November 2008
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
Happy Thanksgiving to you! We are so grateful for your support of our work. I am always struck by the creative and generous ways that people give to us. On Thanksgiving Day, the families are encouraged to invite their extended families to enjoy a wonderful meal here at Dakota Woodlands. This year the meal will be cooked by a family who lived here several years ago. They have made the Thanksgiving meal before and feel fortunate to offer their great cooking skills as their way to “give back.”
As you’ll read in this month’s Dakota Digest, so many people share so much with our residents. Just last weekend a Girl Scout group organized a very successful food drive with Rainbow Foods in Cottage Grove, children and adults at Shepherd of the Valley Church in Apple Valley met to learn about poverty at a local level and made holiday ornaments for our organization, a group of 4H youth organized a fun-filled Bingo party and root beer floats. Churches, companies and individuals donated thanksgiving meals (including the turkey) for former and current residents.
Numerous groups have contacted us with ideas to help us during the upcoming holiday season. Volunteers will be wrapping gifts at Barnes and Noble in Eagan on a couple of weekends in December (We still have openings if you enjoy gift wrapping). People are coming here to make cookies and crafts. If you or your group would like to donate your time or holiday gifts for our families please contact Lane, our Holiday Coordinator, at holiday@dakotawoodlands.org or at 651-456-9110 ext. 599.
I hope wherever you enjoy a Thanksgiving meal, that you will be surrounded by friends and family.
Best Wishes,
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Volunteer of the Month
River Heights Vineyard Church Members
River Heights Vineyard Church, located in Inver Grove Heights, has been a great partner to Dakota Woodlands for many years. The members have donated their time, talents, funds and creative work to assist our residents and our organization. Senior co-pastors Jon and Sue Marsden are always thinking of Dakota Woodlands when it comes to charitable work and donations. Associate pastor, Peter Benedict, has assisted with technical support for our computers and organized a community work day that benefited Dakota Woodlands. Over 30 volunteers came to Dakota Woodlands to help out. A group of RHVC members went door to door in their neighborhoods to gather items that we needed, collecting everything from food to baby monitors. The volunteers from RHVC have been wonderful.
One member, Don Weber, is an all-around phenomenal volunteer. Don has been helping at Dakota Woodlands for about 5 years. He has organized groups to paint the hallways, brought employees from his welding business to do metal and other maintenance work, and he (along with other River Heights Vineyard members) volunteered at the End of the School Year party last June. For a couple years now, Don has come every week to tutor the children here at Dakota Woodlands.
Don comes because he says he knows how important it is to have consistent role models for children. “I am here to tell the children that I value them, I value their school work and I will be here every week.” Don says he loves coming, and the children certainly look forward to seeing him.
Don appreciates Dakota Woodlands’ work in the community. “It’s a very organized program,” he said. “And it has specific goals and plans; it’s not a place to house struggling people but a place where people can come and learn coping skills to keep them from becoming homeless again.” Don also encourages people who have thought about volunteering to, “Put your fears aside and just do it,” he said. “It’s not difficult and you can do it as a regular person who is just willing to lend a hand. Put away your inhibitions and jump in with both feet and you will not be disappointed.”
We are grateful for all the people who have volunteered to assist us through River Heights Vineyard Church. Thank you so much for your kindness and support.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Your Vote Matters...
Election Day is a much anticipated event, and this past election was arguably the most historic one many of us have ever seen. There were record numbers of voters everywhere.
Being without a permanent address didn’t stop the residents of Dakota Woodlands from voting. As a part of educational services, our family managers discussed the upcoming election and passed out sample ballots, so residents could be more comfortable voting.
Roxane, one of our family managers, arranged three trips to the polling place throughout the day to make sure everyone who wanted to vote would have the opportunity to do so. Emily, a 19-year-old new mother with a one month old baby had never voted before. She said she appreciated the information on all the candidates, as well as staff providing the transportation and encouragement. “It’s really important to vote. I feel that every vote counts,” Emily said.
Roxanne says voting makes the women feel accountable and good about themselves, and that is what Dakota Woodlands strives to do everyday. “It was great to watch everyone come out with the ‘I voted’ sticker,” Roxanne said. “It was really a boost in their self-esteem to know that they made a difference in the world.”
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Volunteer Needs
We have many current volunteer needs. The most urgent are...
- Help with children's activities (with our staff) weekday evenings from 6-8:30 p.m. We could benefit from your support any weekday (high school age through adults)
- Light cleaning help, sorting donations, and kitchen help.
- A volunteer is needed to pick up a significant food donation once a month (on a Wednesday during the daytime) from Golden Valley and deliver to our facility.
For more information about volunteer opportunities at Dakota Woodlands, please contact Ginni at
651-456-9110 ex. 565 or email at volunteer@dakotawoodlands.org.
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Current Needs List:
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Toilet paper
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Paper towels
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Toothbrushes (adult size)
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Shampoo and conditioner
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Women’s deodorant (full size)
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Garbage bags in 13 or 32 gallon sizes
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Television sets, 19-20 inches, in great working condition
If you have items for the wish list please contact Abby at 651-456-9110 ext. 562 or resource@dakotawoodlands.org
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3430 Wescott Woodlands
Eagan, MN 55123
Phone: 651-456-9110
www.dakotawoodlands.org