Recent E-Newsletters

We have over 100 students enrolled in our Summer Spot program that focuses on Academics in the morning and fun activities in the afternoon. View Full Photo Gallery ABOUT THE WOMEN’S LUNCHEON The fourth annual Women’s Luncheon was held June 29th at the Minikahda Club. We had 68 women plus 10 young girls attend this year. Guests were treated to a wonderful meal and heard an inspiring message from Annette Bittner. Annette is an alumna and 1991 Young Woman of the Year. She is also a singer, song writer, and artist. She currently serves as the Teen Program Director at HHYD. She talked about trusting the process. God brings different situations into our lives where we can choose to go through it or abandon it. When we allow God to prune us, it helps us mature. Like a plant being replanted in new soil, we have the opportunity for more growth. To date over $34,000 was raised during this event, exceeding the goal of $25,000. We are grateful to God, and everyone who attended. We are looking forward to hosting the event again next year. EMPLOYEE HIGHLIGHT Hi I’m Maddie Nimmo! I grew up in Somerset, Wisconsin and I currently

Jeremiah 32:17“O Sovereign Lord! You made the heavens and earth by your strong hand and powerful arm. Nothing is too hard for you!” June 21st marked the start of our ULC Summer Spot Program. We look forward to experiencing the great things God is doing in the lives of our youth. BUILDING BRIDGES THROUGH BASKETBALL On June 3rd HHYD Youth and Minneapolis Police participated in our annual basketball skills competition event to help build community. There were games, music, prizes, and food. HHYD’s partner RBC Wealth Management helped sponsor the event and everyone had a great time. Watch video highlights from the event: RSVP FOR THE WOMEN’S LUNCHEON Our Annual Women’s Luncheon theme is Hope. “Rejoice in your hope, be patient in affliction, be constant in prayer.”Romans 12:12 The date is set for next Wednesday, June 29 at The Minikahda Club featuring guest speaker Annette Bittner. EMPLOYEE HIGHLIGHT Hospitality House welcomes recent graduate David Flores Grajeda! David is the Eight Grade teacher and he also works in the Teen Program. He was raised in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and he now resides in South Minneapolis. Interestingly, his parents are from Guatemala so David and his sister are the first generation

HOPE“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him…”Romans 15:13 We had a wonderful time at the Edina Country Club for our annual spring breakfast on Thursday May 19th. The theme of our event was Hope. Over 220 folks attended! The weather, the guests, and the program were all great. We announced the Young Man and Woman of the year and acknowledged our teen summer staff. Our guest speaker Chad Greenway did an excellent job of sharing how important community and family support is in caring for the youth today. Mike Max did a nice job standing in as our EMCEE. To date we have collected over $130,000 in donations, well on our way to our $175,000 goal. Thank you to all who attended and gave so generously. Donate Now If you would like to view the entire program, check out this video: RSVP FOR THE WOMEN’S LUNCHEON Our Annual Women’s Luncheon theme is Hope. “Rejoice in your hope, be patient in affliction, be constant in prayer.”Romans 12:12 The date is set for Wednesday, June 29 at The Minikahda Club featuring guest speaker Annette Bittner. RECENT SITE VISITS Representatives from the Beim

But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for He has risen, as He said. Come, see the place where He lay.”Matthew 28:5-6 (ESV) WIZEDUCATORS AND HOSPITALITY HOUSE FUNDRAISER On Saturday, April 2 a group from Hospitality House which included Rev. Hunter, Annette Bittner and some teens participated in the Shining Lights Fundraising Event. The event included making sandwiches for Mr. Law “The Sandwich Man” to personally pass out in Minneapolis over the remainder of the weekend to people in need. A total of 1,200 sandwiches were made! In conjunction the event also raised money for Hospitality House and Edina Give and Go. We are excited to have a new community partner in WizEducators! A fun morning was had by all! Please watch the video recap compliments of WizEducators. TEENS VISIT BETHEL UNIVERSITY On Monday, April 4, during Spring Break, we took a group of middle school students and one high school student to Bethel University. Our day included a tour of the campus, Chapel, lunch and a presentation from an admissions counselor. The group from HHYD was treated well and blessed to

