creating healing spaces

180 Degrees has a long-standing commitment to delivering the latest in Trauma Responsive Care to the people who seek safety in our emergency shelters or choose to live in one of our longer-term supportive housing programs.  As an agency, we prioritize making investments that ensure our front line staff are equipped to recognize and respond to emotional and physical trauma. 

Another element of providing Trauma Reponsive Care is ensuring that our facilities offer environments that promote healing.  In our 5-year strategic plan we have made commitments to improve all of our aging facilities.  Most of our facilities were built at a time when services for homeless youth and men released from prison were quite different. 

When it comes to our facilities, our vision is bold.  Through architecture and design with BKV Group, a trusted partner, we are in the midst of major transformation.  Renovations at Brittany's Place (completed 2022), St. Cloud Youth Shelter (underway 2023), Clifton Place (scheduled for early 2024), and VonWald Youth Shelter (pending funding in 2024) will ensure that our facilities match the level of excellence we deliver in frontline service. 

Through new design, the face of 180 Degrees will include buildings that offer natural light, access to nature because that supports healing, single bedrooms supporting improved mental health while in shelter, open floor plans that survivors of trauma prefer, flexible spaces that can be programmed to meet the needs of our clients, quiet rooms to reduce stimuli, and environments that resemble private homes more than institutions. 

This vision would be be possible without the support of many partners. Thank you to Minnesota Department of Human Services for providing first-ever capital funding for youth shelters.  Thank you to Hennepin County for supporting first-ever renovation of our residence for formerly incarcerated men.  Thank you to our generous and highly innovative banking partner, Stearns Bank.  Thank you to the many businesses, civic organizations, and churches for donating inkind donations to outfit our new spaces.  And, thank you the many generous donors for your ongoing support.