The TABLE

The TABLE

The Team of Advisors Bringing Lived Experience

We didn't just want to be given a seat at the table.
So, we went ahead and created The TABLE.

Who We Are

We’re a team of individuals with direct experience of homelessness who provide input on programs, projects, and policies. Some of us are housed now; some of us aren’t.

We formed in July 2024 out of our collaborative efforts with ZVMS Street Medicine to develop recuperative care (“medical respite”) in Olmsted County, Minnesota. We meet weekly (Tuesdays, noon – 2 pm) at the Rochester Community Warming Center.

We center our work on our values — inclusivity, community integration, and belonging.

Who We Are

We’re a team of individuals with direct experience of homelessness who provide input on programs, projects, and policies. Some of us are housed now; some of us aren’t.

We formed in July 2024 out of our collaborative efforts with ZVMS Street Medicine to develop recuperative care (“medical respite”) in Olmsted County, Minnesota. We meet weekly (Tuesdays, noon – 2 pm) at the Rochester Community Warming Center.

We center our work on our values — inclusivity, community integration, and belonging.

Meet Our Team

Leadership

Collin Johnson
Sarah Whitefeather
Dusti Olson
Jamaul Gayles

Members

Laurissa Bale
Darryl Ferguson
Ryan Fosdick
Adrian Fountain
Tonnettea Fountain
Mark Geier
Karen House
BreAnna Jeske
Joshua Phelps
Chris Rogelstad
Cassandra Sheimo
Torria Wells

Community Cookout

In October 2024, we hosted a community cookout at Soldiers Field in downtown Rochester. We wanted to bring our community together and address common misconceptions of homelessness.

We featured macaroni and cheese. Boxes of mac and cheese are a common item to donate, but challenging to make when living on the streets. Where do you get a pot, fuel, refrigeration, milk, and butter?

We thank the City of Rochester for a Community Building Fund grant that financed the cookout.

The local media covered the cookout. See the Post Bulletin article, KIMT news story, and KAAL news story.

Our Input

    • In August 2024, we had our first client. Any Path Home, a new collective impact housing approach in Olmsted County, sought our input on their plans to ensure everyone has a home.
    • In November 2024, Olmsted County Public Health hired us to administer a convenience survey of people experiencing homelessness for the Community Health Needs Assessment.
    • We also gave input on a mental health resources survey that two medical students want to implement to help develop street psychiatry.
    • On the weeks we don’t have clients, we’re figuring out additional ways to improve our community.

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