Caring Youth Award Presented to Liza Magill of Kids Connection Program

Liza Magill of Perspectives Kids Connection Program is selected for the Caring Youth Award of St. Louis Park. Twenty three years now, Roland and Doris Larson, members of Westwood Lutheran Church, had an idea. The Caring Youth event was created at Westwood Lutheran Church twenty three years ago out of the Larson’ life-long passion for youth ministry and caring.

Last night twenty-two youth were awarded at the Marriot West in Minneapolis. Congratulations to all of the deserving youth and to our own volunteer Liza Magill.

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Volunteer Recognition Week Fun

What a grand week it was here at Perspectives as we celebrated volunteers. Volunteer Recognition Week at Perspectives took place the week of April 23rd. There was a lot of fun activity going on in each program making volunteers and the impact they make here undeniably visible. Posters and pictures could be seen on the walls in each program in recognition of volunteers. Kids Connection scrolled volunteer pictures up on the TV screens in the café and on the café windows. Parenting Time and Child Care had posters up in the lobby so everyone who walked in the door could observe the special recognition week.

Food and beverages were served in our main lobby as volunteers came in to fulfill their shift. It was without a doubt, a week of great fun.

Volunteers, we know that you are our biggest donors of time, talent, energy, skills and passion. We could not do our important work with families without you special people.

“I shall pass through this world but once. Any good therefore that I can do or any kindness that I can show to any human being,let me do it now. Let me not defer or neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again.” Mahatma Gandhi

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Volunteer Drawings in Honor of Volunteer Recognition Week

Volunteer Recognition week this year is being celebrated the week of April 23rd. Our theme this year in tribute to our volunteers is “Volunteers are a work of heart.” In keeping with the theme we are giving away volunteer pins with hearts and thank you messages on them as well as inspiration rocks. Each program staff at Perspectives had their own way of recognizing their stellar volunteers. I greeted volunteers that came in the door and served up some lemonade and cookies.

Three volunteer drawings have taken place: One random drawing, one drawing for the most volunteer hours here in the last year, and the longest tenured volunteer. The random drawing winner is Joe Peters of the Kids Connection Program, the most volunteer hours here in the last year is Vanessa Moore of administration, and our longest volunteer in number of years is Kristin Schwarzbauer in the Child Care Program. Congratulations to all of you that won the drawing and know your all winners in Perspectives' eyes.

We are so proud to have such committed volunteers helping to break negative cycles and making a healthier community. What a fun week this has been.

“It only takes a small group of citizens to change the world.” Margaret Mead

Laura Rogers
Director of Volunteers

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Volunteers are a Work of Heart

Last week, Perspectives’ hosted a volunteer training. Present, were 10 incoming volunteers
for the Summer Youth, Employment, Special Events and the Parenting Time Program. Laura Rogers, Director of Volunteers opened up the orientation training in our small board room with the volunteer video showing on the wall on our DVD player.

What a great group of volunteers. They are quite eager to start volunteering and learning more about the families they will be serving here at Perspectives. These volunteers will make a great impact by assisting in the classrooms, park and pool, and parenting time sessions. These volunteers help us at Perspectives break negative cycles.

We welcome all of you with open arms. Perspectives’ knows that without volunteers we could not do the extraordinary work that we do with families. You are a valuable asset to our programs and we are so glad you chose our agency to volunteer.

“Volunteers make the world go round.” Laura Rogers

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Week of April 23rd- Volunteer Recogntion Week at Perspectives

Vanessa put in 299.5 hours in 2011- She won a visa gift card for the most hours put in by a volunteer over the year at Perspectives. Great job Vanessa.

It is that time of year again where we recognize our amazing volunteers. Volunteers keep this place going and it would be virtually impossible for us to do what we do without you. The directors have been working for the last month designing ways that their individual programs will honor all of you volunteers.

All volunteers this year and last year and on our volunteer roster are invited in to our agency any time Monday through Friday between 9-5 for lemonade and cookies as a small token of appreciation. Volunteer Wordles are framed with volunteer of the month winners, longest volunteer hours, and longest duration volunteer of the year will be displayed. Each volunteer will be able to take a  volunteer pin that match our theme this year “Volunteers are a work of Heart” and an inspiration rock.

Thank you for all that you do, and hope to see you this week!

Laura

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Nash Finch Comes To Perspectives

Tuesday, April 10th I stood eagerly at a volunteer expo at the Nash Finch Headquarters share with their staff about an exciting opportunity to volunteer at Perspectives.  I was one of ten fantastic non-profit agencies speaking about the important community projects that had been organized by Nash Finch for their Helping Hands in the Community Day.

For the second year in a row, Nash Finch is shutting down their corporate office and hundreds of employees will provide much needed help to many nonprofit partners across the Twin Cities.

