By Eric Jayne

Homelessness is a tragic reality. It exists in Minneapolis, St. Paul, Bloomington, and just about every city, suburb, and community throughout Minnesota. With rising rent, low apartment vacancy rates, foreclosures, and scarce housing resources, low-income families have faced extraordinary devastation. Perhaps even more devastating is that children and youth account for nearly half of homeless people in Minnesota (Wilder Research – May 2010).

In Ramsey County, the first point of contact for all homeless families is the Family Place which is a secular nonprofit in downtown St. Paul. They provide youth enrichment, employment counseling, housing advocacy, and they directly arrange shelter for homeless families.

Read more: Atheists Cook Dinner for Homeless Families

Many thanks to those who helped out with our recent highway clean-up in Rice:

By Jill Carlson

Did you enjoy reading Atheist Voices of Minnesota? Will you help us promote the book? Here are a few easy ways you can help get Atheist Voices to as many people as possible, and raise money for Minnesota Atheists at the same time:

• If you don’t own a copy yet, buy one for yourself. It’s available in paperback and eBook.
• Request the book at your local library; check out your library website for details.
• Write a positive review of the book on Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com or Goodreads.com.
• Include a plug for Atheist Voices in your blog.
• Post about Atheist Voices on your Facebook page and include a link to the store page on the Minnesota Atheists website for details on how to buy it.

Read more: Help Promote Atheist Voices of Minnesota

By George Kane

I never expected God to be an issue at the Democratic National Convention. Christian conservatives are obviously a core constituency of the Republicans, and their stamp was unmistakable on everything that transpired at the Republican National Convention a week earlier. I expected the Democrats to make routine obeisance to religion that should infuriate everyone who values the separation of church and state, which would, however, attract no particular notice.

To my surprise, on Wednesday morning the networks reported that the platform had been released with no reference to God or to Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. This became the exclusive focus of the Jay Sekulow Live radio program that morning, and Republicans were quick to spin it as proof that Democrats were out of touch with the America’s religious core. It was a tempest in a tea pot, as party platforms are nothing more than appeals to special interest groups. That no platform ever mentions the separation of church and state, or expresses respect for atheists, only proves our political insignificance.

Read more: News and Notes

The Minnesota Atheists raised $700 for blood cancer research and participated in the Leukemia & Lymphoma Light the Night Walk on Sunday, September 23rd.

Read more: MN Atheists Light the Night for Cancer Research