🏠 What Hennepin County is doing to end homelessness

What stands in the way of zero homelessness?

Two years ago, Hennepin County set a goal to end chronic homelessness by 2025. Sahan Journal reports that while the county hasn’t met that goal, they’ve made some progress. Since Oct. 2023, the county has housed 700 people, but 254 are still frequently living on the streets. [Sahan Journal]

• Better data: Shubhanjana Das and Katrina Pross report that the county’s main strategy was to create a better system of tracking people. They partnered with Community Solutions and created a list of names of people experiencing chronic homelessness. This was better for addressing people’s specific needs than anonymous point-in-time data.
• Looming threat: But advocates say data collection issues and dwindling funding are the biggest barriers to accomplishing their zero homelessness goal. With uncertainty over federal funding, nonprofits will have to increasingly rely on state money.

Feeding the soul: The Food Bank Eatery in North Minneapolis is cooking up soul food to feed children for free. The restaurant began offering free meals when SNAP benefits were paused. Kids can come by Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. - 8 p.m. [CBS Minnesota]

Sleigh bells ring: Why not go local for your holiday playlist this year? Our host Sean chose his top 5 local holiday performances, and you can pretend you’re in a Hallmark movie while you listen. [City Cast Twin Cities]

Neither snow nor ICE: Union postal workers gathered over the weekend to demand that ICE stop using post offices as staging grounds. Chris Pennock, vice president of the local letter carriers union, said ICE arrested someone at the Powderhorn post office while carriers were working. [Star Tribune]

Worried mother: Rep. Ilhan Omar told WCCO her son was pulled over by ICE on Saturday after going to Target. Agents let him go after he showed them his passport ID, which Omar says he “always carries.” [CBS]

Must try: Food and music critic Ali Elabaddy joins the show to talk about the best spots for African food in the Twin Cities. He dishes on egusi, waakye, and GOATed goat dishes. Check out his full list for Explore Minnesota. [🎧 City Cast Twin Cities]

Forget Spotify: Hennepin County’s free streaming service is back. MNSpin’s 600 albums feature local artists, and they’re available to all for streaming. Artists get a stipend if their work is included! [Bring Me The News]

Tuesday, December 16

• ☄️ Sixth Anniversary Celebration | Meteor Minneapolis
• 📚 Jane Austen's 250th Birthday Party | Big Hill Books
• ❄️ Father Frost and the Snow Maiden: An Evening of Winter Tales | The Museum of Russian Art
• 🎤 Merry Christmas From José James | The Dakota
• 🌙 Moonstruck | Parkway Theater
• 👠 Mistress Ginger's Generation X-mas | Bryant Lake Bowl
• 🎶 Channy Leaneagh & Gold Minefield | Berlin

Wednesday, December 17

• ❄️ Heart and Solstice | Bell Museum
• 🎶 3rd Annual Fulton Caroling Party 🆓 | Pershing Park
• 💘 Ugly Sweater Sapphic Speed Dating | A Bar of Their Own
• 🖌️ Manifest-It: A Community Collage Party | Pride Cultural Arts Center
• 🎄 A Charlie Brown Christmas ft. Blue Ox Trio | Turf Club
• 🛷 Feeders 2: Slay Bells | Trylon Cinema
• 🎺 Maurice MOBETTA Brown & Room3 Quintet | Icehouse

• Manager, Metro Move and Transit Link at Met Council Metropolitan Transportation Services | $98k - $160k per year
• Chief of Curatorial Affairs and Exhibitions at Minneapolis Institute of Art | $200k - $220k per year
• Senior Director of Library, Archives, & Collections at Minnesota Historical Society | $119k - $148k per year
• Media & Public Affairs Director at MN Commerce Department | $90k - $130k per year
• Marketing Manager, Bowel Care at Coloplast | $116k - $157k per year