In addition to Perspectives, other agencies involved are; The Bridge for Troubled Youth, Sojourner, Loaves & Fishes and more. This year’s Helping Hands in the Community Day is set for June 14th, and those employees who come to Perspectives will be assisting with building dressers, beds and perhaps even landscaping.  These staff members are very efficient as last year they put together forty dressers in four hours.

We so appreciate our affiliation with Nash Finch Company and we hope to enjoy many more years of partnership. Thanks and we will see you all at our site in the not too distant future.

Laura Rogers, M.A.
Director of Volunteers

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Volunteers of The Month For February

 Let's hear it for our Volunteers of the Month For February.  

Each month our programs here at Perspectives serving families select a volunteer that goes above and beyond.  Here are our chosen ones for February:

• Child-Care- Kristin- She is a fabulous volunteer.  She has been volunteering here for eight years. She is adept at comforting crying children, playing ping-pong, and reminding people of the rules they may have forgotten.  The children gravitate to her because she is caring. She is curious, enthusiastic, dedicated, skilled and shares good will.

• Supportive Housing- Shauna is our case management assistant. She works with our Suppportive Housing staff as well as the residents. She is dedicated, hard working and a sponge of curiosity. She genuinely cares for her clients and wants the best for everyone. 

• Kids Connection- Brittany- Brittany works with our students in the Kids Connection program. The Kids Connection team describes this volunteer as helpful, organized, motivated, improvisational, thoughtful, caring, genuine, empathetic, passionate, go-getter, fun, playful and calm. 

•  Parenting Time- Sue- Sue works with our parents and children in the ParentingTime program. She arrives eager and ready to learn. Goes above and beyond by asking to do more when she has down time. Great at writing up her case notes on the family sessions.

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has."
    Margaret Mead

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Muddy Paws Gives To Perspectives Families

Muddy Paws does it again with the 19^th annual cheesecake sampling holiday bazaar.  I attend this holiday party each year with great enthusiasm.  Muddy Paws owner, Tami Cabrera is a valued guest chef here at Perspectives for our Kids Cafe Program.  She will be here on December 13^th wowing the students with her wildly delicious cheesecakes.

I walked in the door to her party which began at four and went till 8:30 last night. What a fun crowd and over 20 great creative vendors.  The guitarist rang out live acoustic melodies that made everyone feel comfortable and festive. There was a photo booth for all guests.  Tami, had samples of her cheesecake for all to enjoy.  I tried the candy cane and key lime cheesecake.  Let’s just say it was a mouthful of fun.

All that attend this yearly bazaar are asked to bring in a donated unwrapped toy for our families.  Tami is a one of a kind, human being and entrepreneur.  She is a busy mom of young children but always has time to give to our Kid’s Cafe program.  In fact, Tami is being flown out to Washington D.C. as one of the top business women in social media.  She is a trend setter in the social media sector as she had a tweet room and a tweet wall for all that chatted on twitter last night.  All those that chose to tweet, could view it up on the wall with their twitter profile picture.

Thanks for another wonderful holiday party Tami, and know the gifts you give each year are so valued by our kids.

Laura Rogers

Director of Volunteers

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November 2011 Volunteers of the Month

Childcare

Debra Gabrielson is the volunteer of the month for our childcare program. Debra is adept at playing games and assisting children with crafts. She anticipates the needs of children sometimes even before they know them. She is also a superb cleaner and keeps our space germ free.

Kids Connection

Our two interns, Laura Doran and Emily Haffley have been chosen as the volunteers of the month for Kids Connection. They are both enthusiastic, engaged, smart, bring positive energy, courteous, driven, dedicated, thoughtful, facilitate a lot of behind the scenes activities which makes all events go smoothly. Thanks for being great interns for our program and students. It seems you have been here forever with how comfortable you seem in the cafe.

Parenting Time
Susan Gordon is our volunteer of the month for parenting time. Susan is dedicated, reliable, and a highly skilled member of the Parenting Time Program team. Susan provides compassionate and informed intake services to parents which in turn lays a strong foundation for the family's future success in the program. Without a doubt, Susan has made parenting time services a stronger and more efficient program for staff, parents, and children. Thank you Susan, for all you do. You are very much appreciated.

                                               

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Metropolitan Student Volunteer- Laura

I found Perspectives when Laura Rogers came to Metropolitan State University looking for interns in May. We met at Perspectives a few days later and I started interning at Summer Explorers shortly after. Currently I'm interning in the Kids Cafe and love it. I learn something new everyday and able to help make the lives of these great kids a little easier. I'm looking forward to coming back after graduation and winter break to volunteer with my fiance. 

Laura, you bring a lot of sunshine with you each time you come to volunteer in the cafe. Our kids are lucky to have a  volunteer as passionate about youth and learning as you. "Volunteers make the world go round." 

