Good Karma: The First Annual METRO Giving Guide

Benevolence is timeless, and yet giving back seems especially important in this era of less money, more problems. So squelch your inherently selfish nature (we're speaking in universal terms here, so don't take that personally) and read on for ways to donate your sweat, smarts and money.

 

MATERNAL INSTINCTS

Amoke Kubat’s Yo Mama! institute fosters wellness in North Minneapolis by keeping mothers happy and healthy.

By Dana Raidt

 Amoke Kubat (at left) knows a lot about mothers—both because she is one and because she grew up without one. The California native and single parent, who since 1987 has called North Minneapolis home, has dedicated her career and most of her free time to exploring the roles of African American mothers. Her year-old non-profit, Yo Mama! The Mothering Mothers Institute, puts Kubat’s experience and knowledge into practice, offering moms time, space and resources to keep themselves physically, mentally and emotionally well.

Kubat sits at a brightly colored crafting table inside the Juxtaposition Arts youth arts center (where her classes and events are held) and explains how the sessions work: moms come in one afternoon a week for 10 weeks, sans kids, to work on creative projects, talk shop, learn from guest artists and connect with other mothers. It’s a chance for women to focus on themselves and, Kubat hopes, to become better parents.

In the early ’90s, while she was working as an early childhood education consultant (she’s a motivational speaker, licensed teacher, life coach and has a couple Master’s degrees in specialized education fields to boot), Kubat says she started to notice an absence of black moms at school events and parent education opportunities.

“Black mothers were always at the school [when I was a child],” she says of her upbringing in working-class Los Angeles. “I wondered ‘Where are these mothers?’ There’s something happening with [them]; they’re struggling.” She also noticed women becoming mothers and grandmothers at younger ages. “How do you pass on wisdom if you haven’t lived long enough to have life experiences? What kind of pattern is that?”

Kubat, who’s an academic but looks to put her research to work, was inspired to study the roles and the challenges of urban African American mothers. Through interviews with those who had lost a mom, she became increasingly convinced that when mothers are empowered to sustain their own health and stability, it can mean only good things for the community as a whole. Soon she started telling her own story: a professional educator and single parent (her two daughters have now started families) who lost her own mother at the age of 2. A decade of work paid off in the form of her book, Missing Mama: A Trilogy of Loss, Sorrow and Healing—a combination of memoir, historical research and interviews that she’ll self-publish this summer.

After the art sessions wrap up this month, Kubat (who works full time as a special ed teacher at Bright Water Montessori school in North) will launch Yo Mama!’s newest class, A New View, a film-centered discussion series on female activism. Kubat says a health and wellness class is in the works for later in 2011.

To keep Yo Mama! going, Kubat spends about $1,000 out of her own pocket for each 10-week workshop series, relying on donations of space, time and supplies. Funding and marketing have been her biggest challenges, but she says she has faith that her non-profit will persevere.

“I’ve always been in the right place at the right time and didn’t know how it happened,” she laughs, telling stories of past chance encounters with both the Dalai Lama and Prince Charles (letting on that the Dalai Lama “giggles like a girl”). “I’ve always been very Forrest Gump-ish that way.”

 

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REDEMPTION SONGS

Hearth Connection’s executive director helps the homeless find their way to a more stable tomorrow.

By Quinton Skinner

Richard Hooks Wayman has an infectious laugh that, should science find a way to distill it in medicinal form, could well run antidepressants out of business. But his light demeanor shifts at Lyndale’s French Meadow when talk turns to his work as executive director of the non-profit Hearth Connection, and his career spent advocating for the homeless. His first priority is clearing up wrong impressions about the population he serves.

“The major misconception is that it’s behaviorally related,” says Wayman. “That people become homeless because of some outburst of bad behavior. The reality involves economic systems issues—loss of income and lack of affordable housing are really the catalyst for most homelessness in America.”

Wayman, who holds a law degree from the University of Iowa, started out his advocacy career at Legal Aid in Minneapolis, then worked as collaborative director of StreetWorks, a non-profit specializing in outreach to homeless and runaway youth. In recent years he’s worked as a policy analyst at the National Alliance to End Homelessness in Washington, where he focused on legislation and homeless policy before returning to Minnesota for his position at Hearth Connection.

“I try to manage a statewide collaborative of supervisors and case managers and rental-assistance coordinators working towards the goal of ending homelessness,” he says when asked to describe his job. “We work with tribes in Minnesota, affordable developers in the metro and outreach teams in rural Minnesota. We’re a service collaborative, trying to place people with long histories of homelessness in housing—and keep them there.”

