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.

Twelve Days of Growing: Day 4 150 150 Way to Grow

Twelve Days of Growing: Day 4

4 – 4-Stars Shining. Way to Grow’s Preschool Pals is a 4-Star Parent Aware rated preschool, meaning it meets benchmarks for the following best practices: Exemplifies a truly engaged school readiness partner for parents Ongoing assessment of child’s progress Continually adapts lesson plans and goals to meet individual needs Regularly updates parents on child’s progress…

read more
Twelve Days of Growing: Day 3 150 150 Way to Grow

Twelve Days of Growing: Day 3

3. – Three-year-old Abi was only speaking in grunts and made-up words and would throw violent tantrums when his mom couldn’t understand him. Way to Grow worked with Abi to get him enrolled in early childhood special education classes and with Marina on her parenting skills. In less than six months, Abi spoke in full…

read more
Twelve Days of Growing: Day 2 150 150 Way to Grow

Twelve Days of Growing: Day 2

2. – Over 2,000 parents and children received high-quality home visits focused on early childhood education this year. Way to Grow’s Family Educators and Resource Advocates engage parents with their children’s education—showing them how to teach through everyday interaction and play. During our 12 Days of Growing, we’ll share with you 12 examples of how together we…

read more
Twelve Days of Growing: Day 1 150 150 Way to Grow

Twelve Days of Growing: Day 1

1. – One person giving. You. We just need you and your generous spirit to give whatever you can to honor our 11,000 home visits in 2013 and to help us get even more kids ready for school and a healthy life in 2014. Today marks the beginning of our 12 Days of Growing countdown. During…

read more
Twelve Days of Growing 150 150 Way to Grow

Twelve Days of Growing

As the year winds down, we are so grateful for the generous contributions we’ve received from individuals, foundations, businesses, and civic leaders in our community. Research continues to show that investments in early learning programs that put parent education at the forefront yield some of the highest dividends to our society. During our 12 Days…

read more
The Generosity of General Mills 150 150 Way to Grow

The Generosity of General Mills

On Friday, December 6th, the External Relations Division of General Mills delivered hats, mittens, and books for our Way to Grow families. They also spent part of the afternoon helping build capacity through a variety of volunteer projects. Team members prepared games and curriculum tools for our home visiting kits, helped sort books for our…

read more
AT&T Provides $20,000 Contribution to DreamTracks™Program 150 150 Way to Grow

AT&T Provides $20,000 Contribution to DreamTracks™Program

AT&T recently announced a $20,000 contribution to Way to Grow. Way to Grow will use the funds to support its DreamTracks program, which helps educate and prepare parents ages 15 – 21 for success by addressing parenting, motivational empowerment, academic engagement, career capability, and sexual health. Ronel Robinson, Program Director; Paul Weirtz, President of AT&T…

read more
Donations from the Kids in Need Foundation 150 150 Way to Grow

Donations from the Kids in Need Foundation

Way to Grow was a recent recipient of a generous donation from the Kids in Need Foundation. The Kids in Need Foundation ensures that every child is prepared to learn and succeed by providing free school supplies nationally to students most in need.  Last week our Family Educators made a trip to the Kids in…

read more
Happy Anniversary, Carrie Johnson! 150 150 Way to Grow

Happy Anniversary, Carrie Johnson!

Carrie Zelin Johnson believes strongly in the mission and vision of Way to Grow and for very special reasons. Not only is she a former Family Educator, but she also received direct support as a Way to Grow family earlier in life. In fact, 3 of her children are Way to Grow graduates! “By the…

read more
Generation Next, in partnership with Greater Twin Cities United Way, Awards SIF subgrant to Way to Grow. 150 150 Way to Grow

Generation Next, in partnership with Greater Twin Cities United Way, Awards SIF subgrant to Way to Grow.

The Social Innovation Fund, now in its third year, is an initiative of the Corporation for National and Community Service. Generation Next, in partnership with the Greater Twin Cities United Way, was one of 20 recipients across the country and will support a strong portfolio of replicable, evidence-based youth programs. Generation Next is an alliance…

read more
Family-focused Education: from Finances to Games 150 150 Way to Grow

Family-focused Education: from Finances to Games

Family Game Night   Part of our ongoing work with families is stressing the importance of reading, activities and family togetherness. On April 2nd and 5th, we partnered with Hosmer and North Regional Libraries to introduce over 20 families to the game Set.  Thanks to the families and volunteers who participated! Finance Class In partnership…

read more
Foundations Inc. Presentation Now Online 150 150 Way to Grow

Foundations Inc. Presentation Now Online

Way to Grow presented a summary of our in-home educational work at the national Beyond School Hours Conference in February 2013 in Jacksonville, Florida.  The presentation titled, Innovative Strategies in Home Visiting, is now available online! Click here to view the presentation.  Click here to view the handouts from the presentation.

read more
Way to Grow
Accreditations

Parents as Teachers Affiliate
Parent Aware Ratings
NAEYC

Newsletter

© 2025 Way to Grow

Enter your
text here

    Your Name (required)

    Address

    City

    Zip

    Your Email (required)

    Phone

    Preferred contact method:

    EmailPhoneEither

    Available days:
    SunMonTuesWedsThursFriSat

    Time of day available:
    MorningAfternoonEvenings

    Services interested in:
    preschoolspecial projectsteen parentsadministrativeeventsother

    Opportunity interested in:

    Language(s) Spoken besides English:
    AmharicArabicHmongOromoSomaliSpanish

    Other languages spoken:

    Emergency contact (name, phone, relationship):

    Volunteer agreement (required):

    I understand that during the course of my volunteering at Way to Grow, I may come in contact with information that is deemed confidential. This includes, but is not limited to, personal information about Way to Grow participants. I understand that Way to Grow is required by law to keep this information confidential, and I will treat all information I come across as such unless I am told otherwise.

    I understand and agree that I am volunteering for Way to Grow at my own risk and request. I also give permission for the free use of my name, picture and voice in any broadcast, telecast, print account or any other account in any medium of the event being recorded.

    I Accept

    Additional Message: