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Resident and Hero: Ahmed's Story
The City of St. Paul honored Ahmed for an act of heroism performed in 2008, when he noticed a child in his neighborhood being harassed by much older boys. The boys departed when Ahmed confronted them, but returned with baseball bats. The bruises he received were later recognized by Police Chief John Harrington... Read more |
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From Homelessness to Health: Peggy's Story
“I never realized how much of a problem homelessness is for just regular people,” Peggy says. A quiet, well groomed woman in her 60s, she knows this problem from experience. Before she moved into The Commerce Building, a CommonBond housing community in St. Paul, she was homeless for almost a year... Read more |
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Advantage Center Angels: Bibi's Story
"When I look back and ask myself what the difference was between me and the other immigrant children that I encountered who lost their way, it was the support I found in the Advantage Center that made me successful. It is because of them that I have managed to finished high school, manage to go to college, stay away from trouble... Read more |
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The Beginnings of a Community Leader: Choua Wendy Lour's Story
Choua Wendy Lour can’t be sure what her life would be like today if her family had never lived at Torre de San Miguel, a CommonBond affordable housing community in St. Paul - but she has a pretty good idea. "CommonBond helped me and my husband become role models for our kids and our community..."
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I Feel Like a New Woman: Joan's Story
"I didn’t realize how depressed I was in my old apartment, where there was no sunlight,” Joan says, “until I moved into this new place that’s so bright and beautiful. I feel like a new woman!” What a difference a thoughtfully designed home makes...
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A Base to Recover: Robert's Story
The lowest point, Robert remembers, was Christmas. “All the homeless shelters were full, so we spent that first Christmas in a shed,” he recalls. “Just my wife and I, smoking crack to the light of a St. Jude candle, the patron saint of lost causes...” Read More |
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Success by any Definition: Patti's Story
Today, Patti Fritz is a success by any definition: a licensed practical nurse, a proud mom of five and grandmother of 16, and a representative for District 26B in the Minnesota House. She is known for being a tireless voice for the economically disadvantaged. Thirty years ago, however, she was in a very different place... Read More |
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Opening Doors to a Brighter Future: Lonja's Story
“Things have really started to come together for us,” Lonja says. “Without this opportunity, I would have had to move my kids to a shelter, or we’d have had to move in with my parents. Now, we’re in a stable, affordable home, and...I’m able to spend time making plans and goals for our future...” Read More |
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Letter from a CommonBond Resident: Alex's Story
The Commerce Building – and CommonBond Communities – are proving that in the 21st century, low-income is no longer synonymous with low-quality, low-safety or low-style...Read More |
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The Blue Van He Called Home: Ray's Story
Ray lived in a small apartment in Northeast Minneapolis until the owners of the building didn't renew his lease. Ray found himself homeless. Caught off guard, he made the best of a bad situation... Read More
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Coming Home to the City: Kerrilynn's Story
If you have been following stories about mortgage lending over the last couple of years, Kerrilynn’s story is one that’s all too familiar: “I couldn’t afford my home anymore,” she says simply... Read More
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New home, new life: O'Sheena's story
"The three weeks we spent living in the shelter felt like three months," O'Sheena recalls as she talks about what life was like for her family during "a real rough patch." Now, with a CommonBond home and job, she helps other residents find home... Read More |
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A Home Full of Grandparents: Carol's Story
Carol can't help laughing when she recounts a phone conversation with a friend in Oklahoma who was very concerned about her living situation. “When she heard I was in subsidized housing, she pictured some rundown..." Read More
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Finding a Home, Finding a Job: Tufa and Shulayb's Story
Tufa laughs when she describes how much her five-year-old son likes the Skyline Advantage Center at her affordable housing community. “All the time he wants to come down here,” she says... [ Read More ]
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