At one point Wayman pauses to take a call from his partner A.J.; a working dad, Wayman works out the logistics of when to pick up his preschool-age twins before returning to discussing his work. He speaks with the calm of someone who has found his calling, and though he admits that not everyone can be helped, “I try not to dwell on that.”

Richard Hooks Wayman of Hearth Connection; photo by Marshall Franklin Long

Instead, he describes his work as an ongoing revelation. “There are things that kind of transform you,” he adds. “Once I had to tell a [teenager] that there was no shelter bed, and had to give him a bus token so he could ride around all night. Realizing that you can’t save everyone, you then find more efficient ways to use the system.”

And this is where Wayman makes his greatest contribution. With his experience both on the street and in the world of policy, he’s in a position to make a practical, daily impact on people’s lives while also keeping an eye on the big picture. He talks in terms of “stabilizing” clients, and notes that most homeless people lose their dwelling only once in their life and never become homeless again.

“I hear very sad and tragic stories,” Wayman concludes, gathering his coat to go home to his family. “But I also see amazing transformation in people’s lives—and the redemption that comes from bringing people back into mainstream society.”

 

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DOING IT FOR THE KIDS

How Mark Gehring, Vega Productions and the Beatles are keeping the arts alive in Minnesota public schools.

By Chris Clayton

To say funding is thin for the arts in public schools is like saying America has a small debt problem. Brian Vander Heul will tell you as much. He’s directed music programs throughout Minneapolis, and his largest annual budget to date is $150. That was nine years ago. He gets even less—zero, to be exact—for the 500 band, orchestra and choir students in his charge at Susan B. Anthony Middle School in South Minneapolis. Vander Heul blames neither his current employer nor its principal for lack of funds. “This is the norm all over the district,” he says.

So when the property tax pie eludes such programs, how do they survive? If they’re lucky, parents chip in or a sympathetic principal finds alternative subsidy streams. If they’re really lucky, Vega Productions throws them a party. Founded by Mark Gehring in 2005, the non-profit produces concerts and albums with indie musicians like Mason Jennings and Brother Ali, then donates the proceeds to music and art departments in public schools across the state. Since starting out, Vega’s decidedly hip philanthropy has helped more than 20,000 students gain access to instruments and art supplies.

Gehring, 30, launched the non-profit after seeing his fellow Minnesota State University grads struggle to find teaching jobs in the arts. Armed with a business management degree and music-industry know-how gleaned from interviewing bands for his college paper, he organized Vega’s first successful event in 2008, a fund-raiser for Lyndale Elementary held at First Avenue. The concert underlined Gehring’s knack for assembling important people for a good cause. It featured a speech by U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar, performances by Pert’ Near Sandstone and other Minnesota bands, and an on-stage smooch between host Robyne Robinson and a bigwig businessman who donated $10,000 in exchange for the PDAWA (public display of affection with an anchor). “That kiss got the ball rolling for us,” says Gehring with a laugh.

Vander Heul first worked with the organization in 2009, when Vega donated 35 instruments to Anthony’s music program—the result of a yearlong drive that ended at a New Year’s concert at First Ave. “Thanks to that show, all of my students had instruments that year,” he recalls. Soon after, Anthony’s concert band recorded “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” for the Minnesota Beatles Project Volume 1, an album of Beatles covers by local musicians like Mark Mallman and Romantica. Produced by Vega, the CD raised $25,000 for its grant pool. Volume two arrived late last year and has already sold 6,000 copies.

Mark Gehring of Vega Productions; photo by Marshall Franklin Long

“Access to instruments is so important for kids,” says singer-songwriter Mason Jennings, whose folk-y rendition of “Child of Nature” appears on second compilation. “I really dig what Mark is doing.”

This year will be Vega’s busiest ever. It plans on releasing a third Minnesota Beatles Project record, throwing multiple fund-raising concerts—look for its “Rock the Boat” shows this summer—and opening a satellite office in Minneapolis (Gehring currently runs the organization in Owatonna, where he lives with his wife and Vega co-founder Karrisa). “We have to stay busy,” says Gehring, who quit his day job in 2009 to run Vega full time. “The state of school art programs is worse than it was at the beginning of the recession, and there’s really no one else out there doing what we’re doing.”

For many Minnesota art educators, Vega’s forward-looking generosity is a crucial part of their piecemeal funding. Vander Heul, his voice brimming with gratitude, puts it simply: “Mark and his people are phenomenal.”

 

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The __________’s Guide to Volunteering in the Twin Cities

By Meghan McAndrews

The blank space is there for a reason. Our first annual giving guide pairs specific interests and personality types with non-profits in need. Can’t find the right match below? Visit volunteermatch.org or handsontwincities.org for more ways to give back, or read Good Karma, Continued for further volunteer opportunities.

