Concerned Residents Focus on Ending Poverty in Two Harbors

A group in the community started the program Beacons of Hope with a goal of tackling some key issues they believe haveled to increased poverty

TWO HARBORS, Minn. – There’s a growing poverty concern in the small tourist city of Two Harbors and the community is not sitting back on the issue.

Residents are taking a proactive approach at putting an end to poverty within the city. A group in the community started the program Beacons of Hope with a goal of tackling some key issues they believe have led to increased poverty in Two Harbors.

Tonight, concerned residents joined the conversation to discuss a variety of action plans to combat a few important areas. Among the priorities the group hopes to address include adding more safe and affordable housing, expanding youth activities, offering more information about steps to get out of poverty, and overall making Two Harbors a more welcoming community.

“It’s just a great way to start a conversation,” said Susie Rosette, a volunteer with Beacons of Hope. “I see the hard working ethic here. Lots of people that live in this community have two or three jobs just to make it.”

Tuesday night was the third community meeting to discuss the poverty issues. Isabella Spencer was among those residents at the Community Center in Two Harbors. She says she’s glad the community is finally rallying together to help tackle this growing problem.

“I know there are a lot of drugs around and a lot of mental health issues that aren’t being addressed. I know there’s a whole lot going on that isn’t being properly addressed, but I’m hoping that if we stick it out in the foreground that somebody will say hey we can do something with this.”

One of the first areas the group is looking to address is the lack of safe, affordable housing in Two Harbors.

Leaders from Beacons of Hope say they are planning to host a housing summit sometime this year and have set a goal of adding 20 new housing units by 2020.