RSVP Greater Twin Cities- West Metro

Monday, November 28, 2011

A Pleasant Evening At Home?

On October 28, 2011 Scott Carver Project Community Connect served over 400 individuals in our community who are Living on Little. We met families living in cars, camping, doubled up with friends and family, a man who carried a cot on his back. Winter is imminent and we need to come together to find solutions so that our neighbors have a safe, decent, and warm place to stay.

On Thursday, December 1 "Heading Home Scott-Carver" will be hosting a community meeting to discuss issues concerning those in our community who are without housing - those who are doubled up, living in places not meant for human habitation, homeless. All members of the community are both welcome and encouraged to attend this event.

The meeting will be held at St Mark's Church Hall, 350 Atwood Street South, Shakopee from 7 to 9 p.m.

For more information, contact Allison Streich at 952-448-7715 x 2803.

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Don't Miss the Train!



The Holiday Train, that is. You can support the food shelves at East Side Neighborhood Services in Northeast Minneapolis by bringing a cash or food donation to the 2011 Holiday Train event on December 11.

Food and cash donations will benefit community residents who are in need of food during the holiday season. Items needed are canned foods, dry foods, hygiene and cleaning products.

Come together to support the community and enjoy a night of live musical entertainment, kid's activities, horse drawn carriage rides and refreshments. The Holiday Train will arrive at 8 p.m. This event is free and open to the community.

For more information about the 2011 Holiday Train, call 612-781-6011 or visit www.esns.org

Monday, November 14, 2011

Minnesota SMARxT DISPOSAL launches

Do you have old or expired medications sitting in your medicine cabinet, but are unsure about how to properly dispose of them? SMARxT DISPOSAL is a new public awareness campaign designed to educate Minnesotans about the safest way to dispose of these medications. Contrary to previous advice, flushing medications or pouring them down the drain is not recommended due to potential harmful effects on waterways. Instead, follow this three step process to most safely dispose of the medications in your household trash:

1) Pour medication into a sealable bag. If medication is a solid, add water to dissolve. Remove all personal information from container, if needed.
2) Add kitty litter, sawdust, coffee grounds (anything to make medication less appealing to eat) to the plastic bag.
3) Seal the plastic bag completely and throw it in the trash.


Alternatively, many counties are now hosting prescription drug take back events (Hennepin and Carver), or are establishing permanent drop-off spots (Scott) where medications are collected and disposed. Check with your county website if you'd like to find out more about this option.

More details can be found on the SMARxT DISPOSAL website at www.MNSmartDisposal.com

Thursday, November 3, 2011

2nd Annual Scott-Carver Community Connect a success!




The second annual Scott-Carver Project Community Connect was held on Friday, October 28th in Shakopee. Four hundred adults and children came through this one day event geared for individuals "living on little". Guests were able to receive many services on-the-spot, including doctor exams, immunizations, dental services for children, mammograms, vision exams, hair cuts, driver's license/i.d. renewals and more. Guests, with the help of volunteer guides to help them navigate through the available resources, were able to get vital information on housing, employment, child care options, and a vast array of other community resources.

RSVP members provided support to the event by acting as guest intake/navigators, refreshment attendants, and phone solicitation prior to the event. All felt it was a worthwhile volunteer activity, and felt it made the concerns of those living at or near homelessness real to them.

Thank you volunteers for lending a helping hand to those in need in our community!