Acacia Montessori: A Wayfinder partnership to support early childhood development in the Somali community Partnering to empower diverse communities The story of Acacia Montessori in Apple Valley is an example of how 360 Communities empowers diverse communities and improves early childhood development. Child Care Startup and Retention Coordinator Karen Bratland played a pivotal [...]
Employee Spotlight: Steph Hogan A decade of prevention and impact Steph Hogan is a bedrock of 360 Communities’ Partners for Success® program, which improves graduation rates, attendance, and student behavior. Steph and her colleagues positively impact the lives of over 1,200 students each school year, stabilizing and supporting at-risk youth and their families, assisting [...]
2023 A year of growth and impact In 2023, 360 Communities experienced remarkable growth. Our commitment to fiscal responsibility shone through as we navigated a substantial increase in individuals seeking services. More than 98% of those served had household incomes below 200% of the federal poverty level. Our programs thrived thanks to our extensive [...]
Mother finds housing and employment with Partners For Success® Kristine recently moved with her six-year-old daughter Natalie to Minnesota from another state to be closer to family. They arrived in Minnesota with only their car and a few possessions. Kristine’s brother and his family lived in the area but could not take them in for [...]
Donaldson Foundation awards 360 Communities $25,000 to support its school success work Burnsville, MN -  The Donaldson Foundation recently awarded a $25,000 grant to 360 Communities to support its school-based Partners For Success® program. Partners for Success® has family support workers in 29 schools in six districts where they build trusting relationships with [...]
Child Care Aware to expand beyond Dakota County 360 Communities Child Care Aware coaches train and support child care providers to strengthen their programs to better prepare children for school. 360 Communities currently administers the Child Care Aware program for Dakota County. Soon we will expand the program to cover Scott and Carver Counties [...]
Mother of two faces adversity Ella and her husband split up after her husband abused her. She and her two elementary school children were traumatized. She was alone, afraid, and uncertain of what to do next. Without financial stability, she fell behind on rent and faced eviction. She worried about her children’s emotional well-being with [...]
Dedication to quality child care When Mischelle Ulrich first applied to work at 360 Communities, she recognized that the organization did more than address immediate needs. They had their eye on prevention and investing in future generations. This upstream vision inspired Mischelle to work on supporting quality child care access in her community in various [...]
Instability at home affects performance at school The start of Alejandro’s kindergarten year should have been full of excitement, making new friends, and learning. But he was often absent, and when he would return to school, it was like starting the year over again. His behavior and class participation suffered, and he was not getting along [...]
A message from Jeff Mortensen, President & CEO I once heard someone say that humans are the most adaptable creatures on earth…when forced to be! Human history is full of all kinds of crises, periods of growth, and steep recessions. These experiences, and the accumulated lessons learned, help us innovate and transform if we also inspire [...]
