EqualityQuilt

Monday Member Spotlight: Mature Voices Minnesota

Monday Member Spotlight:  Mature Voices Minnesota

Who They Are

Mature Voices Minnesota (MVM) has two active regions in Northwest Metro and West Metro.  These groups hold meetings with presentations and discussion of the important issues of the day impacting seniors (individuals over the age of 50).  Similar geographic-based groups are being contemplated for East Metro and South Metro regions.

Their Mission

Mature Voices Minnesota brings forth the voice of mature Minnesotans and their families to assure that older adults can live healthy, independent, affordable, and dignified lives in their communities.

What They Do

MVM focuses on issues that are especially pertinent for Minnesota seniors.  Significant activity is centered on the key areas of health action, property taxes, and housing, transportation & utilities. Last year, MVM partnered with the MN Women's Consortium in creating three videos for the National Council on Aging and Eldernomics Minnesota's One Away campaign.

 

Find out more about the Mature Voices Minnesota by visiting their website.

 

Monday Member Spotlight: League of Women Voters Minneapolis

Monday Member Spotlight: League of Women Voters Minneapolis

Who They Are

A non-partisan political organization that encourages informed and active participation in all levels of government, especially at the local Minneapolis level.

Their Mission

The League of Women Voters encourages informed and active participation in government; works to increase understanding of major public policy issues; and influences public policy through education and advocacy.

What They Do

LWV Mpls is dedicated to promoting civic participation at its best.  This is achieved through a three-pronged strategy: A grassroots approach involving voting for consensus and taking positions on prominent issues; member support, initiation, and implementation of civic projects and programs; and a focus on education and action on a local and national level, including extensive research and reporting on pertinent public policy issues. 

Find out more about the League of Women Voters Minneapolis by visiting their website.

 

Monday Member Spotlight: Gender Justice

Monday Member Spotlight: Gender Justice

Who They Are

Open since June 2010, Gender Justice is a midwest-based nonprofit that seeks to eliminate gender inequality and injustice through advocacy, litigation, and education.  The organization represents both men and women in cases of gender-based discrimination or injury, and works specifically on cases that illuminate the root causes and of gender injustice.  

Their Mission

"Gender Justice addresses the causes and consequences of gender inequality, both locally and nationally."

What They Do

Founders Lisa Stratton and Jill Gaulding work hard to expose and rectify instances of gender-based inequality and discrimination through three interconnected program areas: impact litigation, policy work, and public education and training.  Their services are oriented towards helping individuals who are most likely to be faced with extraneous difficulty in accessing the justice system, such as low-income or immigrant workers.

 

Find out more about Gender Justice by visiting their website.

Monday Member Spotlight: Laura Jeffrey Academy

Who They Are

Laura Jeffrey Academy is an all girls, tuition free charter school located in Saint Paul. LJA serves grades five through eight and offers a comprehensive approach to education. Their curriculum and learning environment is meant to help girls become well rounded, competent, compassionate, and intelligent individuals.

Their Promise

"...provide an environment where students are free to learn, to explore their potential, to discover their brilliance and develop their intellect."

What They Do

Through their comprehensive approach to education LJA strives to help girls achieve seven principles;

Mutual Responsibility and Individual Accountability

Searching for Truths

Building Empathy

Generosity of Spirit

Becoming Competent

Acknowledging Paradox and Dilemma

Recognizing Strength in Vulnerability

For more information on Laura Jeffrey Academy visit their website.

Monday Member Spotlight: Women's International League for Peace and Freedom, Minnesota Metro Branch

Who They Are

Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) is a non-government organization with branches in thirty-seven countries. They have an office at the United Nations in New York and their United States branch is based out of Philadelphia. WILPF was founded in 1915 and the Minnesota Metro Branch was established in 1922. WILPF is the oldest most far-reaching women's peace organization in the world.

Their Mission

"WILPF members create the peaceful transformation they wish to see in the world by making connections that:

Provide continuity with the past so that knowledge of historical events and patterns informs current activities for change;

Create analysis and action that reflect and reinforce each other;

Link and challenge root causes of oppression, especially racism, sexism, heterosexism, militarism, economic disparity, and political disempowerment; and

Build and strengthen relationships and movements for justice, peace, and radical democracy."

What They Do

WILPF has a wide range of goals. They strive for world peace and resolution of conflict without violence. They also wish to achieve political, economic, and social equality/equity. WILPF tries to achieve these goals through education, actions within the United Nations, a triennial conference host by a different country each time, and various local events.

