Avivo is HERE. For Good. For All.

2021 GRATITUDE REPORT

Letter from the President & CEO Kelly Matter

Avivo is HERE for good. For recovery. For advancement. And housing for all. 

2021 was a year the world hoped the pandemic would end. It chose to rage on. It continued to threaten the health and well-being of our participants. But, Avivo stood strong. Avivo is HERE for change in the lives of Minnesota families and the community.

2021 was still one of the harshest years for people who face the toughest challenges – homelessness, struggling with substance use disorders or mental illness, and living in poverty.  

Reports show the crises of opioid use and unsheltered homelessness are at alarming and all-time highs. Families living on the lowest wages are overwhelmed and struggling, and employers cannot find workers.  

Fortunately, Avivo is HERE for families in Minnesota. Avivo uniquely pairs its housing, chemical and mental health, training and employment services, whenever possible, to support personal paths of health and economic mobility for each person we serve. Because of your commitment to Avivo:

  • More than 11,000 individuals and their families benefited from Avivo services. 
  • 1,664 individuals were served to find or maintain housing to avert homelessness. 
  • 3,200 people accessed our treatment, recovery and mental health services. 
  • 1,414 individuals entered jobs and careers. 
  • 1,250 individuals and their families moved off public assistance and into work. 

Avivo advanced justice, diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives to further its commitment to undoing racism and eliminate disparities as a shared experience of Avivo employees, people served and guests. 

In the following report, you will discover why Avivo’s work is so critical to increasing the well-being of families and communities. For individuals who need us the most, you helped make all the difference. Because of you, Avivo is HERE for Good. For All. 

Thank you for believing everyone deserves the chance to live well and work well! 

With gratitude,


Kelly Matter
President & CEO

Avivo is HERE.

We work to end HOMELESSNESS. We provide EDUCATION and training. We support RECOVERY and mental health. We prepare people for EMPLOYMENT and success.

Learn about Avivo’s services and programs.

2021 At a Glance

TOTAL INDIVIDUALS SERVED
11,236 individuals and families served
ENDING HOMELESSNESS
1,664 individuals were served in finding or maintaining housing, moving out of homelessness
ADVANCING RECOVERY
3,200 individuals accessed Avivo’s substance use disorder treatment and mental health services
SECURING EMPLOYMENT
1,414 people entered jobs or careers
ECONOMIC MOBILITY
1,250 individuals and their families moved off public assistance to work
DIVERSITY
68% of people served were black, Indigenous and people of color

99

99% OF AVIVO PARTICIPANTS WERE AT OR BELOW THE FEDERAL POVERTY GUIDELINE ($27,750 for a family of four)

Homelessness

Avivo is HERE to end Homelessness.

Our teams continue to do whatever it takes to help individuals experiencing homelessness take their next best steps to permanent housing. Avivo Village, a non-traditional shelter model that’s the region’s first-ever indoor village of 100 tiny houses, completed its first year of serving people living unsheltered in Hennepin County. Street outreach, hotel-to-home program initiatives and housing case management services combined to provide effective and COVID-aware responses to helping 1,664 individuals find and maintain housing.

TOTAL INDIVIDUALS SERVED
1,664 individuals were served in finding or maintaining housing
FROM STREETS TO SHELTER
238 residents were served by Avivo Village, since opening in December 2020
AVIVO VILLAGE TO HOME
48 moved on from Avivo Village into permanent housing
Learn about Avivo Village

“Being in my own housing has really given me purpose. I see good things in my future. The future’s looking great for me.”

Eric was living on the streets for five years and trying to hold down a job. A street outreach worker helped him get into Avivo Village, our transitional housing shelter focused on helping individuals find permanent housing. He was connected with the supports he needed to move into an affordable apartment. He is working on his career and life goals. Having a home allows him to spend time with his children.

CHECK OUT ERIC'S VIDEO STORY

Education

Avivo is HERE to provide Education and training.

