NewsLab

Being homeless doesn’t end with regular business hours.  Compassion shouldn’t either.  That is the daily motto that Life House, a local shelter that helps homeles youth, follows on a daily biases, as well as some students at the College of St.Scholastica. 

The Hip Hop and Human Dignity class at the college of St.Scholastica held a hip-hop benefit concert, Hip-Hop-Helps, which was held on Friday April 23. The Dignitas Program and Stockfest student group also sponsored the event.

The students decided to hold the concert for the Life House organization, after learning about the similarities between Hip-Hop and homelessness, as well as taking a class trip to the Life House recreational center. The class's overall goal in holding the benefit, was to raise money for the organization, and make people more aware of the issues with youth homelessness. 

Life House is a local organization in Duluth, where kids ages 14 to 20 are able to go and receive guidance that can change their lives for the better.  The recreational center also provides the teens with a meal, from left over food donated from places such the college of St.Scholastica and the hospital, a place that they can hang out with others that aren’t going to judge them, a shower, a place to wash what little clothes they may have, among many other things. Whether they’re homeless, poor, or just a lost kid, Life House won’t turn them away. 

The benefit concert included performances from local artists Goodnight and Kritical Kontact.  As well as visiting artists L.I., Desiree dance studio, DJ Blah Blah, Mike and Sims from Doomtree, Graffiti artists from the twin cities, along with many others.

The event brought in a total of 130 donated personal care items for the shelter, along with $1600, which will all be donated to Lifehouse.

There are an estimated 1800 homeless youth in Minnesota, and 63% of them are never sought out, or reported by their parents or guardians.  With volunteering and compassion we can make a change and end homeless youth.   

Click here to see footage from the concert and hear student reactions!