Monday Member Spotlight: Family Tree Clinic

Who They Are

Family Tree Clinic was founded in 1971 to provide reproductive health services to those neglected by the traditional health care system. The clinic serves both men and women and provides a host of fabulous services.

Their Mission

"To provide quality, confidential reproductive and sexual health care services to diverse communities."

What They Do

Family Tree provides reproductive health services, education programming, as well as undertaking public policy work. They strive to make health services affordable, give excellent patient care, and maintain a positive, empowering atmosphere.

To learn more about Family Tree Clinic click here.

 

 

 

Monday Member Feature: Minnesota Coalition for the Homeless

Did you know, each night approximately 9,000 individuals in Minnesota experience homelessness? According to a one night survey study done by the Wilder Research Center that number is not decreasing. In fact, the results of the study showed an increasing level of distress among the homeless, with rising rates of many disabilities. 

Of the 9,000 individuals that experience homelessness on a given night, 7,000 are fortunate enough to receive shelter from a variety of homeless providers throughout the state. Sheltering programs report turning away close to 1000 individuals each night and children and unaccompanied youth regularly account for nearly half of those sheltered and turned away. 

The Minnesota Coalition for the Homeless is here to help those individuals and gain support and provide resources for those that are in fact homeless. The mission of the Coalition is to generate individualized and flexible policies, community support, and resources that will help communities meet their local housing and homelessness system needs. 

The Minnesota Coalition for the homeless is comprised of over 150 member organizations that represent people who have experienced homelessness, low-income service providers, labor groups, local units of government, and community activists. At lease one-third of the Coalitions board of directors have experienced homelessness. 

Next week is Homeless and Hunger Awareness week! Visit their website to learn more and to see how you can become involved and help those in need! 

http://www.mnhomelesscoalition.org/hhaw/headlines

 

 

 

Monday Member Spotlight: Give Us Wings

The Monday member spotlight we're taking a look at today is a great non profit organization called "Give Us Wings". Give us Wings was founded in 1999 and works at the grassroots level with people in Kenya and Uganda. They support community development projects, and the medical and educational needs of the poorest villages.

Give Us Wings works with adults and children in Kenya and Uganda to eradicate poverty. Through person to person support, both financial and educational, people overcome poverty and become self-sufficient.

Find out more about this great organization and how you can get involved here:

http://www.giveuswings.org/

Monday Member Spotlight: Minnesota Breast Cancer Coalition

The MNBCC is a grassroots organization dedicated to the mission of ending breast cancer by advocating for increased research funding and access for all to evidence-based screening and treatment. The MNBCC formed in October 1991, a few months after the National Breast Cancer Coalition organized to focus the nation’s attention on the breast cancer epidemic. Working together with the NBCC, the Minnesota Coalition advocates for passage of national legislation related to breast cancer. The MNBCC is committed to educational and legislative advocacy in Minnesota. Our organization is made up entirely of volunteers who commit their time and energy to the fight to end breast cancer. 

To achieve their mission, the MNBCC works on many initiatives designed to provide education about the disease. They also participate in several grassroots legislative advocacy efforts. MNBCC representatives do everything from speaking at support groups and conferences to updating Minnesota's legislative delegation about the importance of continued funding for peer-reviewed breast cancer research.

Find out more about the Minnesota Breast Cancer Coaltion including information regarding volunteer work check out their page!

http://mnbcc.org/about

 

Monday Member Spotlight: Life-Work Planning Center

Life-Work Planning Center is a Minnesota pre-employment program for women and a Minnesota Displaced Homemaker Program. They are one of the six components within the Displaced Homemaker Program of the state of Minnesota, originally designed to meet the personal, financial, and employment needs of displaced homemakers.

As a rural-based regional effort, Life-Work Planning Center provides assistance and support to individuals who want and/or need to enter or re-enter the job market. Clients help to develop their own action plans and participate in a combination of workshops, support groups, and one-to-one peer counseling sessions. Many of their services include workshops, one-to-one peer counseling, computer tutoring, resources and referrals, and advocacy. They provide a supportive environment where women can explore career and job options, build self-esteem, acquire confidence to make decisions, set goals, and become self-sufficient.

Life-Work Planning Center serves women in transition including displaced homemakers, non-displace homemakers, Latina women and youth, teen and young moms, and women transitioning from welfare to work in Blue Earth, Brown, Faribault, LeSueur, Martin, Nicollet, Sibley, Waseca, and Watonwan counties.

Click here for more information on Life-Work Planning Center.