 

You are: A music lover with evening availability

Opportunity you’ll like: Give a few hours of time and work a concert at The Cedar Cultural Center. Whether you help set up the non-profit theater before shows, staff the ticket sales table, serve concessions or clean up after events, you’ll be able to enjoy most or all of the show you work. Also, every shift you volunteer for earns you credit toward free passes for future concerts (eight hours of credits earn one pass).

Commitment: It’s recommended that new volunteers sign up for at least two events a month to learn the ropes.  

Get started: Email Jason Koffman at jason.koffman@thecedar.org and ask to sign up for the next volunteer orientation.

 

You are: Happiest in the kitchen

Opportunity you’ll like: Volunteer at Open Arms, which makes and delivers nutritious meals to those with serious and life-threatening illnesses. Kitchen volunteers assist with meal preparation (chopping, prepping, cooking and baking) and packaging.

Commitment: Once you’ve completed the mandatory orientation and kitchen safety training, you can sign up for a regular weekly or bi-monthly shift, or keep an eye on the website to see what shifts are open on any given week.

Get started: pete@openarmsmn.org or at 612.872.1152

 

You are: A busy group of friends, looking for a way to give back without making a big commitment

Opportunity you’ll like: Gather up four or so friends and plan, prepare and serve a snack to 25 to 30 children, aged six and under, at the Greater Minneapolis Crisis Nursery in Golden Valley. There are three opportunities a day to serve, at 10 a.m., 3 p.m. and 7 p.m., with the total time commitment lasting a couple of hours tops, not including shopping.

Commitment: Groups can volunteer one time, once a week or once a month.

Get started: Email volunteer coordinator Danielle Brady at dbrady@crisisnursery.org.

 

You are: A green thumb comfortable working with young adults

Opportunity you’ll like: This summer, Kulture Klub Collaborative, a non-profit that connects homeless youth and artists in a safe space in downtown Minneapolis, is creating an Art Garden. KKC’s youth participants will design and tend the garden, while artists-in-residence will activate the space throughout the summer. Help them get growing by sharing your gardening know-how and landscaping muscle. Canning and food preservation experts are also needed.

Commitment: Four to eight consistent visits.

Get started: Email info@kultureklub.org or call 612.252.1248.

 

You are: A believer in the healing power of the arts

Opportunity you’ll like: Free Arts Minnesota’s mentoring program. Volunteers take turns planning and leading art projects for kids in fields like visual arts, photography, music, drama, sculpture, creative writing or other art mediums.

Commitment: 1.5 hours on-site each week and approximately one hour in preparation each week. The mentorship program takes place in two sessions: October through December and January through May.

Get started: freeartsminnesota.org/volunteer_application.php

 

You are: Interested in Russian art and culture

Opportunity you’ll like: Work the reception desk at the Russian Museum of Art. Volunteers greet visitors, provide a brief description of the exhibitions, give directions, answer the phone and collect admissions.

Commitment: Volunteers are needed on a weekly, regular basis.

Get started: Contact volunteer coordinator Lynda Holker at lholker@tmora.org or 612.821.9045.

 

You are: A fashionista who loves styling new looks

Opportunity you’ll like: Volunteer at Dress for Success, which provides professional attire to low-income women. Work one-on-one with a client who just landed an interview or a job and help her select pieces and accessories that can be mixed and matched to create several office-ready outfits. Buoying her with encouragement and interview tips is also a plus.

Commitment: Volunteers must be available for daytime appointments and commit to serving for a period of months.

Get started: Email stephanie@dressforsuccesstwincities.org and let her know you’d like to help.

 

You are: A creative party planner with a knack for leadership

Opportunity you’ll like: Help KFAI, the Twin Cities’ premier community-based radio station, by planning and executing outreach events.

Commitment: Smaller-scale events can be put together within 10 or so hours over the course of a couple months, while other larger ones require a heftier time investment.

Get started: Contact Pam at phill@kfai.org.

 

You are: A time-strapped environmental professional

Opportunity you’ll like: Volunteer as an e-mentor through Eco Education, an environmental education non-profit. The organization matches qualified volunteers with a group of students in their service-learning program, Urban Stewards. The students gain inside knowledge about their community partners, learn about different environmental careers and environmental issues, while gaining important skills in technology and correspondence.

Commitment: No more than one hour a week.

Get started: ecoeducation.org/contact.

 

You are: A believer that social change starts with our youth

Opportunity you’ll like: Volunteer as a classroom aide at the Southside Family Charter School, a small K–8 school committed to “educating for social justice” in Minneapolis. Since Southside classes are organized by skill level rather than strict grade placement, classrooms are multi-age with varying lesson plans, which can be a challenge for teachers. Volunteers help students with individual one-on-one learning, small group exercises and general classroom assistance such as helping prepare materials and grading papers.

