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When Rich Melzer was approached by a hiring committee about three years ago to be the new leader of the Minneapolis nonprofit Youth Link, he had never heard of the organization.
“I’d never heard of it before. I did some digging…and realized that this organization had not only been around for nearly half a century but had been doing meaningful work. And in the same neighborhood and city that I grew up in my whole life,” he said.
Now, Melzer is in his second year as Youth Link’s CEO. The organization, located at 41 North 12th St. in downtown Minneapolis, works with young people ages 16-24 experiencing homelessness.
“I’ve always loved working with young people. I’ve always loved working with young adults and know what it’s like. I have the same lived experience as many of these kids,” Melzer shared, emphasizing his connection to the young people Youth Link serves.
In Melzer’s eyes, the organization’s uniqueness is the wide range of services offered and the results they produce. “It’s kind of a one-stop shop.
“If a young person is experiencing homelessness, they can come here to Youth Link and get all of the services,” he said. “We have a healthy nutrition kitchen. Then, we have case managers on-site the entire time.
“So, if a young person comes in and wants to maybe decompress a little bit or get off the street, they can seek refuge there, but while they’re here, they can meet with our case managers, and we will help get them long-term sustainable housing and all the other resources they need to be successful.”
Melzer knows the organization’s work is productive, too. He pointed to a six-year study by Foldes Consulting LLC, done in partnership with the University of Minnesota, that showed those accessing Youth Link services and case management had better outcomes. These included being more likely to access permanent housing, less likely to be convicted of a felony, and more likely to earn a GED.
“Those are big takeaways that really make our model of service irrefutable. So, we know it works. It’s not a matter of really reinventing the wheel. It’s just a matter of continuing to do what we do and deliver at a high clip,” he said.
In 2023, Youth Link served 1,945 young people and saw 17,850 visits to its drop-in center. In the last two years, visits to the drop-in center have doubled.
“One of the things our team is probably most proud of is not only that we’re serving young people going through some of the greatest hardships a young person can go through, but we’re doing it with a real theme of love and benevolence,” he said.
“I know that sounds warm and fuzzy, but it’s real. There’s a tone and a manner in which we do things that I think are responsible for increasing visits and growth. Young people on the streets are talking about it.”
While Youth Link serves young people from across the metro, Melzer said there has also been an increase in drop-ins from out-of-state youth. “A lot of the young people we serve are out-of-towners and then from other states that have fallen their way here, however, and managed to find themselves walking through our doors,” he said.
Melzer is happy that Youth Link can serve more people but said the growth in demand is straining resources.
“Youth Link is subsidizing many of these services ourselves to serve young men and women and people that aren’t even from here,” he said. “And that need has grown exponentially, where we’re still serving on the same resources in 2024 that we had in 2019 and 2020. And that’s not sustainable.”
Youth Link partners with more than 30 local businesses to support its work and receives funding from the state government. Every September, the nonprofit hosts an annual breakfast at the Minneapolis Convention Center to raise awareness and money for the cause.
“We’re hoping to get more funding from the city,” Melzer said, “and we’re really increasing our plan for development and philanthropy. But with the growth and the way things are, we need the influx of some major gifts to continue perpetuating this mission forward.”
Those interested in supporting Youth Link can donate online. Young people ages 16 to 24 looking for help from the program can go to the Youth Link drop-in center at 41 North 12th St. in downtown Minneapolis or call 612-252-1200.
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