St. Thomas students, shelter families bring bond to colorful life in Maplewood

University of St. Thomas freshman Anayaiah Mason could relate to the little boys she gently, kindly guided as they put their stamp on a new mural Saturday at a family shelter in Maplewood.

The student reflected on her own headspace as a young girl in a family that struggled with homelessness.

Now, as a sociology student whose coursework with her classmates this semester includes volunteering with families living at the Family Service Center, her part on a day of fun and calm had powerful urgency.

“Just like the same way we are giving parents a break, we are giving kids a break from the responsibility of having to deal with [homelessness] every day,” Mason said. “They want to grow up and say that they have fun memories. That they had time when they were able to breathe and be kids. That is what this is doing. Kids deserve to be kids. Parents deserve to watch their kids be kids.”

Jessica Jackson did just that. She was upbeat while she watched two of her children paint. She was busy feeding and cradling their 3-week-old sister, Jewels.

“The support of the center has brought us a long way,” said Jackson, who gave birth to Jewels at the residence. They’ve lived there for the last three months.

She said the St. Thomas students have had an impact.

For the last eight years, groups of St. Thomas sociology students like Mason have stayed connected to families at the center, a Catholic Charities Twin Cities-run residence. Mason is working on a two-year associate degree in the university’s Dougherty Family College. She and her classmates partner with a second sociology class of students pursuing four-year undergraduate degrees.

Along with their professors, the students represent another generation of deepening the university’s bond with the shelter. One meetup, called “Cookies with a College Student,” ultimately becomes a chance for the young people to pair up with the center’s children and hit its playground. There is also dedicated time for arts and crafts projects.

While college students are getting an education in the housing affordability and mental health crises that, in part, drive homelessness, they also are working on their emotional intelligence, said Patricia Maddox, one of the professors who helped get the service program started in 2018.

“We wanted [the students and family center] to feel like they both were getting something out of the experience,” she said. “We intended to build relationships and not make it one-sided.”

The new mural Saturday fits with the mission — a collaborative experience. When Andrea Grom, the center’s children’s program specialist, mentioned a wall in need of a facelift, Maddox secured a $7,000 university arts grant to cover everything from pizza and ice cream to primer and painting supplies.

The mural is a vibrant manifestation of their answers. The center’s playground is represented. So, too, are a smiling sun and hand-held video games. Even the family shelter they temporarily call home is colorfully and prominently displayed.

The center, owned by Ramsey County, can house 21 families, or about 65 people. Families can stay for up to 120 days, said center program specialist Allison Shaul. On average, they reside about 68 days.

Having the St. Thomas students in their lives has been unique and beneficial all-around, Shaul added. They have shown a sense of purpose and empathy that has positively rubbed off on families.

“It helps them develop personal skills, confidence and understanding,” Shaul said. “It fosters inclusivity.”

That the connection persevered during the pandemic was a mark of the longtime program’s legitimacy and strength, both Maddox and Shaul said.

Mike Klein, a St. Thomas professor of justice and peace studies, watched new art in mural form come to life Saturday, calling it a “moment of joy” for everyone involved.

“[The mural] gives voice to who they are, in a way that is not just about speaking or writing,” he said, " And then to do it not alone but together.”

Shaul agreed.