want to acknowledge ALL of them and would never intend to forget anyone: BALLY SPORTS NORTH WISCONSINBLACK SHEEP PIZZACrossFit SISUDISCOVER CHURCHEAGLE BROOK CHURCHEDEN PRAIRIE COMMUNITY CHURCHEMANUEL LUTHERAN CHURCH – INVER GROVE HEIGHTSEXECUTIVE CONNECTIONSFORTE REAL ESTATE PARTNERSGOOD SHEPHERD PRESBYTERIAN CHURCHHERITAGE CHRISTIAN ACADEMYHOLMES CORPLIBERTY PACKAGING – TWIN CITIESMACKIN EDUCATIONAL RESOURCESNORTHEAST BANKQ CONSULTING™RIVER VALLEY CHURCHSALVATION ARMY PLUS TOM & TRUDI CANFIELDSCHEELSST. JOAN OF ARC CHURCHTARGETTRINITY LUTHERAN CHURCHWESTGATE CHURCH Urban Learning Center Updates We took the students sliding at Theodore Worth Park and they had a blast on Friday 1/13 as part of our Fun Fridays. Weather was perfect. Snow was great and everyone had a wonderful time. Each day in chapel the kids join in prayer for each of their families’ communities and Hospitality House based on John 15:7. Here are some of our students enjoying their Loaves and Fishes bag dinners. They are great. And they really enjoy it every week! Life On Purpose Classes This answers the question

Our annual Christmas with Dignity event took place on Friday, December 9, 2022. We served 395 families and 1,157 kids. We are so grateful for the generosity of those who donated the funds, toys, or gift cards that enabled us to provide 2400 gifts for these families. We also had 175 volunteers work to make this event happen. Seeing smiles on the faces of the shoppers as they departed with their gifts assures us that their holiday season will be a bit brighter as they see evidence of God’s love and receive the support of their community. Thanks To All Gift Donors and Volunteers ChurchesDiscover ChurchEagle Brook ChurchEden Prairie Community ChurchEmanauel Lutheran Inver Grove Heights ChurchGood Shepherd Presbyterian ChurchSt. Joan Of Arc ChurchWestgate Church BusinessesBally Sports North Wisconsin (Formerly Fox)Black Sheep PizzaCrossfit SisuExecutive ConnectionsForte Real Estate PartnersLiberty Packaging – Twin CitiesMacklin PublishingNortheast BankQ Consulting™Salvation Army, Plus Tom & Trudi CanfieldScheelsTarget SchoolHeritage Christian Academy Super Student of the Month This past month 11 of our students did an excellent job in their classes and doing their work. We held a raffle and Jenesis a 4th grader in Ms. Durant’s class won a bike as one of the Super Students of the