Laura Rogers

Director of Volunteers 

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A fabulous community volunteer named Jessica

I recently moved to St. Louis Park and began looking for ways to get involved in the community.  After contacting the local community center, they passed along information about Perspectives.  As a teacher, I was excited to learn about the great things Perspectives is doing for at-risk kids through after-school academic support and nutritional health.  I have been volunteering for almost 2 months now and have really enjoyed getting to know the students while working along other volunteers and dedicated staff members.  My time at Perspectives Kids Connection involves playing outside with the kids, teaching responsible classroom behaviors, supporting academic growth, and modeling appropriate mealtime and nutritional habits.   I am excited to support this great program that is reaching out and meeting the needs of our community.

Jessica Sattler, Community Member Volunteer in Kids Connection

 Thanks for the enthusiasm and consistency you role-model to our students each week.  We appreciate and value your time and commitment. " Volunteers make the world go round." 

Laura Rogers, Director of Volunteers

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Volunteers make the world go around

It’s that time of year again, students are going back to school and Perspectives is bringing on a new rich group of volunteers for our fall programming. Volunteers bring so much to non-profit’s like Perspectives. They really are the life blood of our agency and without them we could not do the work that we do.  Last year our volunteer’s donated close to 10,000 hours of service!

On, August 11^th we held one of our volunteer orientation training at our Family Center. Volunteers from all walks of life came together for a half day of training, and to get to know a bit better Perspectives’ vision, mission and values.  All the incoming Parenting Time program volunteers attended this particular orientation/training. Food, lots of information and sharing was on the agenda. 

We are so excited to have you all here helping our families. We love our volunteer staff.  “Volunteers make the world go round”

Laura Rogers

Director of Volunteers

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Minnesota Lynx Player Volunteers here at Perspectives- Charde Houston

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April Is Volunteer Recognition Month

 April is Volunteer Recognition Month.  Perspectives will be celebrating our volunteers.  Check out the website on the link below." Volunteers make the world go round"  Laura Rogers

http://www.handsonnetwork.org/nationalprograms/signatureevents/nvw

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Kids Connection Interns

Kids Connection Interns

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Target Meetings & Media Production Paints at Perspectives

What an incredible group of volunteers, from the Target meetings and media production department.  They came out to Perspectives Inc administration building and painted their hearts out on December 19th. A fun and hard working group that painted our bathrooms from the old blue color to the office tan.

They also painted some office cupboards that were donated in by pottery barn. This group really had team spirit. Even with the snow that was falling hard on that day, it did not stop them from having fun and finishing up the job till it was complete. Hands on Twin Cities volunteer organization was there helping coordinate the day project.

Thanks Target group, we really appreciate you. Hands on Twin Cities you are always so very helpful.

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I feel Like an elf

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pP1wXee6ZdU

Sometimes you feel like an elf, some time you dont, la la la-  Please listen to the lovely winter music.


The large, round, fluffy, light snow, falls softly down in between the down town sky scrapers. I feel blessed to be here and to be surrounded by such generous, kind human beings. Standing in the large, corporate Target building in Minneapolis, the sweet childrens' music fills the room. These are the voices of angels. The homeless, at-risk children I work with at Perspectives Inc, helped a New York Producer create and produce this music cd . The music seems to inspire a certain feeling of giving here today. My heart feels full and I feel most grateful for this opportunity to work with Target corporation. The target employees are here today for this two hour period of time, to give back to our at risk families. The staff seems to really enjoy the cd, I play. They sway back and forth and clap to the music. They are here for the giving of this special season and I am most happy to be here and oblige them and witness this great generosity.
I stand at the window and see below me, a neon sign that says, " Murrays Steak House". Oh, that looks so good, especially since it is almost lunch time. The atmosphere is palpable here at target, as the staff creates artistic holiday sayings and pictures on canvas bags. They also pack flu kits for our at risk families in a line similiar to that of an a assembly line. This is what the assembly line looks like:

• Kleenex- Next- thermometer- next- chicken noodle soup- next- wash cloth- next- gatorade- next- hand sanitizer- next - Put the entire bag in the canvas tote. Ahhh.

By the end of the two hour period, Target employees have packed up over 300 flu kit canvas bags. They are all decorated differently with colorful pictures and words of hope and inspiration. I get paid to do this work. I Train the volunteers on the project they have committed to do for us, in collaboration with a volunteer agency called Hands On Twin Cities. They set us up with a United Way partner and then, they come to do good works. I know and see the importance of volunteerism. As I say daily, " Volunteers make the world go round".
What an impressionable scene it was for me over looking the city and the lights as little elves packed bags up for our families.
I feel like an elf during the holiday season, along with all the other elves that help the homeless.

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