Commitment: Volunteers are needed September through May; weekly commitments vary from one to several hours a week.

Get started: Email Erin Wisness at erin@southsidefamilyschool.org.

 

You are: Passionate about defending children’s rights

Opportunity you’ll like: Volunteer as a court-assigned guardian ad litem (GAL), and advocate for abused and neglected children where it matters most—in court. GALs represent the best interests of children ranging in age from a few months to young adults, and work independently to gather information necessary to present their case to the judge.

Commitment: 18 months of service, two cases at a time (10 to 15 hours a month). A 40-hour pre-service training is also required.

Get started: Find your county’s resources and opportunities online at mncourts.gov/?page=658.

 

You are: A biking or running warrior

Opportunity you’ll like: Bolder Options’ mentoring program is about as holistic as they come. Foster the academic success of youth at risk through a combination of athletic activities, goal-setting, life-skills education, volunteerism and parental involvement.

Commitment: A minimum of four hours a week, for a year.

Get started: Contact Steph Leonard, volunteer manager, at volunteer@bolderoptions.org.

 

You are: A dog lover with a bottomless well of patience

Opportunity you’ll like: Foster a rescue dog waiting to find their forever home. Secondhand Hounds matches foster families with the perfect dog, and provides them with food, medical care and a crate. In addition to loving your foster as your own, families are frequently responsible for getting their four-legged charge to weekend adoption events and vet appointments.

Commitment: Most rescues prefer that you foster your dog until they have been adopted, which can take anywhere from one week to a few months.

Get started: secondhandhounds.org.

 

You are: Nostalgic for the era when the day-to-day operations of food co-ops relied on volunteers instead of paid employees

Opportunity you’ll like: St. Paul’s Hampden Park Co-op is a bastion of the old-school co-op model where volunteer members stock shelves, clean the store, cashier and prep and package food in exchange for store discounts.

Commitment: Three, six or 12 hours a week will nab you 15, 21 and 28 percent discounts respectively.

Get started: Visit the co-op and ask about joining. (A $30 investment in co-op stock is required.)

 

You are: A healthy person weighing more than 110 lbs.

Opportunity you’ll like: Blood donation. The entire American Red Cross donation process from start to finish takes barely more than an hour, but each contribution can save up to three lives. The Red Cross also needs volunteers to serve refreshments and greeters to welcome donors.

Get started: redcrossblood.org/make-donation.

 

You are: A safe driver

Opportunity you’ll like: Deliver nutritious meals to shut-ins on behalf of Northeast Dinner Bell Meals on Wheels in Northeast and St. Anthony Village. Routes have eight to 10 stops and are usually completed within an hour or two.

Commitment: A weekly or monthly shift.

Get started: Contact Eileen Haften at 612.789.6548.

 

You are: Passionate about childhood literacy

Opportunity you’ll like: Volunteer to tutor children with the Minnesota Reading Corps. Training is provided by the Corps and sites are scattered around the metro area.

Commitment: One hour of tutoring a week for a minimum of three months.

Get started: minnesotareadingcorps.org.

 

You are: Always eager to review your friends’ resumes and are an expert at online job hunting

Opportunity you’ll like: Assist members of the Twin Cities’ immigrant and refugee population search for jobs through the International Institute of Minnesota.

Commitment: Volunteers need to be available during regular work hours, and able to commit for at least three months.

Get started: iim.nonprofitoffice.com.

 

You are: An outdoorsy type who loves hiking and isn’t afraid to wield a hammer

Opportunity you’ll like: Help keep the North Shore’s Superior Hiking Trail hike-able by spending a Saturday morning repairing faulty bridges or boardwalks. The trail association provides the tools, gloves and safety glasses. Weekend-long overnight opportunities are also available in May.

Commitment: Pitch in any Saturday you like.

Get started: volunteer@shta.org.

 

You are: An animal-loving business owner

Opportunity you’ll like: Help The Pet Project keep pets with their financially stressed owners by serving as a drop site for unopened bags of dog food and gently used supplies.

Commitment: Ongoing.

Get started: thepetprojectmn.org/donate.html.

 

You are: A word nerd

Opportunity you’ll like: Sort and pack boxes of books at Books for Africa’s St. Paul warehouse. No heavy lifting necessary.

Commitment: Two-hour shifts are the minimum and volunteers can drop in anytime.

Get started: 651.251.8896.

 

You are: Ready to write a check

Opportunity you’ll like: Give to a Minnesota non-profit online via givemn.com. This easily searchable clearinghouse of vetted non-profits tracks all on- and off-line contributions and stores receipts, making it easy come tax-time to declare your donations.

Get started: givemn.org.