{"id":8405,"date":"2023-08-25T17:07:27","date_gmt":"2023-08-25T22:07:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.solidgroundmn.org\/dev\/?p=8405"},"modified":"2024-03-11T10:48:38","modified_gmt":"2024-03-11T15:48:38","slug":"trisha-kauffman-retiring-after-26-years-at-solid-ground","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.solidgroundmn.org\/dev\/trisha-kauffman-retiring-after-26-years-at-solid-ground\/","title":{"rendered":"Trisha Kauffman retiring after 26 years at Solid Ground"},"content":{"rendered":"

Solid Ground, an award-winning nonprofit organization committed to preventing and ending homelessness for families, announced the retirement of Trisha Kauffman, Executive Director. Trisha has led the organization for 26 years, helping thousands of families break the cycle of homelessness and poverty for the next generation.<\/p>\n

\u201cWorking for Solid Ground has been such an important part of my life for the past 26 years,\u201d says Trisha. \u201cIt\u2019s given me the opportunity to pursue my passion for ensuring that children and families have a safe place to call home. I certainly never thought that I would be at Solid Ground for such a long time, but when you \u2018re fortunate enough to \u2019find your people,\u2019 you stay.\u201d<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Solid Ground (formerly East Metro Women\u2019s Council) was founded in 1987 by a dedicated group of women living in Ramsey and Washington Counties who wanted to help low-income mothers in their community. In 1993 East Metro Place opened its doors close to Century College, providing affordable housing and supportive programs for 20 families. Two years later we started offering scattered site housing and services, and in 1997 Trisha Kauffman joined Solid Ground as its Executive Director. Over the years, Solid Ground continued to grow to meet the housing and service needs of the community, and in 2001, Trisha accepted a Live Your Best Life Award on behalf of the organization from Oprah Winfrey\u2019s Angel Network.<\/p>\n

In 2002, the HomeAgain program launched in Washington County, and in 2005 the East Metro Place campus expanded to include 14 new units of permanent supportive housing. Solid Ground was the first family supportive housing program in the Twin Cities to offer Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) skills training in 2008, and in 2011, Solid Ground was awarded the statewide Nonprofit Award of Excellence in a Small Organization by the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits.<\/p>\n

Solid Ground\u2019s scattered site housing expanded again in 2013 through the HomeSafe program, and in 2016 Solid Ground\u2019s HomeFront program opened to house long-term homeless military veterans and their families. Solid Ground now also offers housing throughout Ramsey and Washington Counties through Homework Starts with Home, a partnership serving K-12 students and their families who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness. Today Solid Ground provides four different kinds of housing assistance: Prevention, Rapid Rehousing, Transitional Housing, and Permanent Supportive Housing, serving over 200 families annually. Services are developed for each family depending on their self-determined needs and goals.<\/p>\n

\u201cThrough Trisha\u2019s commitment, determination and relationship building she has been able to lead Solid Ground into the award-winning organization it is today while holding true to our mission,\u201d says Lynnette Becker, Chair of the Solid Ground Board of Directors. \u201cHer work has such a positive impact on the community and will leave a lasting legacy supporting families through housing and supportive services.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDeciding to retire from Solid Ground has been an emotional journey for me,\u201d says Trisha, \u201cthere is so much going on right now! The organization is in the middle of a capital campaign to renovate the East Metro Place building to add a new front entry and improved program and office spaces. We are expanding our prevention assistance program to help more families avoid eviction. We\u2019re also launching a new permanent supportive housing program, Welcome Home Washington, that will provide permanent supportive housing for chronically homeless families. In a few more years, we\u2019ll open Gladstone Crossing, a new supportive housing development in partnership with Beacon Interfaith Housing Collaborative. That program will provide housing for young parents aged 18-24 and their children, giving us a better chance to break the cycle of homelessness for two generations. As difficult as it is to move on at such an exciting time, I feel so good about the team in place and know that they will continue to do amazing work.\u201d<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

In partnership with WJ Flynn & Associates, Solid Ground\u2019s Board of Directors has launched a search for their next Executive Director. W. J. Flynn and Associates is an Eagan, Minnesota based search firm that specializes in executive recruitment in the human services, mental health, and physical health provider sectors.<\/p>\n

Walt Flynn, the lead consultant for the search, had the following comment: \u201cWe are excited to work with the Board on this important search. Ms. Cummins Kauffman\u2019s leadership has positioned Solid Ground well for the ongoing and future success of Solid Ground. In our assessment, the opportunity to follow in her footsteps will make this a very attractive position for potential candidates.\u201d<\/p>\n

Trisha will continue her role leading Solid Ground until her successor is named and remains committed to supporting our staff and families through this transition. We look forward to celebrating Trisha\u2019s outstanding legacy next year and will provide more details as that date approaches. Solid Ground\u2019s website will be updated in the coming weeks with additional information (www.solidgroundmn.org) as we move through the process.<\/p>\n

In this strategic time of transition, Solid Ground remains committed to our mission continuing our work to prevent and end homelessness for families through housing and supportive services.<\/p>\n

Solid Ground hosted a retirement event for Trisha on March 7, 2024 at the Charleston Event Center, 4525 White Bear Parkway, White Bear Lake, MN.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>

Donate to Trisha’s Legacy of Service!<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n

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