Red Lake Nation partners with Avivo to help address crisis of Minneapolis homeless encampment

Red Lake Nation formalized a partnership with Avivo to find housing for 100 native people living in the homeless encampment near Cedar and Franklin Avenues in Minneapolis. Red Lake and Avivo aim to achieve this goal in four to six months, placing people in housing across the Twin Cities.

Red Lake Tribal Secretary Sam Strong has been impressed with Avivo’s outreach in the encampment over the past months. “They were always there, addressing personal needs and providing supplies requested by the community. They were offering connections to housing, chemical and mental health services, and supportive services,” he shared.

“They were always there, addressing personal needs and providing supplies requested by the community.”

The partnership formed quickly. Since mid-October Avivo has had 30 housing team case managers assigned to the outreach effort until a dedicated team of five is hired for the initiative.

“Red Lake’s vision and goals for this outreach are inspiring,” shares Emily Bastian, Avivo director leading the organization’s mental health case management and housing teams. “We’re uniquely fit to respond to the pace of the effort, with our skills and experience finding housing and connecting individuals with supportive services.”

Watch WCCO-TV’s November 10 report on Red Lake Nation and Avivo’s outreach.