Resident Stories

For the past 12 years, Faduma Mohamed, a mother of five children, has called Ames Lake Neighborhood her home. Situated on St. Paul’s Eastside, Ames Lake Neighborhood is a 356-unit affordable housing complex rich in resources and support thanks to the onsite programs and services provided by Opportunity Neighborhood. Years ago when Faduma’s children were…

Last spring, Jerald, a new kindergarten resident, walked into the Ames Lake Community Center to attend his first day of Ames After Hours. Chan Chamrong, Ames After Hours Coordinator, remembers when Jerald began attending program. “He was a very shy and withdrawn kid, but slowly each day he came, we’d begin to see a difference.…

For the past eight years Guadalupe Gutierrez has called Ames Lake Neighborhood her home. But it’s more than just her home, it’s has become her community. A community she is proud to be a part of. Originally from Mexico, Gualdalupe and her husband, Jesus, have three children, Juan Pablo – 7 years old, Emily –…

Deqa Mohamud is a woman with her hands full! A single mom of 6, Deqa spends her days creating a supportive and stable environment for her children. A resident of Ames Lake Neighborhood for the past seven years, Daqa was originally drawn to Ames Lake Neighborhood because of its clean and safe neighborhood, but she…

“Everything I learned at Ames After Hours made me who I am today.” – Erick Regis Erick Regis has big plans for his future. With high school graduation only months away, Erick has managed to navigate through the turbulent teen years. Much of his success he attributes to Ames Teen Group, an after-school program for…

Hamzia Kedir is happy to share her time and talents with her community. Since moving to Ames Lake Neighborhood in the early summer, Hamzia has made volunteering a priority, even though she is a busy junior at Harding High School in St. Paul. Every week, she rolls up her sleeves and gets on her knees…

In 2012, Jennifer Erickson, her boyfriend and 2 teenage daughters were looking for a new place to live that would fit their family’s needs. They had recently completed a 2-year housing program in North Minneapolis through EMERGE. The program assisted her in enrolling in Social Security Disability and found suitable employment for her boyfriend. They…

Biqa Jillo knows a good thing when he sees it. Originally from Ethiopia, Biqa came to Minnesota in 2003 after living in Kenya. In 2012, after living in a variety of rental complexes throughout the metro, Biqa moved to Ames Lake Neighborhood and found a community to nurture and support both him and his family.…