Dakota Woodlands

Fox 9 News Story on Dakota Woodlands

noreply@blogger.com (Dakota Woodlands) — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 18:37:00 +0000

Our local newstation, Fox 9, interviewed our Executive Director, Reyne Branchaud-Linsk and a resident about the rising number of foreclosures and homelessness in Minnesota. It's a great piece and a glimpse of our facility during the holidays!

Save Time and Donate to Dakota Woodlands!

noreply@blogger.com (Dakota Woodlands) — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 16:30:00 +0000

Just think, you can save time, bring a fabulous meal to any gathering AND give to Dakota Woodlands ALL AT THE SAME TIME!!! How you ask??? It's easy!

Let's Dish! is an innovative store with 7 locations throughout Minnesota, (including Apple Valley) where you can make (or pick up) family-friendly dishes designed to be frozen and cooked when you need them. You can cook the meals in the store, order meals online that are prepared by their staff, order dishes for your party or just stop by one of their stores and select a “ready made” dish on the way home! Not only is this a life saver during the holidays, but also a great way to give to Dakota Woodlands. From now until December 31st, you can enter in the code “Woodlands” when placing your order and they will donate 5% back to Dakota Woodlands!

For more information about Let's Dish! and this wonderful opportunity to support Dakota Woodlands, visit their website. Enter the code "Woodlands" online when you place your order, or visit one of their store locations.

One of the delicious meals you can prepare at Let's Dish!

Thompson West...Volunteers of the Month!

noreply@blogger.com (Dakota Woodlands) — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 16:16:00 +0000

Volunteers of the Month

Thank You Thompson West!

Each month a group of employees from Thompson West volunteer their time and talent to Dakota Woodlands. As part of their Community Partners Program they mentor and tutor students, prepare and serve meals, sort donations and whatever else needs doing. Most recently a group came to help spread woodchips around the playground and backyard to help us prepare for winter. With military precision they filled wheel barrels, garbage cans and whatever else we had with woodchips and as they were dumped out another group was ready to rake. The end result was fabulous! We appreciate Thompson West's continued support of Dakota Woodlands and the fantastic job they do.

Make a Difference...Eat at Noodles!

noreply@blogger.com (Dakota Woodlands) — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 17:59:00 +0000

Make a Difference!
EAT AT NOODLES!!
Saturday, October 27th

USA Today has challenged the nation to take one day to make a difference in someone's life. On Saturday, October 27th, Make a Difference Day, the West St. Paul Noodles & Company will donate 10% of their sales to Dakota Woodlands. The food is fantastic, the atmosphere is casual (and family friendly) and we'll be there to answer any questions you may have about our facility. The W. St. Paul Noodles is only about 7 miles from Dakota Woodlands.

Directions to Noodles from Dakota Woodlands

Noodles & Company
1590 Robert St S.
West Paul, MN 55118

Rosemount Neighborhoods Collect Donations on National Night Out

noreply@blogger.com (Dakota Woodlands) — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 19:32:00 +0000

Rosemount Police Officers Rosa and Enger

Tuesday, August 7, 2007 was National Night Out and for the third year in a row, the Rosemount Police Department asked neighborhoods in Rosemount to consider collecting donations for Dakota Woodlands, the only short-term homeless shelter in Dakota County for women and children. “We had 26 neighborhoods in Rosemount that participated this year and we received donations from every one of them,” said Officer Chad Rosa, the Community Resources Officer for the Rosemount Police Department.

Neighborhood organizers distributed flyers letting people know about Dakota Woodlands and the specific items that were needed. In addition to socializing, enjoying root beer floats and having fun, neighborhoods throughout Rosemount collected paper products, non-perishable food items, household goods, money as well as gift certificates for everything from school supplies to movie tickets. On the Thursday following National Night Out, Officer Rosa, along with Karin Enger, the Community Services Officer from the Rosemount Police Department, delivered 35 bags filled with much needed donations to Dakota Woodlands. They even carried it all in!

It's that kind of community support that helps families get back on their feet so that they can find housing. Thanks Rosemount!!!

