180 Degrees | Turning Lives Around

  • About Us
    • Annual Report
    • Board of Directors
    • Contact Us
    • Leadership
    • Mission
  • Youth Shelters
    • Bed Availability
    • Brittany's Place
    • Hope House
    • Onward House
    • St. Cloud Youth Shelter
    • VonWald Youth Shelter
  • Community Programs
    • Clifton Place Adult Residential
    • All Children Excel
    • Foster Care
    • SAFE
    • Safe Harbor Navigator: East Metro
    • Youth Vocational Program
  • Get Involved
    • Employment
    • Events
    • Speaking Engagments
    • Volunteer
  • News
    • From the CEO
    • Our Stories
  • Donate
    • Wish List
  • About Us
    • Annual Report
    • Board of Directors
    • Contact Us
    • Leadership
    • Mission
  • Youth Shelters
    • Bed Availability
    • Brittany's Place
    • Hope House
    • Onward House
    • St. Cloud Youth Shelter
    • VonWald Youth Shelter
  • Community Programs
    • Clifton Place Adult Residential
    • All Children Excel
    • Foster Care
    • SAFE
    • Safe Harbor Navigator: East Metro
    • Youth Vocational Program
  • Get Involved
    • Employment
    • Events
    • Speaking Engagments
    • Volunteer
  • News
    • From the CEO
    • Our Stories
  • Donate
    • Wish List

Our Stories

Cynthia's Story

12/14/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture

Part 1

Picture
Like many Minnesota families, Cynthia's family lived on the edge of poverty. Not only did her parents suffer from health conditions, but they both had to work two jobs just to get by.

When Cynthia's father died unexpectedly, her mother spiraled into a deep depression. Overwhelmed by the grief of losing her husband and the steadily growing pile of bills, her mother struggled with daily living. That left Cynthia on her own to navigate.

With her mother not able to provide emotional support and money for food increasingly scarce, concentrating at school was an almost impossible task for Cynthia.

It didn't help that teasing from classmates became more frequent, adding to her grief and stress. Soon, Cynthia began skipping school, immersing herself in fantasy books to get a small sense of safety and comfort.


Until now, Cynthia had dodged the pressure from her friend's brother to hang out with a group of guys during the day in an apartment. But, increasingly hungry and struggling to get by, she was starting to reconsider.

Part 2

Eventually, a social worker made a visit to Cynthia's home. Seeing the neglect and food scarcity, she knew it was in Cynthia's best interest to get out. 

To make sure Cynthia was safe, the social worker brought her to one of 180 Degrees' five 
Emergency Youth Shelters. Cynthia didn't want to leave her mom, but she knew something had to change.

Understandably, it was really hard for Cynthia at first. She resisted the transition to this new, unknown environment with new, unknown people.

Slowly though, with the consistency of a safe and structured space, home cooked meals, and a team of people who genuinely cared about her, Cynthia began to learn to trust.


"Talking with other kids at the shelter made me realize I wasn't alone." Feeling seen by people who understood made a difference. The trust Cynthia gained through these relationships paved the way for discovering new things about herself, and building pathways forward.

[Stay tuned for the third and final part of Cynthia's story!]

Part 3

With encouragement from Becky, the on-site teacher, Cynthia got back on track in school. She dedicated time to drawing - focusing on something that brought her joy - and taking pride in her unique talents. A case manager even helped Cynthia locate a part-time job within walking distance of her house.

Mental health crises and family dynamics don't resolve instantly. 180 Degrees provides the critical support and connections families need to begin to heal. Throughout Cynthia's shelter stay, she visited her mom regularly while her mom connected with a mental health professional to begin improving her emotional well-being and re-gaining financial stability.

After three months, Cynthia reunited with her mom. Today, if struggles mount again, they both feel more confident about how to seek help and get back on track.

Your gift will connect teens like Cynthia to a safe space when they have no other options.

With your help, youth will have a roof over their head and the resources they need to rebuild family connections and start to heal.

