March 2009
Dakota Woodlands is the only facility for homeless women and children in Dakota County.
Our mission is to empower homeless women to create stable futures for their families.
Links:
From Our Executive Director
Reyne Branchaud-Linsk
We are so grateful for the many gifts this March for our residents and our organization. In honor of St Patrick's Day, many groups collecting coins for us around the community to raise a "pot of gold."
Our residents had fabulous traditional meals for lunch and dinner on St Patrick's Day, thanks to some wonderful volunteer groups. Later in the month, our board held “Viva Italia,” complete with pizza, Italian music and gelato ice cream cake. It was so fun to see board members, residents and staff playing team Pictionary; drawing, guessing and lots of laughter filled our dining room.
During Spring break, our children's services staff planned many fun events including going to a play, swimming at the Y, touring the Raptor Center, and they even visited a motorcycle shop. The creativity here is great!!!
In the current issue of the Digest, we highlight some additional friends of Dakota Woodlands and you will learn about ways that you too can support our work.
Happy Spring,
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Mark Your Calendar 
May 9, 2009 -- 8:30-9:30 a.m.
You are cordially invited to a free breakfast event to learn more about Dakota Woodlands.
This is our sixth annual HOMES event. This year's event will be held just a mile from our place, at Oak Hills Church on Yankee Doodle Road and Coachman in Eagan.
Held the Saturday before Mother's Day, this one hour event offers an opportunity for guests to learn about our work, hear from former residents and learn how you can help our residents and our organization. This is a great way to introduce your friends and family to
Dakota Woodlands.
Reservations are necessary, please contact Abby at 651-289-3567 (direct phone number) or email her at resource@dakotawoodlands.org
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Volunteer of the Month
Nicole Martin
We are happy to tell you about Nicole our March Volunteer of the Month. Nicole, who lives in Lakeville, is in her third year at Metro State University where she is studying Law Enforcement. As part of a course titled Citizenship and Community Involvement, students need to complete 60 service learning hours. Nicole had served as a volunteer at Simpson House in Minneapolis but wanted to learn more about a women’s shelter. Nicole stated that the most fulfilling experience about Dakota Woodlands is seeing how the residents operated as a community. She says, “ It’s great to see how the women work together and help one another out.”
While at Dakota Woodlands, Nicole has been assisting in almost every aspect of our work. She has worked with young children, helped to prepare meals and assist in the kitchen and has greeted guests and other duties as a reception once a week. Along with that, Nicole jumps at the opportunity to take on anything else that needs to be done for the day. Although Nicole is completing service learning hours, she goes above and beyond the requirement. She has an excellent attitude, learns quickly, and is willing and flexible to do a variety of tasks. Nicole says, “Dakota Woodlands is a great place to volunteer. People are friendly, there are a lot of good opportunities and it’s fun.”
Thank you Nicole!!!
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Current Volunteer Needs
Dakota Woodlands will be holding our 4th annual Flying Home Event, October 10th.
We are seeking volunteers for our planning committee. We are looking for people to share their talents to help us enhance this amazing and successful event.
- Help to organize/collect art, crafts and collectibles for our Birdhouse Boutique or...
- Help with marketing the event or...
- Help to invite people to the event.
Please contact Reyne at 651-456-9110 or by email reyne@dakotawoodlands.org to learn more about our event and our committee needs.
We welcome you to share your talents with us.
Other volunteer needs....
For anyone in high school or older....
*Help our staff provide children's activities and loving care any evening from 6-8:30 p.m.
*Light cleaning help, sorting donations, and kitchen help.(Nearly anytime works for us.)
For more information about these or other volunteer opportunities
please contact Anne, our Volunteer Coordinator at
651-289-3565 (direct phone number) or email her at volunteer@dakotawoodlands.org.
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March is National Nutrition Month and many groups have helped to collect food and funds to help us prepare nutritious food for our residents.
We were again challenged by THE FEINSTEIN FOUNDATION whose motto is "Help end Hunger In America"
Over 14 million people in America are going hungry. What a shame -- in the richest country in the world... Founded in 1991 by Alan Shawn Feinstein, the Feinstein Foundation is dedicated to the alleviation of hunger in America, the importance of community service in education and the values of caring, compassion and brotherhood. The Foundation challenges us to raise funds and food. To that end, for the 12th consecutive year, Alan Shawn Feinstein will divide $1 million among hunger fighting agencies nationwide using it to help them raise funds during March and April. So, this year we combined Mr Feinstein's challenge with our plan to collect a "pot of gold."
We received vans full of food from Curves in Eagan. They collected food all month for us. We received food and meals from many sources including a young man collected 14 bags of food for us as a 7th grade project.
We are grateful for the companies, individuals and groups that helped to collect a Pot of Gold during March. Change was collected from many sources including Burnsville High School, Sky Oaks Elementary, Cafe Chili Pepper, Pardon My French, Church of the Risen Savior JustFaith group and Shenigan's in Rosemount.
Each month we will focus on a new partnership, a new idea or feature a sponsor of Dakota Woodlands Contact Abby at (651) 289-3567 or resource@dakotawoodlands.org if you are interested in partnering with us.
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Current Needs List:
• We need an overstuffed chair in great shape for our lounge in any color that matches our plain tan colored couch.
• Adult and childrens' socks
• Baby diapers sizes 3,4,5,6
• Kitchen silverware, mostly forks
• Paper Towels, Toilet Paper and Garbage Bags
We update our web site frequently to show our on-going current needs, check out the Current Needs page for more information. If you have items from the wish list please contact Abby at 651-289-3567 (direct phone number) or email resource@dakotawoodlands.org
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3430 Wescott Woodlands
Eagan, MN 55123
Phone: 651-456-9110
www.dakotawoodlands.org