JRLC Emergency Shelter Funding Conference Committee Testimony

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May 9th, 2023

VIA ELECTRONIC MAIL

Dear Governor Walz and Members of the Health and Human Services Conference Committee:

As clergy of the Muslim, Jewish, and Christian (Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant) faiths, we are writing to express our concern at the lack of emergency shelter funding in the Governor and Senate Health and Human Services Budget proposals.

All of our faith traditions believe that we are commanded by God to care for our neighbors in need, and one of the most overwhelming areas of need we are currently facing in Minnesota is the lack of emergency shelter for our unhoused neighbors.

As we provide care and support to our congregations and communities, we see the terrible impact the current lack of sufficient emergency shelter has on families, people with mental health conditions, veterans, young people, and some of the most vulnerable in our society. This issue impacts both rural and metropolitan areas of our state, and will only continue to worsen as our existing shelter facilities fall into disrepair. Please do not turn a blind eye to this crisis.

The House Health and Human Services budget proposal contains $150 million in emergency shelter capital. The MN Coalition for the Homeless estimates that approximately $200 million in funding is needed to build new facilities and maintain existing shelters; $150 million would have a significant impact on addressing the profound deficit in emergency shelter we see in our communities. We implore you to include this funding in your final budget agreement.

This is a life-or-death situation for individuals and families who have an immediate need for shelter but find themselves exposed to the elements because their local emergency shelters are beyond capacity. This is particularly concerning as we face yet another unpredictable Minnesota winter.

Our response to this dire situation will reflect on the moral character of our state. If we have the ability to remedy the problem, we have the responsibility to remedy the problem. Thank you for your service to our communities and your attention to this urgent issue.

Sincerely,

Pastor Jeanine Alexander
First United Methodist Church in Duluth

Rev. Mary Anderson
St. Andrew’s by the Lake Episcopal Church in Duluth

Rev. Judy Anderson-Bauer
Pastor, Zion Lutheran Church in Cloquet

Rev. Loren Anderson-Bauer
Retired Pastor, ELCA in Duluth

Rabbi Jill Avrin
Associate Rabbi, Bet Shalom Congregation, Minnetonka

Rev. Dr. Carla Bailey
Minister, Pilgrim Congregational United Church of Christ in Duluth

Rev. Dr. James L. Bailey
Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Duluth

Most Rev. Robert Barron
Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Winona-Rochester

Rev. Patricia Benson
St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Duluth

Rev. Deborah Birkeland
Pastor, Baptism River Community Church, ELCA, in Finland

Rev. Karen G. Bockelman
Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Duluth

Rev. Phillip Boelter
Trinity Episcopal Church in Anoka

Rev. Cindi Brickson
Southern Regional Dean for the Episcopal Church in Minnesota
Companion Priest, Church of Holy Communion in St Peter and St John’s Episcopal Church in Mankato

Rev. Dr. David Carlson
Pastor, Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Duluth

Rev. Justin Chapman
Rector, St Luke’s Episcopal Church in Rochester

Rev. Curtiss Paul DeYoung, Ed.D.
Co-Chief Executive Officer, Minnesota Council of Churches

Imam Makram El-Amin
Masjid An-Nur in Minneapolis

Rev. Gerald A. Erickson
Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Duluth

Rev. Dr. Laurie Pound Feille
Senior Pastor, First Christin Church (Disciples of Christ) in Minneapolis

Most Rev. Daniel Felton
Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Duluth

Rev. Margaret O. Fox
Associate Pastor for Adult Ministries, Westminster Presbyterian Church in Minneapolis

Rev. Charlotte Frantz
Peace United Church of Christ in Duluth

Rev. Dr. Meghan K. Gage-Finn
Executive Associate Pastor, Westminster Presbyterian Church in Minneapolis

Rev. Anthony Galloway
Pastor, St. Mark's A.M.E Church in Duluth

Rev. Greg R. Garmer
Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Duluth

Rev. Charles L. Gill, D.Min.
Senior Pastor, Pilgrim Baptist Church in St. Paul

Fr. Seth Gogolin
Vicar General, Diocese of Duluth
Pastor, St. Benedict's and St. John's in Duluth

The Venerable Leland Grimm
Archdeacon, Episcopal Church in Minnesota
Holy Trinity Episcopal in International Falls

Rev. Dr. Timothy Hart-Andersen
Senior Pastor, Westminster Presbyterian Church in Minneapolis

Most Rev. Bernard Hebda
Archbishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis

Rev. Sandra Holmberg
St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Detroit Lakes

Bishop Richard D. Howell, Jr.
Shiloh Temple International Ministries in Minneapolis

Rev. Larry Johnson
Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Duluth

Rev. Andy Knop, OMI
Pastor, St. Michaels Catholic Church in Duluth

The Rt. Rev. Craig Loya
Bishop of the Episcopal Church in Minnesota

Rev. José Antonio Machado
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Minneapolis Area Synod

Rev. Dr. Anna Madsen
Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Duluth

Rabbi Tamar Magill-Grimm
Director of Hineni, Talmud Torah of Saint Paul

Rev. Charles McDonald
Pastor, Chaska Moravian Church

Rev. George McDonnell
Ascension Episcopal Church in Stillwater

Rev. Dr. David Mesner
Lead Pastor, Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd in Duluth

Rev. Katherine S. Michael
Associate Pastor Emerita, Westminster Presbyterian Church in Minneapolis

Pastor Shivon Miller
Trinity Lutheran Church of Duluth

Rev. Douglas Mitchell
Associate Pastor Emeritus, Westminster Presbyterian Church in Minneapolis

His Eminence Metropolitan Nathanael of Chicago
The Greek Orthodox Metropolis of Chicago

Rev. Charles Nelson
Retired Pastor, Grace Bible Chapel in Grand Rapids

Rev. Pamela Ngunjiri
Co-Director of Racial Justice, Minnesota Council of Churches

Bishop Amy Odgren
Northeastern Minnesota Synod, ELCA

Khalid Omar
Executive Director, Dar Al-Farooq Islamic Center in Bloomington

Imam Mohamed Omar
Dar Al-Farooq Islamic Center in Bloomington

Rev. Ross Patton
Elder, Grace Bible Chapel in Grand Rapids

Rev. Joshua J. Patty
Regional Minister and President, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the Upper Midwest

Rev. Douglas Paulson
Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Duluth

Rev. Cindy Peterson-Wlosinski
St. Andrews by the Lake Episcopal Church in Duluth

Rabbi Debra Rappaport
Co-Chair, Minnesota Rabbinical Association

Rev. Gretchen Roeck
University Episcopal Community in Minneapolis

Rabbi David Steinberg
Temple Israel in Duluth
Elona Street-Stewart Synod Executive, Synod of Lakes and Prairies, PCUSA

The Very Rev. Richard Swenson
Dean, The Episcopal Church in the Northern Deanery of Minnesota
Associate Priest at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Duluth

Rev. Kate Taber
Member of the Presbytery of the Twin Cities, PCUSA

Rev. David Tryggestad
Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Duluth

Rev. Alanna Simone Tyler
Associate Pastor for Justice & Mission, Westminster Presbyterian Church in Minneapolis

Rev. Dr. Heidi Vardeman
Peace Presbyterian Church in St Louis Park

Reverend Robyn Weaver
Pastor, Glen Avon Presbyterian in Duluth

Rev. Marilla Whitney
Parish Priest, St. Martin’s Episcopal Church in Fairmont

Rev. Stephen Wlosinski
Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Duluth

Imam Asad Zaman
Executive Director, Muslim American Society of Minnesota

Most Rev. Chad Zielinski
Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of New Ulm