Today we’d like to introduce you to Cindy Ley.
Hi Cindy, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’m the Executive Director of Open Doors for Youth. I am one of the founding members of Open Doors. As the Executive Director, I lead the organization, and because we are so small I wear many hats! I can be found writing grants, meeting with folks in the community, or making pizzas and washing dishes at the drop-in center. I enjoy the variety. One of the things I enjoy the most is spending time with the youth we serve; I’m inspired every day by their courage and tenacity. I am most proud of the growth we have experienced over the last seven years- expanding our services, and building and developing new partnerships to address the changing needs of our young clients.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
We have been fortunate enough to have had a fairly smooth journey as we built our organization. Our donors and community partners have supported our steps and sustained our work over the years. Founding members, a dedicated board of directors, staff, and volunteers have made the work and growth possible. We have learned more than we every imagined, mostly from the youth we serve!
Naturally, COVID-19 proved to be a challenge for us, along with so many other social service agencies. The dedicated staff at Open Doors for Youth continually pivoted to adjust to new and changing safety recommendations, and remained flexible and creative in order to continue our services to youth.
As you know, we’re big fans of Open Doors for Youth. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Open Doors for Youth really began in 2012, when a small group of community members gathered to have conversations about youth experiencing homelessness or housing instability in Elk River and surrounding areas. At that time, youth homelessness wasn’t acknowledged or talked about much in our small rural community, and there was a severe lack of services available to them. Over the next 2 years, the group met, discussed, and dreamt. In 2015, we took the bold step of opening a drop-in center for youth experiencing homelessness or housing instability. The drop-in center would serve as a safe and welcoming space where youth could build connections with trusted adults, get a hot meal, access the food shelf and clothing closet, and identify goals to help them attain greater well-being and stability. Today, over seven years later, Open Doors for Youth has grown from an all-volunteer led organization to currently having five paid staff. We have doubled our space, and increased our programming to include barrier-free mental health support, free weekly healthcare, free monthly dental services, and outreach to high schools in outlying communities. We have secured funding from prominent agencies and foundations including the State of Minnesota, Sherburne County, Medica Foundation, Mardag Foundation, and Initiative Foundation.
Today, Open Doors for Youth provides a safety net for youth in rural communities who don’t know where to turn for help. We provide wrap-around services in a youth-led, strengths-based, trauma-responsive approach. We got to where we are today by taking bold steps as we tirelessly work and advocate for youth experiencing homelessness or housing instability.
Who else deserves credit in your story?
First and foremost, credit goes to the other main founding members: Cheryl Wold, Marilyn Olson, and Dennis Wold. They remain active today in supporting the work, and their dedication to the mission of Open Doors for Youth is foundational to its success. Additional mentors and supporters include key staff members Jen Gunderson and Sara Fromm-Ringsmuth. They have remained steadfast in their commitment to Open Doors and the youth we serve for the last three years, particularly throughout the pandemic. We rely on dedicated volunteers to help meet the needs of youth at the drop-in center. Their ongoing dedication to Open Doors and the youth is critical to our success. Most importantly, credit goes to the youth we serve, who inspire us and teach us every day.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.opendoorsforyouth.org/
- Instagram: opendoorsforyouth
- Facebook: Open Doors for Youth
