Elpis Enterprises: Equipping and Empowering Youth

‍In the Midway community of St. Paul lies a nonprofit organization prioritizing youth development—Elpis Enterprises. The Midway community, like the young people that Elpis serves, has often been overlooked. Elpis Enterprises, as it invests time, energy, and money into the young people they serve, is also part of creating a vibrant Midway community through its social enterprises and workforce development programs. Many of the trainees are disconnected from the school system or face challenges with lack of housing.

Through a variation of enterprises—including apparel, product-centered manufacturing, and photography/videography—these youth develop knowledge and skills to help in the longevity of their careers. Moreover, trainees also develop strong “soft” skills which make them more valuable in the workplace. And the results display just this. About 80% of Elpis’ trainees obtain employment or continue their education after completing the program. The work Elpis does for these young people helps develop a new generation prepared for the workforce.

Elpis’ mission does not come without challenges. As a small nonprofit organization, it can be difficult to stay afloat. With rising capital costs, Elpis Enterprises has faced deficits in the past years. However, the second round of the Minnesota PROMISE Act came at a pivotal time for this nonprofit. Now, Elpis can continue to pursue their mission of serving the youth in St. Paul. As Paul Ramsour, executive director of Elpis, noted:

“A PROMISE grant will help Elpis to continue to operate as we implement changes to foster long-term sustainability.”

Not only does the PROMISE Act grant help long-term sustainability at Elpis, but it also helps with payroll, rent, utilities, and keeping these programs running for the youth of St. Paul. With this grant, Elpis and the youth they serve are being invested in and shown that they matter.

To learn more about Elpis Enterprises, you can visit their website here: https://elpisenterprises.org/.

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