Independence Day!

noreply@blogger.com (Dakota Woodlands) — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 16:19:00 +0000

This article is from the current issue of the Dakota Digest, our online e-newsletter. To read the newsletter or to subscribe, click here: Dakota Digest

From Our Executive Director:

Reyne Branchaud-Linsk

Independence Day:
Empowering Women to be Self-Sufficient

Life can be overwhelming in the best of circumstances. We all want to be independent, to be able to take care of ourselves and our families; to not have to ask anyone for money, rides or a place to live. Many of the women that come to Dakota Woodlands have relied on friends and family for support and, for whatever reason, that help is no longer available.They need to learn the skills necessary to better care for themselves and their families. But being self-sufficient doesn't mean you never ask for help; it means that you know when you do need help and where to find it.

When our residents leave Dakota Woodlands to move into their own homes, we want them to feel they are capable of handling what comes their way. It's important that they develop a sense of independence and have the confidence to not only deal with the inevitable ups and downs of everyday living, but can also manage a household. This might mean they need help learning to plan healthy meals, how to manage their finances, scheduling inexpensive familiy fun or maybe how to get rides to doctor's appointments.

We collaborate with the University of Minnesota Extension Services to teach nutrition classes and meal preparation. Using a budget, we help them create a menu and a grocery list, how to use coupons and/or store specials and how to cook healthy, economical meals for their familiy. We also stress the importance of sitting down as a family for as many meals as they can and to have regular meal times.

Transportation is often an issue— they may have been depending on friends or family to give them rides or may never have used public transportation before. We help people figure out bus routes and let them know about other transportation services they may be eligible to use, such as getting to medical appointments,etc.

Finding things to do as a family on a limited income can be challenging, but not impossible! Moms may not be aware of the "cheap" entertainment that's available to them in the Metro Area. There are dollar movies, free museum days, free concerts in the park throughout the summer and even scholarships to the YMCA that they can apply to. Maybe their kids haven't been able to participate in school athletics or other extra-curricular activities because of the expense. There is scholarship money available through their school district that they can apply for.

I hope you’re all having a wonderful summer so far! Thank you again for your generous support. Every day we see the changes made in the lives of families who are able to go from no homes to their own homes.

Reyne

National Night Out

noreply@blogger.com (Lane Cavanaugh) — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 20:30:00 +0000

National Night Out is August 7th, 2007.

Dakota Woodlands has some very special relationships with Dakota County police departments. For the past several years Mendota Heights and Rosemount police departments have organized National Night Out drives that support Dakota Woodlands. Collecting paper products, can food, as well as monetary donations. In fact last year Officer Chad Rosa from Rosemount delivered over 150 bags of food and paper products from the city.

If your neighborhood is interested in joining in in the festivities please contact Dakota Woodlands for more information!

Success Stories: Janell

noreply@blogger.com (Dakota Woodlands) — Sun, 15 Jul 2007 23:42:00 +0000

This is an abbreviated version our feature story in the June issue of our monthly E-Newsletter, The Dakota Digest. To read it in it's entirety, click here.

Janell and baby Brieanna

by Beth McDonald, Communications Specialist

To celebrate the beginning of summer and the end of the school year, Dakota Woodlands throws an annual End of School Year party for residents, former residents, and their families. It’s a great evening with food, games, clowns, prizes, face-painting and the ever popular cotton candy machine! As the kids are running around (especially after the cotton candy!) and families are reconnecting, the staff has an opportunity to catch up with former residents and find out how they’re doing since moving into their own homes.

At our most recent party we had in June, I had a chance to visit with Janelle, a 24 year old former resident who has been living with baby daughter, Brieanna, in her own apartment for several months now. When Janelle first came to Dakota Woodlands, she was then 7 mos. pregnant and had been living with her mother and older sister before coming to the shelter. “I couldn’t stay there anymore. My mom’s place wasn’t big enough for all of us. I was sleeping on the couch and knew I had to move, but I didn’t have any where to go,” says Janelle. Not knowing there was a shelter in Eagan, she took the bus to the Dorothy Day Center in St. Paul and they referred her to Dakota Woodlands. “When I first got here I was so nervous, I didn’t know what to expect. But, everyone made me feel at home and were so encouraging that I felt like things were going to be good for us now.”

