EMERGE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

With a mission of investing in people through social enterprise, EMERGE develops human capital by connecting disadvantaged individuals with economic opportunities. EMERGE was established as a 501(c)3 nonprofit in 1995 upon developing an innovative temporary to permanent staffing enterprise (Emerge Staffing) to create jobs for hard to employ adults. Since 1995, EMERGE has developed an effective portfolio of workforce development and housing programs that offer holistic, solution driven services that impact more than 4,000 people annually.

EMERGE annually serves more than 4,000 diverse people from five service locations (1101 West Broadway, 125 West Broadway and Camden Apartments in North Minneapolis, the Brian Coyle Center in South Minneapolis and Neighborhood House in St. Paul). From these 5 locations, 19 EMERGE programs are intentionally targeted at low-income/economically disadvantaged community members who encounter multiple barriers to entering the workforce including at-risk youth, ex-offenders, first generation immigrants, people on public assistance and homeless families. Of those served: 98% are “low-income”; 61% are African American and 16% (or 640) are first generation immigrants (primarily East African and Karen/Burmese); 85% are adults and 15% are youth; 68% are North Minneapolis residents; and 53%/47% are male/female.

EMERGE is governed by an active 11-member Board of Directors. The agency employs 35.7 FTE (34 full-time and 4 part-time) staff including 65% staff of color. More than 70% of EMERGE staff have achieved certifications as Job Counselors, Family Resource Workers, Financial Counselors, Fundraising Professionals, etc. EMERGE utilizes the services of 50+ volunteers annually including 8 Minnesota Opportunity Corps AmeriCorps members and 4 VISTA volunteers who collectively contribute more than 18,000 volunteer hours to EMERGE programs annually. In 2010, EMERGE met the Charity Review Council’s 27 Accountability Standards.