Non-Profit Challenge

THE RCTC FOUNDATION

The RCTC Foundation is a nonprofit charitable organization that is dedicated to supporting the students and programs at Rochester Community and Technical College. The Foundation benefits the Rochester community by supporting students in following their dreams and becoming educated productive members of our community. Through our fundraising efforts, the Foundation unites with the Rochester community to generate resources for RCTC students and programs.

The Foundation offers a variety of scholarships to assist students in funding their education. For the 2010/2011 academic year, the Foundation provided more than $200,000 in scholarships to over 200 students.

One of the specific scholarships provided by the Foundation is the Beat the Odds scholarship. This scholarship is awarded annually to high school seniors from Rochester and the surrounding areas who have overcome significant obstacles in their lives to become personally and academically successful. Beat the Odds also recognizes the adults who have stepped in to offer support and encouragement to these young individuals. Beat the Odds recipients are awarded $2,500 scholarships to be used at the accredited college of their choice. This past January, 400 community members gathered to celebrate the eleventh annual Beat the Odds and honor four outstanding students and their nominators. Over the years, the Beat the Odds scholarship program has provided more than $150,000 to students who have demonstrated great strength and resilience in the face of adversity.

The RCTC Foundation has also provided the College with the gift of the Rochester Regional Stadium. This facility provides an enclosed, climate-controlled environment and will serve the Rochester area as host venue for major area events and provide the opportunity for youth, high school and college athletes to train year round locally. The Rochester Regional Stadium will enhance the college experience for our students but will also enrich our community by instilling leadership skills, teamwork and wellness while providing an excellent source of entertainment for all.

Chellyne Hoeppner

RCTC Foundation helps individuals to continue and/or complete their secondary education, where in many instances it would be improbable for them to accomplish that goal. For that reason I nominate RCTC Foundation for the Nonprofit Challenge.

Steven Colebeck

Last year we awarded over $200,000 in scholarships to more than 200 students. The Average amount was $1000. At RCTC the whole year’s tuition is close to $4,700. The tuition scholarship money went a long way to helping needing students achieve their higher education goal. But, over 400 students qualified based on financial need. By receiving this scholarship we would be able to reach many more Alumni and RCTC stakeholders to tell them about our story that would ultimately result in increased scholarship donations and we could help even more financially needy students.

Lisa Baldus

 

PAWS AND CLAWS

Paws and Claws Humane Society was formed over 35 years ago. What started as a small rescue based out of Marge Mourning’s garage, Paws and Claws has grown into the leading area shelter dedicated to rescuing and re-homing abandoned cats and dogs in Rochester and the surrounding communities. Last year we were able to place over 600 cats and dogs in new homes-many of them who would have been “out of time” without our help. Paws and Claws helps animals that are abandoned and in need of emergent veterinary care and those that are in need of sanctuary from abusive or neglectful situations. Animals like Nupa, a young puppy found on the side of an isolated stretch of I-90 and Fortune, found abandoned with her day-old kittens, take comfort in the hands of our staff and volunteers. Paws and Claws is a 5013c organization and we receive no government funds. We rely on the generosity of our community to carry out the work we do. A vote for Paws and Claws will help us spread the word of our work through Insty-Print materials that will provide a “face” to our cause.

Tanya Johnson

 

RED CROSS

While many think of the Red Cross down the street, across the country and around the world when a disaster (fire, flood, earthquake, act of terrorism, etc.) occurs, they may not think of the work done on behalf of the military and their families. This article from the Post Bulletin captures the essence of that work and for all they do, the SE MN Red Cross should be considered as a nominee for the Nonprofit promotion and win the $1000.00 in Marketing and Graphic communications services.

 

With some large-scale deployments of local troops coming up, the American Red Cross in Southeast Minnesota is working to spread the word about the local programs and resources available to military members and their families.

“By partnering with organizations like Operation Hometown Gratitude and Beyond the Yellow Ribbon, we hope to make our programs and services that much more accessible to those who need them,” says Eirik Otteson, Service to the Armed Forces coordinator with the Southeast Minnesota Chapter of the American Red Cross.