Our goal is to raise $15,000 for youth in crisis before December 31. Will you help? 
0 Comments

Carla's Story

11/17/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture

Since 2015, over 450 girls
​
at Brittany's Place received support for being
​sex trafficked.

Carla was one of these young women.
​One afternoon, Carla made a hurried call, fearing for her life. For the past year she’d been sexually trafficked and trying to survive. She needed help getting out.  

Born to a mother with HIV and struggling with drug addiction, 17-year-old Carla had experienced a lifetime of poverty and trauma, including the devastating death of her brother. Even still, when a social worker planned to remove Carla from the home, she fled. Arriving in Minneapolis with no money or plan, and a small bag of clothes, she lived on the streets while holding down a part-time job.  

With temperatures dropping and no place to go, it was hard to refuse an offer to move in with Ann - a woman she met one night. However, it soon became obvious the housing was not free.
​Carla was soon being trafficked around the Twin Cities and emotionally abused.  
​That’s when Carla made the call to Brittany’s Place, 180 Degrees’ emergency shelter for youth who are at risk of or experiencing sexual exploitation. Carla describes the day she arrived. “I was scared. My anxiety was going through the roof. But I knew my life had a purpose and this was my last chance.” 

Carla was welcomed and offered food, water, and clean clothes. That evening, she slept in a private room and for the first time in her life. She finally felt safe.  
Picture
Gradually, Carla started to trust a few people at Brittany's Place. Ms. Adelaide shampooed and braided her hair. Rhonda, the educator, encouraged her to give school another chance. The peer support groups helped make positive, healing connections with others in the program. 

After nine months at Brittany’s Place, and with help from a Case Manager, Carla secured supportive housing in Minneapolis, starting her new chapter.

Now, she's living independently, going to work, and has access to counseling services and other crucial resources. Carla is empowered, and continues to heal and grow.
Picture

​Your gift empowers young survivors of sex trafficking achieve safety, stability, and a brighter future.

​P.S. Every donation until November 19 will be MATCHED up to $5,000! That means your impact will be doubled.
0 Comments

Mila's Story

11/16/2020

0 Comments

 
Picture

On any given night, almost ​1,500 youth in Minnesota are alone and experiencing homelessness.

For 16-year-old Mila, this was her reality.  ​
Mila was homeless off and on for the last few years. Living with an emotionally abusive parent, she says, “made it very hard for me to create and maintain growth and success in many different aspects of my life.”  
 
After an especially bad fight with her parents, Mila ran – again. That night she slept outside, and the next day her friend drove her to Hope House, 180 Degrees’ Emergency Youth Shelter in Chanhassen.    
​Arriving hungry and exhausted, Mila was grateful when she was offered a sandwich, a shower, and space to herself. Staff called Mila's parent, but tempers were still hot.  

Mila was quickly connected to an in-house Case Manager to get the support she needed. That's when she started to understand what peace and safety felt like.  
Picture
Having her basic needs met, and a team of staff who empowered her, she could start focusing on her goals. “I want to be doing work that supports me financially, and that inspires me. I want to make a positive impact on the world with my life and career”.  
 
Then, with help from a mental health counselor, Mila and her family were able to reconnect. After some important sessions of learning how to communicate with each other, they were able to agree on how to move forward -- together. 
Picture

Your gift provides safe, emergency shelter and services for Minnesota teens like Mila.

P.S. Every donation until November 19 will be MATCHED up to $5,000! That means your impact will be doubled.
0 Comments
<<Previous

    Newsletter:
    ​The Turnaround

    October 2020

    Archives

    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020

    Categories

    All
    Affordable Housing
    Criminal Justice
    Formerly Incarcerated
    Foster Care
    Recidivism
    Sex Trafficking
    Youth Homelessness

Picture
Picture

​PREA
​Privacy Policy

​Affirmative Action
​Equity Investment

© COPYRIGHT 2019. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.