Sheltering Arms Foundation Supports Family and Children Programs Across Minnesota

The Sheltering Arms Foundation's 2004-2005 grant awards supported three key program areas that affect families and children in Minnesota communities of all sizes: after-school programs, supportive housing initiatives and early childhood advocacy efforts. The Minneapolis-based foundation awarded a total of $470,000 in grants to 34 Minnesota nonprofit organizations that respond to vital, ongoing needs of children and families throughout the state - from the rural setting of Wyoming, Minn., to Minneapolis/Saint Paul's urban neighborhoods.

The foundation's grants support organizations that serve a diverse group of children and families representing Minnesota's most at-risk populations, such as truant schoolchildren, domestic abuse victims, immigrants and children without health coverage. A few examples of the foundations 2004-2005 grantees include:

• Mid Minnesota Women's Center, Brainerd, received a $20,000 grant to support the continued expansion of the Alex & Brandon Child Safety Center that provides safe exchanges for children and court-ordered supervised child care.
     
• Plymouth Christian Youth Center, Plymouth, received $10,000 to fund development of an academic enrichment component of three North Minneapolis programs serving elementary-age schoolchildren during non-school hours.
     
• Northwest Youth and Family Services, Shoreview, received $10,000 to help support summer programs that introduce at-risk youth to a broad range of social and emotional development opportunities.
     
• University of Minnesota Community-University Health Care Center received $20,000 for the Supporting the Family Circle program, which provides social services and advocacy to children and families at risk for child abuse and neglect.

"The needs of Minnesota's most vulnerable and important citizens - children - are enormous," said Denise Mayotte, Sheltering Arms Foundation executive director. "We try to identify and support areas where the needs are the greatest and where we can make the most impact. For example, in this grant cycle the foundation's board of directors approved almost $200,000 in funding for after-school programs across the state, giving a boost to programs struggling in a difficult climate."

Parenting Resource Center, Inc. is an example of a successful foundation grantee program that continues to make a big difference in the local Austin, Minn., community. The group operates a non-standard child-care program at Catherwood Home Child Care, which provides multicultural and bilingual care for young children in Mower County 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It has been recognized statewide for its innovative collaborative model of employers and community leaders that meets the needs of working families facing multiple challenges.

"Bilingual staff assist, educate and support Catherwood families, many of whom start work very early or end work very late and do not speak English as their primary language, as they interface with the community," said Maryanne Law, Parenting Resource Center executive director. "Children who in the past would have been assessed as requiring special needs services because of language and cultural barriers are now ready to succeed in school when they enroll in kindergarten. In addition, The Sheltering Arms Foundation provides funding for the development of strategies to conduct policy research and influence systematic issues related to non-standard child care. The Parenting Resource Center is grateful for their support that helps make all this possible for families in our community."

For a complete list of The Sheltering Arms Foundation's 2004-2005 grant recipients (PDF, 4 pages), click here.

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