Each year, Minneapolis City of Lakes Rotary awards its John Fischer Rotary Hope Award to a nonmember who is dedicated to the cause/mission that he/she represents and has made (and continues to make) a significant difference in the lives of many people and gives them hope for the future.In November, the club named Gabrielle Clowdus, CEO and co-founder of Settled, as its 2020 recipient. Settled is a Twin Cities nonprofit addressing chronic homelessness by creating a community-first model that emphasizes the importance of companionship and a support system and builds “tiny homes” that are living spaces for the homeless.
Settled seeks to bridge the gap between emergency shelter and costly conventional development by generating a plentiful supply of simple, efficient, permanent housing enabled by private funding to meet the real requirements of 'home'. Settled attempts to reconnect the homeless to self, family, and community through advocate-befrienders in order to navigate the system and achieve personal goals. Settled also emphasizes the need to help the chronically homeless rediscover and utilize their talents by providing opportunities to earn a dignified income through the production, operation, and maintenance of the Settlements, as well as support and increase entrepreneurship.Gabrielle noted that Rotarians can join Settled’s effort through service projects such as sponsoring, building and/or furnishing a home, planting garden beds, and bringing other skills and expertise to see this movement flourish. Those interested can learn more and see Settled’s model Sacred Settlement here: settled.org/model. Settled also was featured in a January 23 StarTribune article and a February 1 KARE 11 feature.