Today's speaker was Hannah Parish from Solid Ground.  This is an organization our club has supported during the holiday season for the past number of years.  It is a supportive housing agency based in White Bear Lake.  It works with homeless families referred to them in Washington and Ramsey counties.  The organization has a number of housing sites in the area.  Last year Solid Ground provided housing for 82 families.  It receives 1/3 of its funding from grants, 1/3 from the government, and 1/3 through donations.  They also rely greatly on volunteers, who do everything from providing welcome baskets to assisting families with acquiring furnishings from Bridging and other organizations.  At Christmas, a Santa's Workshop offers parents the opportunity shop for free children's toys, which is the activity our members have generously helped to support.  In 2018, 65% of families that exited Solid Ground housing found permanent housing.  This is due in part to training and support provided by the organization to help ensure that families have the knowledge and skills necessary to be good tenants.