Shelter Crew

🥇Uniservitate Award 2022 winning experience

SUMMARY

Shelter Crew as a co-curricular effort of the Center for the Common Good.

Catholic Charities is the largest nonprofit, comprehensive social service organization in the St. Paul-Minneapolis metropolitan area, getting involved with thousands of people through 29 different programmes in more than 18 locations. They help homeless or socially vulnerable children, youth, families and adults, regardless of religion, background or personal circumstance. It provides advocacy and cares for the vulnerable through its projects and actions, thus being an opportunity for those who are often unheard and invisible in an affluent society. This work would not be possible without dedicated volunteers and donors.

The University of St. Thomas’ Center for the Common Good offers a Student Volunteer and Academic Community Engagement Programme in partnership with the Catholic Charities of St. Paul and Minneapolis.

In addition to offering direct practical support to the activities of the shelter (food, recreation, counselling, health, among others), the first-year law students in the Sociology and Theology courses study the structural problems of the groups and families assisted in the shelters for people with housing problems, unemployed, homelessness and poverty.

While working in the shelters and making contact with the affected families and those in charge of St. Paul and Minneapolis Catholic Charities Association, the law students discuss, in the light of the principles of solidarity and advocacy of the Catholic social teaching, the structurally insufficient problems of housing, inequality and insecurity in their community, and suggest possible solutions for the future.

PLACE OF IMPLEMENTATION