Perspectives, Inc. was founded in 1976 by a small group of individuals who had an interest in increasing the awareness in chemical dependency within the Twin Cities community. Perspectives’ initial name was New Realities and in the beginning, was housed in the YWCA at Lyman Lodge in Excelsior, Minnesota. After 18 months, New Realities rented its own offices and renamed the agency Perspectives, Inc.
The St. Louis Park program opened in two 12-unit apartment buildings in January 1992. The two-year Transitional Housing program served women recovering from drug or alcohol abuse, many from prison, jail, treatment centers, shelters, or the homeless. Program Director Shirley Shumate received the 1993 Minnesota Coalition for the Homeless Distinguished Service Award.
See the organization’s web site for much more information about this program.