1.1A Senate resolution
1.2honoring Deb Loon for her service to Avenues for Homeless Youth.
1.3WHEREAS, those civic-minded individuals who work tirelessly in their communities perform
1.4an important service deserving of special legislative recognition; and
1.5WHEREAS, Deb Loon earned her bachelor's degree from St. Olaf College and began her
1.6nonprofit career at the Citizens League where she was a research associate and office manager; and
1.7WHEREAS, Deb was President of Loon & Company for 13 years, helping numerous
1.8nonprofits achieve their missions through executive-level leadership and management, transition
1.9management, organizational assessments, and strategic planning; and
1.10WHEREAS, she started at Avenues for Homeless Youth in 2008 as interim Executive
1.11Director on what was to be a short-term basis, and four years later became the Executive Director;
1.12and
1.13WHEREAS, Deb led the organization back to stability and significant growth; Avenues for
1.14Homeless Youth now serves over 300 youths each year; and
1.15WHEREAS, she was essential in the development and implementation of Brooklyn Avenues,
1.16which supports over 100 homeless young people from the northwest suburbs; the Minneapolis and
1.17Suburban GLBT Host Home Program, which supports ten homeless young people in Hennepin
1.18County every year; the ConneQT Host Home Program, which supports ten homeless LGBTQ young
1.19people from Hennepin County every year; and the Avenues for Young Families Program, which
1.20supports 12 youth-led homeless families from Hennepin County every year, and expanded the
1.21Minneapolis location from 16 to 21 beds; and
1.22WHEREAS, Deb has been an advocate for increased affordable housing and resources for
1.23homeless youth; and
2.1WHEREAS, for almost ten years, Deb has served as Executive Director of Avenues for
2.2Homeless Youth, supporting thousands of young people experiencing homelessness in moving
2.3from surviving to thriving young adults; and
2.4NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the State of Minnesota that it
2.5congratulates Deb Loon on her years of outstanding service to her community and the state.
2.6BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of the Senate is directed to prepare an
2.7enrolled copy of this resolution, to be authenticated by the Secretary's signature and that of the
2.8Chair of the Senate Rules and Administration Committee, and transmit it to Deb Loon.

Cal R. LudemanSecretary of the Senate

Paul E. GazelkaChair, Senate Committee onRules and Administration

D. Scott DibbleState Senator, District 61