The Next Chapter
In this space, we share important updates and inspirational stories about our program, residents and volunteers.
We hope you’ll follow along, get involved and help us write our next chapter.
After two years at Onward House, Asha reflects on the growth, support, and stability that helped her find her path forward. Now working with children and pursuing her Child Development Associate credential, she shares what made her time at Onward so meaningful—and how she hopes to give back in the future.
I'm excited to announce our board's new leadership for 2025. Megan Sande, who has been with Onward since our early days, is now our board president, and we're welcoming new board member Susan Geitzenauer. With a dedicated team supporting young adults facing housing challenges, we're looking forward to a bright future together.
Thanks to your incredible support, Onward exceeded our financial goals in 2024! Your generosity has fueled life-changing growth, allowing us to expand programs and provide greater resources for young adults building stability and achieving their goals. Read more to see how your impact is creating brighter futures and what’s ahead in 2025!
Asha’s story is a powerful reminder of the life-changing impact of Onward House. After being told to leave home at 18, she found stability, graduated high school, and began pursuing her dream of becoming a teacher. Today, she works at a childcare center and feels hopeful about her future—all thanks to the support and community she found at Onward. Stories like Asha’s show how your support can transform lives.
We want to raise $1.2 million to grow our capacity to serve more young people. This summer and fall, we shared our plan for doing this with key supporters. Your feedback shows enthusiastic support for our vision.
Earlier this week, 15 community members gathered at Eden Prairie Library to discuss Acceptance: A Memoir by Emi Nietfeld. The conversation highlighted powerful themes of instability, mental health, and resilience. As we reflected on Emi’s story, many parallels emerged with the young adults served by Onward. The discussion prompted important questions on how we can better support those facing housing insecurity and inspired action steps for our community to get involved.
In this blog post, Executive Director Tricia Wright shares about her recent visit to Eden Prairie High School, where she spoke with an entrepreneurship class about Onward’s mission to provide transitional housing for young adults facing housing instability. She asks the community to spread the word and encourage young people who may need a safe, stable place to live to reach out. Together, we can make a difference in the lives of our community's youth.
Celebrating milestones and new beginnings! Discover how Onward residents are thriving, our community is growing, and our future is bright.
Lack of affordable housing is one of the main issues that contributes to homelessness and housing insecurity. When communities address affordable housing, it is good for everyone. Read more about this important issue and Eden Prairie’s response through the the Eden Prairie Housing Alliance.
Monthly donors take the scary out of fundraising by providing a steady and stable source of funds to help young people gain the skills and confidence to live independently. Becoming a monthly donor to Onward is simple. Join this compassionate community of supporters committed to making a difference!
This resident arrived an Onward House with a car in their possession. It was big and old and it kept breaking down. It was not a reliable mode of transportation. But the resident kept paying to get it repaired.
Check out the many ways to get to know Onward this spring - see our annual report, come to our open house, and sign up for our book club.
Exciting updates at Onward! We've exceeded our 2023 goals and are welcoming new board members for a year of growth and progress.
Anna* spent most of her life in foster care. When she turned 18, she aged out of the system and needed a place to live. She had a job in retail that she liked and found a home at Onward House.