360 Communities Child Care Aware staff coach child care providers in Dakota County with research-based best practices for preparing children for school. This involves supporting providers as they work to earn Parent Aware Star Ratings. The Parent Aware Star Ratings program supports and improves upon the strengths of child care programs, and also helps parents identify [...]
When survivors are ready to leave our Lewis House shelters, 360 Communities staff asks them to complete an anonymous survey about their experience with 360 Communities. With a victim-centered approach, we use these surveys to better understand how supported survivors feel when they leave the shelter. We are always looking for ways to improve as well. [...]
Gladys was 80-years-old and homeless when she arrived at 360 Communities Family Resource Center. She met Sophia, our Financial Support Worker who uncovered that Gladys’ husband passed away two and a half years ago and was her sole provider. Gladys had no close family or friends and only a disability check for support. By listening generously [...]
By Jeff Mortensen President & CEO Brittany arrived at her new high school as a transfer student with no connections and a history of challenges. She had been enrolled in four different schools within the last three years. Brittany was all too familiar with judgment, as her records of poor attendance and numerous suspensions always seemed [...]
Our Daily Bread Food Shelf at Shepherd of the Valley Church in Apple Valley recently became the second 360 Communities food shelf to transform into a healthy SuperShelf! The SuperShelf pilot study was developed in partnership by HealthPartners, Valley Outreach, The Food Group, University of Minnesota Extension and Department of Family Medicine and Community Health. It [...]
According to RAINN, every 90 seconds another American is sexually assaulted. Sexual assault victims are three times more likely to experience depression and six times more likely to suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder. 360 Communities Sexual Assault Services volunteer advocates play a vital a role in helping survivors cope with the aftermath of an assault with [...]
Victim Support Dog Ranger’s first time supporting a domestic violence survivor was at a pretrial hearing. 360 Communities had been working with Veronica for years. It was an ongoing situation and it was intensely stressful and emotional for the client. When she would recount the violence, she would often be overtaken with emotion and start to [...]
Distraught and in tears, Cassidy walked into the 360 Communities Burnsville Family Resource Center searching for any kind of help. The single mother of three children had been struggling financially ever since losing her job eight months ago. Cassidy had searched for employment but was unable to land a job. She consequently lost her child care [...]
by Jennifer Krekelberg Supervisor, Dakota Healthy Families Their pregnancy was unexpected. Maria and Alex were not sure they would still be together if not for the birth of their baby girl, but they were willing to try. Both worried they might not be good parents to Emma, so when offered services through 360 Communities Dakota Healthy [...]
The Dakota County Public Health Department recently recognized 360 Communities' Director of Self-Sufficiency Anika Rychner with a Public Health Achievement Award Honorable Mention in recognition of her work to transform 360 Communities food shelf system to deliver healthier choices to our clients. "This is more than a personal honor for me," says Rychner, "It really is [...]
