Jordan

Jordan, a young man who lives at Nicollet Square, recently addressed more than 800 people at the 2011 Ending Homelessness Together luncheon held in a huge ballroom of a major downtown hotel. Perhaps surprisingly, he felt comfortable and at ease at the podium before the crowd -- all  of them strangers.

Growing up in foster care, Jordan explained, gave him a different perspective on strangers than that of other kids. When Jordan was six, he remembers being taken from his mother in a police car because she could no longer care for him.  It's been "strangers" who helped thim since that day when he was six years old. They've supported him, given him a home, helped him work towards his goals. Now they’ve helped him get an apartment of his own at Nicollet Square.

Jordan now has a safe, affordable apartment  plus help from onsite staff who offer personalized support to help him reach his goals.  He’s worked hard since moving in and is proud of securing a stable job he enjoys and is working towards a career in sports medicine. His experience is just one example of how Nicollet Square is making a significant difference to youth ages 16 and up who have been homeless or have aged out of the foster care system with no place to go.

At the end of the third quarter this year, Nicollet Square residents are exceeding most of our original goals for housing stability, employment and education. For example, we expected that 50 percent would obtain employment; in fact, 83 percent of the 41 young people have done so through the WorkFast program or unsubsidized, market rate employment. We also expected that 50 percent of those obtaining employment would retain their jobs for three months; 86 percent of those in unsubsidized employment have done so for six months.

With PCNF partners YouthLink and HIRED, we are able to offer safe, high-quality housing; supportive services to help residents become productive and pursue their educational and employment goals; and a community that makes housing Nicollet Square a home.