Blog

Welcome to the Way to Grow blog! Here you’ll find parenting tips, early childhood resources, and stories from home visits across the Twin Cities. We believe parents are their child’s first and most important teacher, and our home visiting model is built around that: bringing tools, activities, and encouragement right into the home. Browse for book recommendations, everyday learning ideas, program updates, and family stories from across our community.

Making a Difference 150 150 Ivy Marsnik

Making a Difference

Meet Jacqueline.  We hope to make Jacqueline’s holiday brighter by raising $2,500; enough to cover one full year of home visits and comprehensive programming with Way to Grow.  Jacqueline’s parents are from Togo, a small, tropical sub-Saharan country in West Africa. Edoh, Jacqueline’s mother has a goal for her children that many of us share.…

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Join us in the Great Minnesota GIVE Together 150 150 Ivy Marsnik

Join us in the Great Minnesota GIVE Together

The season of giving is upon us!  In honor of our 25 years of success, our goal for this year’s Give to the Max Day is to have 25 supporters donate $25 or more.  Can you help us meet and exceed that goal?  We know you can! “Give to the Max Day has become a Minnesota ritual,” says…

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Preschool Pals Teacher Lights the Way 150 150 Ivy Marsnik

Preschool Pals Teacher Lights the Way

Those of us at Way to Grow have always seen Mr. Eka, our Preschool Pals lead teacher, as an excellent educator; but this week, the word is out!  As this week’s recipient of WCCO’s Excellent Educator Award, it is no secret that Mr. Eka radiates a very special light from within, a gift positively impacting his students’ lives day in…

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Mayor Hodges, Cradle to K Cabinet Announce Cabinet Will Issue Report with 2015 Recommendations 150 150 Ivy Marsnik

Mayor Hodges, Cradle to K Cabinet Announce Cabinet Will Issue Report with 2015 Recommendations

October 10, 2014 (MINNEAPOLIS) — Mayor Betsy Hodges announced Thursday that her Cradle to K Cabinet is working on a year-end report which will outline policy, legislative, and collaboration recommendations for 2015. The Cabinet has been meeting since spring, when Mayor Hodges convened the full first meeting of the cabinet. “The members of my Cradle…

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Rising to the Challenge 150 150 Ivy Marsnik

Rising to the Challenge

Could you feed four on just $10 and one in store coupon?  Sound like a piece of cake?  How about including at least one item from each of the five food groups with the same amount? Welcome to the $10 grocery challenge! Our first group of parents to participate in the challenge successfully accomplished just that…

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Way to Grow Celebrates Historic Milestone

Way to Grow Celebrates Historic Milestone 150 150 Ivy Marsnik
Social Innovation Fund 150 150 Ivy Marsnik

Social Innovation Fund

Last year, Twin Cities Strive in partnership with Greater Twin Cities United Way rolled out their Social Innovation Fund grant, dedicated to  focus on improving kindergarten readiness, 3rd-grade reading proficiency, 9th-grade readiness for upper-level math, four-year high school graduation, and post-secondary enrollment among low-income students in the St. Paul/Minneapolis area. Twin Cities Strive in partnership with Greater…

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Tonia: Taking the Torch 150 150 Ivy Marsnik

Tonia: Taking the Torch

Tonia was pregnant with her second child when she was struck with the news that her two-year-old would need extra help if she was to talk before kindergarten.  Tonia’s doctor referred Tonia to Way to Grow. The Way to Grow Family Educator began to visit Tonia, working to overcome the numerous barriers she was facing…

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Dreaming of a White-Sand Christmas? 150 150 Ivy Marsnik

Dreaming of a White-Sand Christmas?

As Shine 25 and fall grow near, we’re excited to open two of our live auction items for pre-bidding! Place your bid today on a one-week stay at the fabulous Grand Luxxe Loft, Nuevo Vallarta! Each package includes one round (18 holes) of golf and two massages!  You and your guest(s) will stay in a three bedroom suite,…

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General Mills Foundation – Supporting Partner through 25 Years

General Mills Foundation – Supporting Partner through 25 Years 150 150 Ivy Marsnik
Success Story: Laura and Joey 150 150 Way to Grow

Success Story: Laura and Joey

When a Way to Grow family educator first met Laura and Joey, they lived in a studio apartment with a mattress on the floor, a table and two plastic chairs. Joey, nearly 4 years old, did not speak much and was still wearing diapers. His mother, Laura, was pregnant and had diabetes. The family educator…

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Cooking Matters Class Comes to a Delicious End 541 271 Way to Grow

Cooking Matters Class Comes to a Delicious End

In week five of Way to Grow’s six week Cooking Matters class, the group took a trip to Cub Foods. But this was unlike any ordinary trip to the grocery store. The group was posed with a challenge: using $10 or less, buy ingredients for a meal that incorporates all five food groups and feeds…

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