About the Nonprofit
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ResourceWest's mission is to support individuals and families in the West Metro through collaborative programs and connections to resources as they move toward greater stability.
We serve the Twin Cities West Metro communities of Hopkins, Minnetonka, Excelsior, Shorewood, Deephaven, Greenwood, and Woodland.
In our community, 6% of households have incomes below the Federal Poverty Level (MN Compass). Resources needed aren’t always available due to high costs of housing, food, and vehicle maintenance. The lack of access to affordable resources affects everyone in the household. This is seen by the fact that 27% of households are cost-burdened, and 42% of renters are cost-burdened (MN Compass).
ResourceWest serves the community through two programs: the Social Services Program and Children & Youth Program. Our two programs are built with no fees for services and minimal eligibility requirements, so participants can come to us without the barriers of cost or complicated paperwork.
The Children and Youth Programs include our Back to School, Winter Warm Wear, and Holiday Toy Chest Programs, which run annually and serve children who live in our service area, or who attend Hopkins or Minnetonka schools. The Back-to-School Program runs in August and September and provides school supplies. The Winter Warm Wear Program runs in October and November and equips children with winter hats, gloves, and coats. In December, the Toy Chest Program provides toys for youth to enjoy over the winter break.
The Social Services Program includes Case Management, Emergency Grant Assistance, and the Childcare & Academic Assistance Program.
Our Case Management staff consists of a licensed social worker and a case manager. Both assist families in establishing stability in their households. Their work is largely phone calls and in-person meetings, where they work with participants to navigate paperwork, create plans and solutions for issues that arise, and connect them to other community resources they need.
The Emergency Grant Assistance program funds one-time, short-term emergency expenses that can help a household maintain or secure stability. These funds are usually used for transportation repairs but are also available for employment needs, utilities, and medical costs. Our Case Management staff assists participants through our process of receiving a grant.
The Childcare and Academic Assistance Program provides a 50% scholarship to qualifying families for childcare and academic assistance options to families. The goal is to create stable, affordable childcare and academic enrichment for children while enabling caregivers to maintain stable employment. This program is relatively new and currently funds scholarships through the Hopkins and Minnetonka School Districts. We hope to create a long-running, sustainable program that would broaden families’ options.
In the last year, we served a total of 2,092 households. Through the Back to School Program, we equipped 1,082 students and 439 families with school supplies. Through the Winter Warm Wear Program 1,055 youth and 325 families were provided with winter gear to stay warm. Through the Toy Chest Program, we provided 1,213 youth and 386 families with gifts during the winter break to celebrate respective holidays or enjoy a new toy.
Through the Social Services Program, 846 households were served through our case management team. They were provided with counseling, resource connection and referrals, action planning, and more. We provided 60 Emergency Grants, totaling $36,588. Specific to our Emergency Transportation Grants, we provided 49 grants, totaling $32,847.34. Through the Childcare and Academic Assistance Program, we provided 36 scholarships, totaling $34,829.
