What We Do Matters

We know that by giving every child an equal opportunity to succeed in school and life, we will close the achievement gap, especially among those students most in need. To do that, we must first begin with parents. Children must be born healthy and stay healthy, while parents become active participants in their child’s wellness and education.

With our unique and proven model, we use home visits and center-based programming to work directly with society’s most isolated children and their families. We help parents create an atmosphere of learning by teaching them how to access and navigate the systems that impact school and health, leading to greater parent engagement and self-sufficiency which, in turn, helps children find long-term, sustainable success in school and life.

Mission Statement

Our Goals

As the premier early-learning program in the Twin Cities, we constantly set new goals as we work toward providing even more help to the families we serve.

Objectives for Parents

• 85% of parents will read with their children 3 times per week
• 85% of our elementary families will attend parent-teacher conferences
• 100% of families will receive referrals (as needed) to access basic services

Objectives for Early Childhood Education

• 85% of children entering kindergarten will be deemed school-ready
• 95% of children will be referred to screening before age 4
• 70% of parents will enroll their children (ages 3–5) in early learning programs
• 90% of four and five year olds will be evaluated using a variety of age appropriate assessments

91%

of parents attended at least one parent-teacher conference during the last school year

Objectives for Elementary Education

• 80% of K–3 children will demonstrate growth in reading level assessments
• 75% of K–3 children will attend school 95% of the time
• 80% of elementary children will receive an annual physical

Objectives for Health & Wellness

• 85% of pregnant women will attend at least  80% of their prenatal visits at their clinic from the time of enrollment
• 85% of pregnant women will initiate prenatal care within the first trimester
• 95% of pregnant women enrolled longer than 3 months will enroll in WIC
• 95% of women enrolled prior to 28 weeks of pregnancy will report a birth weight of greater than 5.5 pounds
• 85% of pregnant women will be referred to public health nursing services; 75% of these will receive services
• 80% of eligible children ages 0–4 enrolled in Way to Grow for 3 or more months will be enrolled in WIC
• 80% of new families with Child and Teen Check Up eligible children will receive education about services
• 95% of women will report a healthy birth weight
• 75% of children will have up-to-date immunizations at 30 months of age
• 95% of children entering kindergarten will be up-to-date on their immunizations

Objectives for Dream Tracks Teen Parents

• 75% of participants will not have a repeat pregnancy
• 75% of participants will graduate high school on time
• 75% of participants will develop individual academic, career and life plan
• 75% of participants will secure employment upon graduation from high school

Our Story

For almost 30 years, Way to Grow has brought the community together to address the serious and prevalent gap in early childhood education in Minneapolis. In 1989, when former Mayor Don Fraser, Honeywell CEO, Jim Renier and Greater Twin Cities United Way formed Way to Grow, community leaders around the country were beginning to recognize the ever-growing education gap. Minneapolis decided to do something about it.

Originally a program of the Minneapolis Youth Coordinating Board, the Way to Grow mission brought together different facets of our community to address the early childhood gaps. We connected city programming, corporate community partners, and leaders from across the Twin Cities to make change happen. Our founders and early supporters believed that only by working together could we make a difference.

In 2004, Way to Grow became an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit and under the direction of Carolyn Smallwood, began to develop and implement research-based, holistic best practices. Our Great By Eight program is now the cornerstone of our work and our unique, proven methods secure our role as a leader in early childhood education.

Our Team

At Way to Grow, we’ve lived what we teach. Our leadership and team of family educators and staff come from many different cultures and countries, and collectively speak more than seven different languages. Our own experiences help us offer more personal care while building trust and acceptance in our participating families’ homes.

Leadership

Though our leadership team and board of directors help define our holistic, results-driven program, we firmly believe that we are in this together — from leadership to staff to the families we serve. And only together will we enable a successful and happy future for all.

Carolyn Smallwood, CEO

Carolyn Smallwood joined Way to Grow in 2004. She previously served as vice president for Sales and Marketing at Twin Cities Rise! and Executive Director of the Minnesota Minority Supplier Development Council. Prior to entering the nonprofit field, she was the Director of Supplier Diversity with ADC, the Broadband Company, and a business banker at U.S. Bancorp.

In 2014, the Star Tribune named Carolyn on one of the Twin Cities’ “Top African-Americans of Influence.” She currently serves on the Robins, Kaplan, Miller and Ciresi Foundation Board of Directors, the African American Leadership Forum Board of Directors, Minnesota Comeback Board of Directors and the MinneMinds Executive Committee. Carolyn also sat on Governor Mark Dayton’s Early Learning Council for four years. She was selected by Mayor Betsy Hodges to co-chair the Cradle to K Cabinet in 2014. Other previous board positions include the MacPhail Center for Music, the College of Saint Benedicts, the Jeremiah Program, the Citizen’s League and Children’s Theater. She also served as a member of the Greater Twin Cities United Way’s Early Learning Committee as well as the Promise Neighborhood Solution Action Group.

With a passion for working with diverse communities, Carolyn brings a solid background in marketing and strategic development, strong executive experience and an inclusive leadership style to Way to Grow. She is a bright, influential presence who puts the Way to Grow mission above all.

Our Staff

Way to Grow is proud to have a passionate and dedicated staff who supports thousands of families and children on their way to a successful future.

Way to Grow Board of Directors

The Way to Grow board of directors is composed of proven leaders from our community. As experts in their individual fields, they share a belief that a brighter future for our economy starts at home with our children.

Join Our Team

We employ individuals who share our passion for early education and believe that together we can make a difference for the future of children, families, community and economy. Please check back regularly for updated opportunities.

Current openings:

Lead Preschool Teacher

Another great way to get involved with Way to Grow is to volunteer. We deeply appreciate the generous donation of time and talent our volunteers provide.

Our Sponsors and Partners

We’d like to thank our generous funders and community partners.

Way to Grow donor privacy policy available here.