Dakota Woodlands

Located in Eagan, Dakota Woodlands is the only short term housing facility specifically for homeless women and children in Dakota County. Families can stay at the Dakota Woodlands facility as long as necessary to move from homelessness to homes of their own. During this time, they are provided with a variety of supportive and educational services, which address the issues related to homelessness and help residents to successfully obtain and maintain permanent housing.

Dakota Woodlands shelters 22 families at a time. During 2008, they sheltered 279 residents, 116 women and 163 children and assisted at least 30 additional families with supportive services. Approximately 90 percent of their residents move on to safe, affordable housing. Dakota Woodlands continues to provide supportive services to former residents to help sustain their success.

Dakota Woodlands qualified for the Nonprofit Excellence Award after demonstrating that it is responsibly governed, conducts conscientious planning, works to be accountable and transparent to its publics, conducts ethical fundraising, is a good fiscal steward of its resources, employs strong human resource practices, engages in public policy on behalf of its mission, is strategic and uses good evaluation methods.

Simpson Housing Service

Simpson Housing Services provides shelter for single adults and provides affordable housing with support services for both homeless families and single adults in Hennepin County. The mission of Simpson Housing is to house, support and advocate for people experiencing homelessness. Their commitment is to help participants gain housing stability using the Housing First philosophy: provide homeless people with housing quickly and then provide services as needed. Simpson Housing Service’s housing programs and partnerships currently serve 180 families with 480 children and 220 single adults.

In 27 years of serving the homeless, Simpson Housing has learned that providing consistent advocacy and support for the individuals and families is critical to housing success. The support needs to continue through the process, as permanent housing is located, leases are signed, homes are occupied, and as the formerly homeless individuals or families settle into their new community.

In qualifying for the excellence award, Simpson Housing Services demonstrated that they align with MCN’s Principles and Practices for Nonprofit Excellence, in the role the
nonprofit plays in society, in governance, planning, transparency and accountability, fundraising, financial management, human resources, cive engagement and public policy, strategic alliances and evaluation.

The panel of judges was impressed with the organization’s diverse board of directors, outcomes-based evaluation process, and growth.