Minnesota is experiencing the greatest housing shortage in decades and many people do not have access to stable housing. Increases in both home prices and rents are outpacing wage growth and leaving fewer options for those at median and low income levels. This housing crisis has only been exacerbated by the pandemic.
We’re excited to share we’ve partnered with ServeMinnesota to launch a new initiative to help more kids build their skills and confidence! Scholar Squad offers one-on-one, online tutoring for Minnesota students in PreK-8th grade.
No words feel adequate to describe the pain and grief our community is experiencing. George Floyd should still be with us. We see too many people’s lives stolen by systemic violence, be it through police violence, excessive force, or the inequities experienced by Minnesota’s communities of color and especially by Minnesota’s Black community
Our community is grieving & we honor that pain. We believe in the power of community-led action; we see every day the positive change our members bring through their service. While we recognize that many are shocked and hurting, we realize that there are different positions of proximity to this tragedy. Whatever your experience please be sure to care for yourself and for those around you. If you are in need of mental health support you can access free crisis resources from NAMI.
For our AmeriCorps members, please note that you have access to the Member Assistance Program (MAP) which provides free telehealth counseling and referrals from a licensed professional. Visit the Member Resource Hub to learn more. We thank our members, our partners, & everyone committed to building a better, equitable, and just community. May we honor George Floyd’s memory by supporting each other to build a better future.
Sadie O’Connor, Managing Director
This story was published originally by ServeMinnesota.
Dean Kephart – the Vice President of Insight & Change at ServeMinnesota — has been practicing human-centered design, or design thinking, for nearly 10 years, after studying design thinking principles established by professors from Stanford University. His interest started when he was in community relations and education at Target Corporation and went along with a team of design thinking experts from Target to Joplin, Missouri, a small city devastated by an EF5 tornado. The team offered its time and expertise to help Joplin rebuild using the principals of human-centered design. Three years ago, Kephart was introduced to Designing Your Life, a book and lesson plan to take the principles of design thinking and refocus them to your own lives.
The Child Development Associate (CDA) Training Program offers a unique opportunity to gain experience and advance your career. As a part of this program, you’ll serve in a PreK setting as a Minnesota Reading Corps Tutor, while also earning you CDA at no cost to you!
The CDA credential is the most widely recognized credential in early childhood education. It increases the member’s knowledge of current best practices for educating young children and qualifies individuals for many types of assistant teacher and preschool roles,
“Openings of these types of positions across the metro are predicted to grow by 16% in the upcoming years,” explains Alison Zellmer, Program Pilots Manager. “This training program will ensure that our PreK sites are supported and provided with qualified employees.”
The credential is also a great starting point for those who are interested in pursuing an Early Childhood Education degree. It can act as a key stepping stone for career advancement.
As part of this program, you will receive 120 hours of free training to earn your CDA credential, plus a stipend of $455 every two weeks. You will also earn an education award (up to $3,047) and qualify for federal student loan forbearance and interest repayment.
Join us for an info session to get started. All sessions are held at the Center for Changing Lives, 2400 Park Ave S., Minneapolis MN 55405.
If you are unable to attend, please apply online for a Hennepin County position or a Ramsey County position. A recruiter will follow up upon receiving your application.
To learn more, please contact Alison Zellmer at [email protected].
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There has never been a better time to give back to your community! Reading & Math, Inc. (home of Reading Corps, Math Corps, Opportunity Corps and Recovery Corps) has 14 opportunities for Longfellow residents to serve with AmeriCorps and make an impact in their neighborhood. Through AmeriCorps you can:
Choose to serve 18, 25, 35 or 40 hours a week. While serving, members receive great perks like a stipend every two weeks, additional funds for housing assistance and up to $4,200 for college tuition or loans. Health insurance is available at no cost to members serving full-time (35+ hours a week) and childcare assistance is available to eligible families.
Current opportunities in Longfellow include the following sites:
To be part of meeting critical needs in Longfellow, visit the links above, email [email protected] or call 866-859-
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