Avivo Institute of Career & Technical Education offered in-person and virtual career education programs, training healthcare and computer technicians and students in business and computer applications and information technology. The school achieved re-accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF).

TECHNOLOGY LENDING LIBRARY
45 students were able to access training thanks to Avivo’s laptop and hotspot lending library
NEW TRAINING IN CLEAN ENERGY
Two new training programs for careers in clean energy were launched in partnership with the Regional Apprenticeship Training Center partner in North Minneapolis
NUMBER OF STUDENTS ENROLLED
191 students enrolled in training courses, served in Minneapolis and St. Cloud

“Avivo really prepared me for an IT career. If I hadn’t had training like what I had at Avivo, I wouldn’t have been successful.”

Philip endured multiple layoffs and decided a career change was the answer, rather than another short-term job. Deciding on a career in information technology (IT), he enrolled in Avivo Institute for Career & Technical Education. He was selected for an IT internship at Avivo after graduating, which gave him experience in a tough job market during the pandemic. His IT certifications, combined with the hands-on experience, helped him quickly land his current job!

Recovery

Avivo is HERE to support Recovery and mental health.

Avivo is the place mothers elect for treatment, because at Avivo mothers and their children can recover together. Avivo offers substance use disorder, outpatient treatment for individuals and both residential and outpatient treatment for mothers and their children. Avivo’s mental health services and mental health clinic support individuals who live with mental illness and are underserved with limited access to services.

ACCESSING RECOVERY SERVICES
3,200 individuals accessed Avivo’s substance use disorder treatment and mental health services
SAFE, HEALTHY FAMILIES
10 babies were born chemically-free to mothers in Avivo’s treatment programs
NEW MENTAL HEALTH CLINIC
Avivo’s Mental Health Clinic opened in the heart of Minneapolis with plans to add children’s therapeutic support services

“I know for a fact that if I didn’t have housing when I went to Avivo I would’ve been good for maybe three months… having somewhere to lay your head at, to be safe… that sense of security through your journey is crucial.”

Because mothers can go through treatment at Avivo with their children, Sharon reunited with her 15-year-old daughter when she entered Avivo’s program. She shared it was “better than Christmas!” Now two years in recovery, they’ve moved into their own apartment. Sharon is working for an emergency shelter for homeless youth and happy she is able to give back.

Employment

Avivo is HERE to prepare people for Employment and success.

Avivo is expanding the EMPath Mobility Mentoring® model beyond its three-year pilot and incorporating the approach in its employment services that serve families living on public assistance. It involves coaching participants in five areas: family stability, well-being, financial management and employment to ensure long-term economic mobility. In 2021, Avivo also concluded a 12-month, universal basic income pilot. Thanks to the generosity of philanthropist and Avivo donor Nancy Somers, 15 Avivo participants received $1,000 a month to help stabilize their lives and advance economically.

1414

1,414 PEOPLE ENTERED JOBS OR CAREERS
ECONOMIC MOBILITY
1,250 individuals and their families moved off public assistance and into work
KEEPING EMPLOYMENT
9 of 10 people retained work for six months or more

 “[Jacqueline at Avivo helped me] with continuing my course work at Avivo… connecting me to interviewing… and Avivo’s [UBI] grant program.”

When the pandemic hit in March 2020, Pamela’s training halted. She lost supports and could not work. With Avivo’s help, she completed her training and found employment. Participating in Avivo’s guaranteed income pilot program gave her regular monthly income that helped her focus. She found a full-time job, was able to purchase a “little bitty” car, cover costs for childcare and set aside some savings. (photo credit: Max Nesterak/Minnesota Reformer)

Support & Financials

Thank you! You help propel Avivo’s mission forward.

Because of your continued engagement and support, Avivo remained steadfast and present for the more than 11,000 individuals and families we served.