Red Cross services available to military members and their families include:

• 24-hour emergency communication to keep military personnel in touch with their families following the death or serious illness of an immediate family member, the birth of a service member’s child or grandchild or when a family faces other emergencies.
• 24-hour financial assistance, a partnership with the Air Force Aid Society, Army Emergency Relief, Coast Guard Mutual Assistance, and Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society to provide financial assistance to eligible applicants. Financial assistance may be provided for emergency travel, burial of a loved one, car repair, etc.
• Coping with deployment workshops designed for the spouses, parents, siblings and significant others of service members. It provides useful information on how to strengthen your ability to successfully respond to the challenges that military family members may encounter throughout the deployment cycle. It also explains how to provide psychological first aid to others experiencing stressful feelings or events.

The Red Cross is also a partner in the following upcoming events:

Operation Hometown Gratitude Packing Party, 6:30 p.m. Feb. 8 at Mayo High School.

“Build a Military Friendly Faith Community” workshop 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Feb. 22 at Autumn Ridge Church, Rochester. In partnership with Beyond the Yellow Ribbon. Registrants will learn about ministry opportunities during the deployment cycle and how to better serve the spiritual needs of military members, their families and friends in your churches and communities. Register for planning purposes no later than Feb. 17 by calling 287-2200.

Jan M. Hoag

 

A BETTER CHANCE

Rochester A Better Chance (RBC) provides bright, talented and aspiring minority kids with a mentoring and nurturing home environment, giving them opportunities to excel in school and community settings. This prepares them for an excellent college education and future leadership opportunities. Since 1972, 100 young men have come through this outstanding program. RBC is a non-profit foundation. It receives local support from business donations, individual donations and donations in-kind to help maintain day-to-day operations. Annual fixed costs to maintain house operations average $89,000. To fund an RBC scholar for nine months requires an average of $10,000. RBC enjoys minimal administrative expenses since Rochester A Better Chance has no paid staff. This enables RBC to direct 100 percent of all community donations toward educating the students and operational expenses. RBC is part of the larger, national non-profit organization with a shared mission. (Taken from RBC’s mission and purpose statements)

There is no better investment than in the lives of our children. Please consider supporting this important organization that currently is as risk of shutting down in Rochester as a result of funding challenges. Rochester is a community that believes in the value of a strong family foundation and in the value of an excellent education. Let’s share that dream with these young men who without this opportunity would not have a chance at the top-notch education afforded our kids in Rochester. Let’s give these young men not only a chance to succeed but a chance to excel and achieve their full potential. They are our future and deserve our support!

Kimberlie Ignatius

 

BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB

I wanted to share a story for your nonprofit challenge and share with you an organization that is truly making a difference here in Rochester.

The Boys and Girls Club of Rochester is making a positive difference in Rochester and in the lives of their members. The Boys and Girls Club of Rochester has become THE place all kids and teens want to go and belong and the place that prepares our youth for the future. Our local Club is a safe haven where members feel physically and emotionally secure at all times. The Club facility, staff and program offerings create a welcoming positive environment that allows members to engage in play, enjoy their play time and be happy and eager to come to the Club. The Club ensures that every young person feels connected to one or more adults and has friendships with peers. Club staff and programs consistently communicate the expectation that every child has the potential to excel, be productive and succeed at the Club and in life. The Club takes every opportunity to recognize and validate Club members’ achievements and accomplishments.

There are key elements for effective youth development and as you can see from above, the Boys and Girls Club of Rochester have infused these elements into the Club’s programs and operations to create a developmentally rich environment that leads to deepening impact with our youth.

Shannon Knoepke

My favorite nonprofit is the Boys & Girls Club of Rochester and as such, I would like to nominate if for the Nonprofit Challenge.

