Churches United In Ministry

CHURCHES UNITED IN MINISTRY (CHUM) IS PEOPLE OF FAITH WORKING TOGETHER TO PROVIDE BASIC NECESSITIES, FOSTER STABLE LIVES AND ORGANIZE FOR A JUST AND COMPASSIONATE COMMUNITY.

STABILIZATION SERVICES:INCLUDES THE EMERGENCY SHELTER PROGRAM FOR FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS (SERVING APPROXIMATELY 1,000 PEOPLE A YEAR); HOMELESS STREET OUTREACH (SERVING 200 PEOPLE A YEAR); THE CHUM DROP-IN CENTER (2,000 PEOPLE A YEAR); THE CHUM CLINIC (300 PEOPLE A YEAR); FAMILY AND INDIVIDUAL CASE MANAGEMENT, AND THE STEVE O'NEIL APARTMENTS. THE STEVE O'NEIL APARTMENTS PROVIDE PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING FOR 44 FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED LONG-TERM OR RECURRENT HOMELESSNESS. THE STEVE O'NEIL APARTMENTS OPENED IN LATE DECEMBER 2014, AND WERE FULLY OCCUPIED IN MARCH 2015, WITH PROGRAMMING BASED ON CIRCLE OF SECURITY AND PARTICIPATORY ENGAGEMENT. CHUM STAFF PROVIDES CASE MANAGEMENT, FAMILY COACHING, HEALTH AND WELLNESS PROGRAMS, CHILDREN'S PROGRAMS, AND A WIDE VARIETY OF FAMILY AND COMMUNITY EVENTS DESIGNED TO BUILD A SENSE OF COMMUNITY AND OVERCOME THE TRAUMAS ASSOCIATED WITH HOMELESSNESS. ALL PROGRAMS AT STEVE O'NEIL FOLLOW HOUSING FIRST, HARM REDUCTION AND TRAUMA-INFORMED PHILOSOPHIES AND PRACTICES. DURING THE PANDEMIC, CHUM HAS ALSO PROVIDED ISOLATION AND QUARANTINE FACILITIES FOR PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS.

ST. FRANCIS APARTMENTS:OPENED IN 2021 AND OFFERS PERMANENT SUPPORTIVE HOUSING FOR ELDERS WITH UNDERLYING HEALTH CONDITIONS TO LIVE AND OBTAIN SUPPORTIVE SERVICES. OUR SUPPORT STAFF CONNECT RESIDENTS TO SERVICES FOR FOOD, TRANSPORTATION, ASSISTANCE WITH HOUSEHOLD CHORES, PUBLIC BENEFITS, AND MENTAL HEALTH AND RECOVERY SERVICES. CHUM'S GOAL IS TO HELP RESIDENTS' SUCCESSFULLY TRANSITION FROM SHELTER TO HOUSING, AND THEN MAINTAIN THEIR HOUSING, STABILIZE THEIR HEALTH AND WELLBEING, AND NOT RETURN TO HOMELESSNESS. EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 1, 2021, THE ORGANIZATION (CHUM) TRANSFERRED ITS INVESTMENT IN ITS WHOLLY OWNED SUBSIDIARY, ST. FRANCIS APARTMENTS, LLC TO AN UNRELATED ENTITY. AS A RESULT OF THE TRANSFER, CHUM CONCLUDED IT NO LONGER HOLDS A CONTROLLING FINANCIAL INTEREST IN THE SUBSIDIARY AND, ACCORDINGLY, DECONSOLIDATED THE SUBSIDIARY AND RECOGNIZED A LOSS ON DECONSOLIDATION. HOWEVER, CHUM CONTINUES TO SERVICE THE OCCUPANTS OF THE APARTMENTS AS THE PURPOSE OF THAT LLC HAS NOT CHANGED EVEN THOUGH OWNERSHIP WAS TRANSFERRED.

DISTRIBUTIVE SERVICES:INCLUDES TWO EMERGENCY FOOD SHELVES (PROVIDING OVER 7,000 5-DAY FOOD PACKAGES TO 2,500 UNIQUE HOUSEHOLDS IN 2022, WITH ADDITIONAL EMERGENCY SHELTER AND UNSHELTERED PACKAGES TO OVER 600 DUPLICATED INDIVIDUALS); MOBILE FOOD DROPS TO DULUTH AREA FOOD DESERTS (960 FOOD PACKAGES IN 2022); A FOOD DELIVERY PROGRAM - CHUM2GO, DELIVERING FOOD PACKAGES TO HOMEBOUND SENIORS, FAMILIES, AND THOSE WITH DISABILITIES (720 FOOD PACKAGES IN 2022).

CONGREGATIONAL OUTREACH:INCLUDES FAITH-BASED ORGANIZING AND ADVOCACY AT THE STATE AND LOCAL LEVEL; EXPANDING HORIZONS, AN IMMERSION EXPERIENCE TO EXPOSE PARTICIPANTS TO THE ISSUES OF POVERTY, AND TO OPPORTUNITIES FOR SERVICE AND SOCIAL JUSTICE WORK; CHUM CHURCH (RELIGIOUS EDUCATION AND WORSHIP FOR ADULTS WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES); AND VOLUNTEER OUTREACH AND COORDINATION FOR ALL OF CHUM'S PROGRAMS (ABOUT 900 PEOPLE VOLUNTEER EACH YEAR, 600 REGULARLY AND 300 FOR SPECIAL EVENTS).