The Salvation Army Opens Three Youth-Only Food Shelves in Ramsey County, Minn.
Begin
ning Monday, June 3rd, the Twin Cities Salvation Army will expand three of its food shelves in Ramsey County to specifically target homeless youth. Each location – two in St. Paul, one in Maplewood – will not require identification or permanent address, and will allow guests to pick out their own food.
“Without I.D. or address, homeless youth have difficulty accessing food shelf assistance because most service providers require both,” said Major Jeff Strickler, Twin Cities Salvation Army Commander. “Our new food shelves will make it easy for homeless youth to get the food they need. Without food, this population can be exploited in terrible ways.”
A survey released last week by Covenant House and Fordham University found that nearly one in four homeless youth have engaged in survival sex – trading a sex act to meet a basic need such as food or shelter.
The new food shelves are made possible through a partnership with StreetWorks Collaborative, a youth outreach network. StreetWorks staff will distribute the food and offer referrals, while The Salvation Army will provide the food and space. Typical visitors will most likely be ages 18–21, living either on the street or at various friends’ homes – known as “couch hopping.”
The food shelves are open 3–5 p.m. on various days at these Salvation Army centers:
- Mondays and Thursdays: 1019 Payne Ave., St. Paul
- Tuesdays: 401 W. 7th St., St. Paul
- Wednesdays: 2080 Woodlynn Ave., Maplewood
Donations of easy-to-prepare nonperishable foods are encouraged at these locations, such as microwaveable one-person meals.
The food shelves are an expansion of The Salvation Army’s youth outreach efforts in St. Paul, where in June 2012 the organization opened an 11-bed shelter for youth ages 18–21.