This weekend, as shoppers at the Mall of America browse luxury goods and entertainment, they’ll encounter something unexpected: therapy llamas and dogs representing Catholic Charities’ latest fundraising effort for homelessness. The juxtaposition is striking – America’s largest shopping mall hosting an event for those who lack basic shelter. While the Giving Tree event deserves commendation for raising awareness and funds, it also highlights a troubling reality: we’ve normalized addressing homelessness through charity rather than comprehensive policy reform.
The Mall of America, with its 520+ stores generating over $2 billion in economic impact annually, stands as a temple to American consumerism. Meanwhile, the Twin Cities faces a homelessness crisis with over 7,000 people experiencing homelessness on any given night. This stark contrast raises profound questions about our societal priorities and approach to addressing fundamental human needs.
Charity Events Mask Systemic Failures
Catholic Charities deserves recognition for their tireless work providing emergency shelter, housing assistance, and support services. Their innovative use of therapy animals demonstrates a holistic approach to trauma-informed care, particularly for vulnerable youth. However, the very need for such events reveals a profound failure of public policy and social infrastructure.
The “sock-n-rolls” care packages with cold-weather essentials that event attendees will assemble represent both compassionate action and systemic neglect. Minnesota winters are life-threatening for those without shelter, with temperatures regularly plunging below zero. In 2022, at least 15 people experiencing homelessness died from exposure in the Twin Cities. The fact that we rely on shopping mall events to provide basic survival necessities rather than guaranteeing housing as a human right represents a profound moral failure.
Similar charity-based approaches exist nationwide. In San Francisco, tech companies host annual fundraisers while simultaneously lobbying against increased corporate taxes that could fund permanent housing solutions. In New York, fashion industry galas raise millions for homelessness while the city’s affordable housing crisis continues unabated. These well-intentioned efforts treat symptoms while leaving root causes untouched.
The Housing First Model Proves More Effective Than Charity
Evidence consistently shows that Housing First approaches – providing permanent housing without preconditions – deliver superior outcomes compared to temporary charity-based interventions. Finland has nearly eliminated homelessness by implementing this model nationwide, investing in affordable housing units and support services rather than temporary shelters and emergency responses.
When Houston implemented Housing First principles, they reduced homelessness by 54% between 2012 and 2019. The approach actually costs less than managing homelessness through emergency services, shelters, and the criminal justice system. A 2017 Central Florida Commission on Homelessness study found the region spent $31,000 annually per homeless person on law enforcement, jail, emergency rooms, and hospitalization, compared to just $10,000 per person for providing housing and case managers.
Catholic Charities itself has embraced aspects of the Housing First model through their permanent supportive housing programs. However, their resources remain limited compared to the scale of need. Without substantial public investment and policy reform, charity organizations will continue fighting an uphill battle.
Consumerism and Housing Insecurity: Two Sides of the Same Economic System
The location of this fundraiser at Mall of America – a cathedral of consumption – underscores the relationship between extreme consumerism and housing insecurity. Both are products of an economic system that prioritizes profit over human wellbeing. The same market forces driving luxury retail expansion also fuel housing speculation, gentrification, and displacement.
In the Twin Cities, housing costs have risen 14% since 2020 while wages remain stagnant for many workers. The average one-bedroom apartment now requires an hourly wage of $22.50 – far above Minnesota’s $10.59 minimum wage. Meanwhile, corporate profits at many Mall of America retailers reached record highs during the pandemic. Target, headquartered in Minneapolis, saw profits jump 33% in 2021 while housing insecurity worsened in their home community.
This economic reality makes the Mall of America fundraiser both meaningful and ironic – raising money for homelessness in a space that symbolizes the very economic disparities contributing to housing insecurity.
Alternative Viewpoints: The Case for Charity-Based Approaches
Proponents of charity-focused solutions argue that they provide immediate relief while policy changes move slowly. Catholic Charities and similar organizations unquestionably save lives through their direct services. Their emergency shelters, food assistance, and support services address urgent needs that cannot wait for systemic reform.
Others contend that homelessness stems primarily from individual factors like mental illness and substance abuse rather than housing affordability and economic inequality. From this perspective, charity organizations specializing in treatment and support services represent the most appropriate response. Catholic Charities’ therapeutic approach, including the therapy animals featured at the Mall of America event, addresses these individual needs effectively.
These perspectives contain valid insights but ultimately fall short. While immediate relief remains essential, decades of charity-based approaches have failed to reduce homelessness at scale. And while mental health and substance use challenges affect many experiencing homelessness, evidence shows these issues often result from housing instability rather than causing it. Furthermore, Housing First programs demonstrate better mental health and substance use outcomes by providing stability first, then addressing individual needs.
Moving Beyond Charity Toward Housing Justice
Catholic Charities’ Mall of America fundraiser represents both the best of human compassion and the limitations of charity-based approaches to systemic problems. Rather than simply donating or shopping at the Giving Tree event, concerned citizens should combine support for direct services with advocacy for policy reform.
Specific policy solutions include expanding rental assistance programs, increasing affordable housing development, implementing rent stabilization measures, and strengthening tenant protections. Minneapolis took steps in this direction by eliminating single-family zoning in 2018, but much more comprehensive action is needed.
Faith communities like those supporting Catholic Charities have a particularly powerful voice in advocating for housing justice. Throughout history, religious leaders have translated charitable work into prophetic calls for systemic change. This tradition continues today through organizations like the Minnesota Interfaith Coalition for Affordable Housing, which combines direct service with policy advocacy.
The therapy animals, sock-n-rolls, and fundraising activities at Mall of America this weekend will make a genuine difference in individual lives. But true progress requires transforming these acts of charity into demands for justice. Housing is a human right, not a consumer good or charitable gift. Until our policies reflect this reality, we’ll continue needing emergency fundraisers amid shopping malls – a contradiction that should trouble us all.