As a Board Member about a week I got to listen to Molly, Impact Coordinator in Education at the Center Street location, share wonderful stories about the kids that attend the Club.  One in particular story resonated with me, maybe because I am Hispanic and English is not my first language, maybe because the story sounded familiar as I know some people in our community in similar situation. Maybe because my own kids are the same age. Molly told us about this boy, about 8 years old, who attended the club regularly during the summer. He was a difficult child, often getting in trouble at the club. The staff was determined to find out what was going on and to help him overcome whatever it was. This boy was going in to 3rd grade and was not able to write or read in English and chances are he found acting out was the best way to communicate with others.  His family could not do much, as they did not speak much English and did not have financial resources. Since this was found out at the beginning of the school year, the staff at the club has been working with him and he has been working very hard. He has made a lot of progress and is now sounding out words and starting to read. He is now reading at a 1st grade level and keeps working hard at improving. He behavior has improved enormously. I cannot help but wonder about this boy’s future had he not supported at the Club.

Every day the staff faces the challenge to keep the club members motivated. Motivated to excel academicaly and in life.  The members of our Center Street location recently stepped up to the challenge and accomplished 10,000 reading minutes before Spring Break!!!

The Boys and Girls Club of Rochester needs to continue to provide increasing levels of service to our youth and this need is more urgent than ever in Rochester. On the one hand Rochester is growing and becoming less of a town and more of a city with all its warts.

One of these is the sense of isolation that may affect our youth. On the other hand, the economic downturn affects those with the least resources to fend off – parents working two jobs, families breaking under the stress, immature extended family members ‘caring’ for kids, etc. In all, these realities reduce the hope in the future for these kids which then go on to drop out of school, join gangs, cause violence, miss opportunities and lose their lives. Not what we want for any kid, let alone those living in our town.

Thankfully, The Boys and Girls Club of Rochester offers a safe place to be after school for kids with caring adult mentors and life skills training – these programs can literally save lives.

I am extremely proud to be part of this wonderful organization full of dedicated and caring staff and amazing and selfless volunteers that allow the kids in our community have a better future.

Claudia Tabini

 

RNEIGHBORS

In Rochester, Minnesota, our city’s population is over 100,000, and we continue to see an influx of immigrants and have a growing senior population. The face of our community is continually evolving. RNeighbors’ embraces our city’s rich diversity and recognizes the challenges associated with different cultures and generations sharing the same space. RNeighbors is currently learning, working and partnering with local groups to unify neighborhoods. They empower citizen leaders to create sustainable neighborhood networks that promote a vibrant, healthy and livable community and are working towards a future in Rochester when community life is rooted in neighborhood networks that nurture citizen involvement for positive community change.

In 2010, RNeighbors was busy providing tools for Rochester neighborhoods to organize around, including:

• Gathered 880 volunteers to plant 642 trees around the Rochester community.
• 290 volunteers painted 5 Rochester neighborhood street murals.
• Over 1,000 Rochester community members gathered to experience the 2010 Think Green Fair.
• Helped initiate the Citizen Advisors for Public Safety (CAPS) that works with Rochester police to promote neighborhood safety.
• Aided in the Rochester Litter Bit Better campaign which had 3,500 volunteers around Rochester collect 24,600 pounds of waste.
• Continued to increase neighborhood visibility and awareness through events like the Rochesterfest parade, National Night Out and RLuau, as well as our neighborhood online at www.RNeighbors.org.

Their grassroots efforts take time, perseverance, the ability to adapt, and most importantly, amazing volunteers. The Board of Directors and staff (one full-time person) at RNeighbors believes in transparency which allows the people working together in our neighborhoods to be recognized for their efforts.

Brittany Stewart

 

BRIGHTER TOMORROWS

There is a non-profit organization that has touched my life, in a way that only they could. Brighter Tomorrows is a Rochester outreach to families touched by childhood cancer. It’s known as being a group you never wanted to join…until that day.

