Employment Mentor

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About Urban Ventures

Location:

2924 4th Ave. S, Minneapolis, MN 55408, US

Mission Statement

Urban Ventures is a non-profit organization that focuses on the Central and Phillips neighborhoods of South Minneapolis. Our mission is to help end urban poverty in the city by developing youth leadership and strengthening families. Founded in 1993, Urban Ventures serves thousands of children, youth and adults each year. Urban Ventures is a safe place for program participants to identify and overcome obstacles, discover faith, connect with caring staff, and be empowered to make positive life choices.

Description

Poverty is surrounding our community in many ways:

Economic Poverty - 41% of the residents living within a mile of our campus live at or below the federal poverty level; 94% of students in our programs qualify for the free or reduced lunch programs

Academic Poverty - Over 50% of minority youth in our neighborhood will not graduate from high school.

Parental Poverty - More than a third of our neighborhood residents are age 19 and younger; 63% live in homes headed by single parents

Spiritual Poverty - A lack of hope produces a lack of conscience, which manifests into the violence outside our front doors.

Who we serve:

• According to the 2000 Census the ethnic demographics of people we serve: 58% African American; 19% Latino; 17% Other (Somali, Asian and Mixed); 6% Caucasian
• 90% of our program participants live within a mile of our campus. This close proximity allows us to provide transportation to and from our programs.
• 80% of the households in the Central and Phillips neighborhoods are single parent homes.