There are many factors that can lead to a family’s housing crisis. For most people, finding a permanent home is the first thing on their mind when they arrive at the shelter. But there are many valuable support services that are provided for women and children. For Janelle, it was important that she receive proper medical attention for the remainder of her pregnancy. She took advantage of the many parenting classes offered and felt confident that she could be a good mom to her new baby. “Probably the best thing I got from Dakota Woodlands was the feeling of belonging, that I wasn’t alone. There was always someone around if I needed to talk or a shoulder to cry on”, said Janelle. “They even threw a baby shower for me! I didn’t even know what a baby shower was! There were all these decorations, a cake, presents for the baby and we played these really funny shower games. It was so nice.”

Janelle had her baby while living at Dakota Woodlands last February. Instead of facing those first daunting days of motherhood alone, Janelle returned from the hospital with her baby daughter and was surrounded with love, advice, encouragement and support. It’s that feeling of community that made it hard for her to move into her own apartment, a month later. “I was so grateful to have had people around 24-7 that when I first moved out it seemed so quiet all the time. I really missed everyone. I am making new friends now and taking some classes at a local church.”

What does the future hold for this young mother and her little girl? Janelle wants to go to college and become a marriage and family counselor. For right now she is enjoying taking care of her daughter and has a part-time job. “I want to be the best mom I can be. I think that all of the experiences I had and all the things that have happened to me have made me a better person. I can’t believe how good my life is now—I’m so grateful that I ended up at Dakota Woodlands.”

Dakota Woodlands ...Wish List

noreply@blogger.com (Dakota Woodlands) — Wed, 30 May 2007 14:44:00 +0000

Each month on our website we list items that we currently need called our Wish List. We have 21 families living with us at any one time, so you can imagine how quickly we go through some of these things. When you're out doing your regular shopping, you can pick up any one (or all!) of these items up and just bring them by Dakota Woodlands. We really appreciate gifts and donations of any size, so if you can bring by a package of paper plates, we'd love it!

Dakota Woodlands

3430 Wescott Woodlands

Eagan, MN 55122

(we are located near the intersection of Yankee Doodle and Lexington in Eagan)

If you have questions or would like to donate other items, please give us a call: 651-456-9110.

Our Current Wish List

• Crib sheets: New or Gently Used

• Paper Products: paper towels, paper plates, napkins, cups, toilet paper, plastic silverware

• Kitchen Sized Garbage Bags: 32 gallon size

• Disposable Diapers: Sizes 5 and 6

• Bathing Suits: New or Used, Adult’s and Children’s

• Children's Summer Clothing, boys and girls, sizes 3-10

• 'C' Batteries

• Baby Lotion and Baby Oil

May Dakota Digest

noreply@blogger.com (Dakota Woodlands) — Thu, 17 May 2007 20:47:00 +0000

May Dakota Digest

Empowering Women

In this issue of the Dakota Digest we talk about empowering women. The mission of Dakota Woodlands is to empower homeless women to create stable futures for their families. What does empowering mean and what services do we provide that help women feel confident about themselves? At Dakota Woodlands we not only help women find permanent homes, we help women find themselves.

Hope for Options

noreply@blogger.com (Dakota Woodlands) — Thu, 03 May 2007 18:09:00 +0000

From Our Executive Director:
Reyne Branchaud-Linsk

On Saturday, May 12th we are holding our 4th Annual Mother’s Day HOMES (Helping Our Mothers Experience Success) event at St. John Neumann Catholic Church in Eagan. I look forward to this event all year. My favorite part of the planning is discussing the many successes of the residents and thinking of ways we could showcase their stories without having them feel uncomfortable. Hearing from the residents is always the highlight of the event. Former residents will be sharing their personal stories; some of the circumstances that led them to our shelter and ultimately their success in finding and maintaining housing for their families. Every story here is unique and I am constantly amazed by the courage and strength of the women who come through our doors.

Homelessness can be one of those words that becomes so common place that we can lose touch with what it must feel like to not have a home, to not know where you or your children are going to sleep that night. When they share their stories, it not only reminds people that what we do is so necessary, but it also reaffirms that there is hope…that there is always something that can be done to help a family find a home of their own. At HOMES you’ll also hear what you can do to help.

I think that hope is one of the most important things we offer here at Dakota Woodlands. When families arrive, many feel hopeless, that the obstacles they are facing are simply too overwhelming. The classes, workshops, support, counseling and encouragement that we offer is not only practical information and education they need to obtain and maintain a home of their own, but each resource becomes another option…and options gives us hope. There is no hopeless situation; everyone who comes here can move to a good option for their family.

Hope to see you there!
Reyne