Very quickly, our world started spinning. Cries, headaches, screams. Tummy aches, throwing up, can’t get her to smile. Hospital, ER, pokes, sedation, MRI scans, bloodwork, tears.? Biopsy, IV’s, nurses, doctors, anxiety. Abnormal lesion. Suspicious. CANCER. Malignant. Rare. High risk. Port, aggressive chemo, blood counts too low, infection. Risks, prognosis, statistics. Side effects, hair loss, more throwing up, lack of appetite, mood swings, roid rage, neutropenia, hearing loss, mouth sores, hospital stays, fevers. Another cycle, another week, losing weight, scars, long stay, depression, sadness. Labs, counts, line replacement. My child could die? She’s only 3 years old…

That is only a glimpse of our journey, the fight lasted over 2 years and our daughter is still not in the clear. Childhood cancer has without doubt been the most difficult and heart wrenching experience that our family has ever had to endure. Yet when all of this was thrown at us, Brighter Tomorrows helped us withstand the blow. The families who created this group have all been on the journey, albeit at different times and in different scenarios…but it is a group that held us up as we headed into the unknown world of to trying to remove the villain of cancer from our child’s body.

When I was tired, weary and lost while holding my daughter’s hand as she fought a brain tumor, it was the Brighter Tomorrows organization that revealed to me that better days were ahead. At our darkest moments, they were daylight that reminded us of hope. They had a certain understanding and strength that only could come from others who have walked this path before.

Brighter Tomorrows is truly a non-profit worthy of support. Somehow, they have a way of transforming pain into power, a power that fights for the lives of children going through more than many of us adults could ever imagine. Please cast your vote to support Brighter Tomorrows, and know you are making a difference.

Heather VanKoeverden

 

FRIENDS OF GRAHAM PARK

For years, Graham Park (or the Olmsted County Fairgrounds) has been neglected and overlooked as a cultural, environmental and economic asset within our community. From its bequest by Dr. Christopher Graham in 1919, it has steadily weathered and decayed to the point where it shares little resemblance to the gift envisioned by the Graham family. Today, the site is widely perceived by the community and business leaders as an eyesore and a missed opportunity. The residents of Olmsted County and the citizens of Rochester can no longer ignore this type of decline of our natural amenities and wait for others to help improve our environment. Our responsibility is to each other to invest in creating a healthier, more vital resource for Rochester, Olmsted County and the Southeast Minnesota Region.

The need for change was initially measured by the enthusiasm and commitment to the site by participants of the public Charette (workshop) that was sponsored by the 2008 Leadership Greater Rochester class. Other key indicators of the site’s current state of need are largely economic. The site operates at a loss every year with taxpayers subsidizing the gap. Also there is a lack of new events being booked and site utilization is extremely low throughout the year, as current facility and ground design do not accommodate them appropriately. Surveys of potential event promoters or businesses may be able to illustrate the reasons for choosing other locations over Graham Park, or deciding it not financially viable to operate on the site.

We believe that realizing the vision of the public by developing funding sources for the beautification of grounds, capital improvements and development of programs will ease the burden on Rochester, Olmsted County and its taxpayers. With the site transformed from a utilitarian, parking lot into a lush parkscape embraced by the community, then the Friends would have the responsibility of managing the 55-acre site in a financially and ethically sound way to breathe life back into the property. The implementation of a sound sustainable management and operations structure, combined with targeted investment in improvements and amenities, will serve to address the need for transformative change at Graham Park. With collaboration of the public agencies and the private organizations we can break the cycle of stagnation on the property and create a diverse, active and vibrant urban parkland that can become a local and regional asset engrained in the community.

Eric Cleveland

 

Mental Aerobics

Mental Aerobics Charities has recently been deemed a non-profit but has been Helping those in need for over 13 years. It all began in 1999 when my husband, Jim, was diagnoised with Cancer. Being so grateful of our close location to the Mayo Clinic we decided to focus on giving to the Hope Lodge of Rochester. Throughout the years our focus has move to directly impact families in need. Our current fundraising events are a high school wrestling tournament, which was held March 19th, Muddin in the Meadwo mud bog on June 25th and the Big Jim Golf Tournament which is to be held August 13th. At our last wrestling tournament our copiers failed leaving a major gap in our tournament…therefore the Insty-Prints service for our 2012 tournament would be greatly appreciated.

Darcy Richardson