CHARITABLE GIVING
$2,250,086 raised in charitable giving and United Way
WE LOVE OUR VOLUNTEERS
1,269 volunteers donated 10,995 hours
VALUE OF VOLUNTEER HOURS
$340,610 is the estimated value of our volunteers’ hours (Independent Sector)

Support & Revenue

Government Contracts
$ 20,754,328
Program Fees & Other
$ 13,417,694
Paycheck Protection Program Loan Forgiveness
$ 3,198,800
Contributions (including United Way)
$ 2,250,086
Total
$ 39,620,908

Expenses

Ending Homelessness
$ 15,715,391
Chemical & Mental Health
$ 8,525,669
Employment Services & Career Education
$ 7,474,576
Management & General
$ 3,151,135
Fundraising
$ 697,372
Total
$ 35,564,143
Change in Net Assets
$ 4,056,765
To see the financials in greater detail, view the printable PDF

Matt & Maria Hultman

Matt and Maria have been supporting Avivo since 2008. Matt discovered Avivo while working at UPS through his employer’s United Way campaign. According to Matt and Maria, supporting Avivo is personal. “We lost someone very dear to us who was impacted by chemical dependency, mental illness and homelessness. We truly believe if we had found an organization like Avivo then, they would have had a chance at living a healthy life.” In addition to supporting Avivo financially, they have volunteered to lead practice interviews for Avivo participants, adopted families to provide holiday gifts, helped participants with job seeking, and more. “We are inspired to support Avivo as they work to build stronger communities by helping others.”

The Kingdom Builders, Plekkenpol Builders, and John Kraemer and Sons, Inc.

Avivo is very excited to have partnered again with build partners to renovate apartments for families in its transitional recovery housing. We remain grateful to The Kingdom Builders, Plekkenpol Builders, and John Kraemer and Sons, Inc. who renovated six apartments with funding in part by the Housing First Minnesota Foundation and the Patrick and Aimee Butler Family Foundation. This gift of home will give to families for generations to come.

TARGET

Employees from Target’s corporate office and six, local Target stores donated items and volunteered a total of 310 hours, an equivalent labor value of $9,600. They completed various projects — building planter boxes, general landscaping, demolition and building furniture. They supported fundraising efforts and participated in Adopt-A-Family.

DELOITTE

In addition to Deloitte’s generous giving financially, employees assembled 100 winter outreach kits for Avivo’s street outreach team to distribute to adults living unsheltered. They also adopted 20 individuals through Avivo’s Adopt-a-Family program. The Deloitte team provided nearly 100 hours of support to Avivo.

KONIK TECHNICAL TALENT NETWORK

Support by Brad Konik, Tom Goettl, and their team at Konik Technical Talent Network last year was far-reaching! They gave new life to an Avivo office location by sprucing up the landscaping and deep cleaning the office. Participants enjoyed refreshed spaces! The Konik team spread joy for Avivo families by providing holiday gifts to 25 individuals through the Adopt-A-Family program.

COLONIAL CHURCH

Members of Colonial Church volunteered 15 unique times for a total of 337 hours of service, an equivalent labor value of more than $10,000. Member groups supported Avivo Village by purchasing and assembling new resident baskets, providing pies for Thanksgiving and Christmas, assembling Christmas stockings, and providing all 100 Avivo Village participants with unique gifts through the Adopt-A-Resident program.

SOUTH MINNEAPOLIS QUILTERS

South Minneapolis Quilters volunteered 1,086 hours quilting blankets for Avivo Village and provided 90 quilts to incoming residents. Group members recruited other quilting groups to make 43 more quilts for residents. Their generosity is the equivalent labor value of almost $50,000!

AMERIPRISE FINANCIAL

Ameriprise’s public relations team adopted all families in Avivo’s residential treatment program to provide holiday gifts for mothers and their children. Thirty-six individuals received holiday gifts! The team also provided $750 in gift cards to cover gifts for any incoming families.
Join us in celebrating our full list of amazing donors — corpora tions, foundations, organizations and individual donors — by checking out our full, printable 2021 Gratitude Report.

Thank you for being a part of the Avivo family and for believing everyone deserves the chance to live well and work well!