Raising Funds for Wildflyer Coffee!

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A nonprofit fundraiser supporting

Wildflyer Coffee
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Ending youth homelessness one coffee at a time

$225

raised by 3 people

$500 goal

What's Wildflyer about

Wildflyer Coffee is a nonprofit company that hires and trains youth experiencing homelessness throughout the Twin Cities, giving them the tools and skills they need to build the future they deserve. 

Every day, there are approximately 6,000 youth ages 16-24 in Minnesota that experience homelessness. These are people's sons or daughters, siblings, and friends, who are not only struggling to fit in with their peers but struggling to find basic needs like food and shelter. The likelihood is high that these vulnerable youth will experience untreated mental health disorders, struggle with substance use, engage in survival sex or trafficking, become victims of violent crime, or complete suicide.

Youth report the biggest barrier they face when coming out of homelessness is a lack of stable employment. Wildflyer Coffee exists to eliminate that barrier through a 6-month work and life skills training program that equips youth to live a stable and fulfilling life.

Wildflyer is working hard to increase program capacity and keep creating employment for those who need it most. During SpringForwardMN this May, they need to raise $10,000 to increase their program supports and offer their youth employees housing assistance, mental health referrals, skills coaching, education help, and future career planning. It's crucial to support youth experiencing homelessness holistically to graduate from the program fully equipped with the skills and confidence to succeed. 

Lucy's Story

Lucy was 11 years old when her dad died. Her mom, struggling with drug and alcohol dependency, abandoned her the next day. She lived alone in her family’s home for six months, surviving off the food she’d get at friends’ houses. Eventually, when someone noticed and reported the situation, Lucy was placed in foster care but found it better to couch hop, which she did until she was eighteen. 

The instability made it difficult to keep up with high school and stick to a regular schedule. Lucy mostly showed up for lunch to eat something until she was suspended, and eventually, Lucy dropped out altogether.

But that didn’t stop her from wanting to break the cycle of homelessness she was experiencing. She worked hard, decided to re-enroll in high school, and saved up for her own apartment. Since then, Lucy has built her own family and a sense of stability. Lucy is an extremely hard worker, and we are fortunate to witness it every day at Wildflyer. 

Lucy recently graduated from our program and was hired by our partner, Butter Bakery, a transition she reported as a supportive and positive experience. Lucy is now leaving Butter Bakery because she has a full-time job lined up. She also moved into her own apartment last month!   

What’s next for Lucy? She’s not sure, but one thing she does know is that for the first time in a long time, she is “excited for the future, for new possibilities.”

This fundraiser supports

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Wildflyer Coffee

Organized By MacKenzie Diessner

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