This year Hospitality House had three basketball teams that consisted of an 8U, 13U, and 14U for a total of 30 players. The 8U team had three girls! The coaches were Mr. Chris, Mr. Vic, Mr. Payton, Miss Dory, and of course Rev. Hunter. Breaking News: on March 16, our 14U team won the Minneapolis Park Board Championship! Volunteer to Coach TEENS VISIT NORTH CENTRAL UNIVERSITY The Teen Program took seven middle and two high school students on a college visit to North Central University on Monday, February 21. The day started with a welcome reception which included food and goodie bags, a brief word from the President. Then there was a campus tour, chapel, lunch, and an admissions presentation. The students enjoyed themselves and one student said, “I think I am falling in love with this school!” Wow, this is pretty amazing to hear from a 7th grader. We want students to see the value in attending a Christian college and weigh their options as they also explore Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU). What is more important is exposing our students early to the possibility of attending college after graduation. The longer students wait to think about their

On Friday, February 18, Hospitality House celebrated Black History Night! Our students showcased a variety of their talents honoring Black history and culture. From a reading of the poem “The Miracle Friendship” by Maya Angelou to the singing of the “National Black Anthem” along with a video of the I Have A Dream speech our students exuded pride, excellence and respect for their heritage and for being children of God. A special video tribute to Dr. Foster was made during the celebration as Black History Night was always one of her favorite events with the students and staff. Thank you Dr. Foster for all you did for nurturing and developing the youth and the ULC program at Hospitality House. Thank you to all staff and board members who made the event possible. Without your help, time and dedication the success of the evening would not have been possible. The Black History Night program can be viewed here. The students decorated the classroom doors to honor notable Black History figures in the different areas of sports, entertainment, education, science and music to name a few. Donate to Hospitality House FINANCIAL LITERACY CLASS On Thursday, February 3, our students had their second

“Intelligence plus character – that is the goal of true education” This quote by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. summarizes all that we are working to accomplish at Hospitality House by instilling good character development and spirituality through the love of Jesus Christ that all are created equal in His image and likeness. This month our spiritual development Bible verse is Proverbs 12:1 “Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but whoever hates correction is ‘foolish’.” This thought provoking verse is a good reminder for each one of us to take a moment of self-reflection to see how God invites us to become closer with Him through discipline, knowledge and correction. The new year is a wonderful time to begin on this journey! Donate to Hospitality House SCHEELS WINNER In December 2021 Hospitality House received a $1000 gift from SCHEELS. We are very grateful for their gift and their support of Hospitality House. We had the opportunity to visit their store to receive the check along with taking a photo with their staff. Representing Hospitality House is Rev. Hunter, Mike Burns of the Development Committee and Nancy Wurm. STAFF HIGHLIGHT Hospitality House welcomes Payton Bowdry! Payton is a sixth grade teacher and

CHRISTMAS WITH DIGNITY Making Spirits Bright! Our Christmas with Dignity event took place on Friday, December 10. We served over 375 families and 1,100 kids. Our hearts are filled with joy for all who donated toys, gift cards, and for those who volunteered to make this event happen. We are forever grateful. To learn more about Christmas with Dignity please watch our video. Merry Christmas! HOLIDAY GIFTS FOR OUR STUDENTS Our students received Christmas presents from The Starland Charities. Thank you so much for your generosity. Our students feel blessed! STAFF HIGHLIGHT As our vision statement reads, our desire at Hospitality House is to help our youth and families overcome by opening doors of opportunity. Nick Mingo knows what is it like to overcome and gives credit to God. He has been in our program since he was seven and is now 19. He has six brothers who all attended HH too! With help from teachers at his high school Nick recently earned his high school diploma this summer after completing several incomplete items and handling some difficult disappointments. This fall Nick started school at Normandale Community College. He is going against the grain as a lot of his peers

CHRISTMAS WITH DIGNITYMAKING SPIRITS BRIGHT! The holidays can sometimes seem overwhelming and Christmas With Dignity strives to make every effort to ease the burden of the families in the community we serve. Since 1993 we have been so blessed by God to make this special event happen every Christmas. We closed registration for this year with nearly 400 families, which amounts to over 1,100 kids. This is by far our largest group! With the shortage of toys this Christmas season and COVID still very prevalent we are planning a format change to our traditional holiday shop. Your donations of toys, gift cards or a cash donation is needed now more than ever. If you would like to make a donation please drop the items at Hospitality House December 7, 8, or 9 from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. We are still in need of volunteers, and like most the urge to give back during the holidays is something God calls us to do. If you are interested in getting involved, please contact Paula Larsen. We so graciously appreciate your support of the children and families during the holiday season! Contact Paula Larsen Board Member paualannelarsen@gmail.com or Call the Christmas With