Events

Each neighborhood is continually planning projects and events for the residents in their neighborhoods.  But there are also events and activities taking place in the community that can have an impact on many families.  Check out our calendar in the sidebar to see what events are coming up soon.

If you have an event that you would like to have included on our calendar, please contact us.

Volunteer Opportunities

• Work with kids! Growing Up Healthy runs two monthly parent education events for Spanish-speaking families in Northfield and Faribault. While the parents are participating in the presentation or discussion topic of the month, we need volunteers to run a few activities with the kids. The Faribault program is the first Monday of the month from 7 – 8pm. The Northfield program is the first Thursday of the month from 6:30 – 8pm. If you enjoy working with children, please contact Soraya at soraya@growinguphealthy.org

• Re-vamp old computers! Are you skilled at rehabbing old computers so that the computers can perform basic word-processing and Internet functions? Growing Up Healthy is working to reduce the technology access gap in our increasingly digital society. GUH collects donations of old computers and after the computer has been rehabbed, donates it back to a low-income family after the family has completed a basic computer/Internet literacy class. If you are interested in helping to rehab the old computers that we receive, please contact Janet at janet@growinguphealthy.org

• Help bridge the ‘Digital Divide’! Assistance in filling out forms—whether it is a job application, one of the many online forms, or an application for public assistance—is a significant need in our community. In January 2012, Growing Up Healthy and other organizational partners, will be coordinating ‘Form Assistance Nights’ at the Faribault Public Library on the second Thursday of the month from 6 – 8 pm. At these ‘Form Assistance Nights,’ anyone can drop in for assistance with various forms and online processes. 2 – 3 volunteers are needed to staff each night. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Sara at sara@growinguphealthy.org

• Become a volunteer staff member at the Northfield LINK Center! As a staff member, you run the LINK Desk, answering questions, giving referrals, making appointments with Face-to-Face partners and other clerical tasks. Depending on your availability, you can take your own weekly shift or sign-up to be on a ‘sub list’ when other staff members are unable to come in. If you are interested, please contact Soraya at soraya@growinguphealthy.org

• Increase access to fresh, local produce for low-income families by running the SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) card reader at the Faribault Farmers’ Market (seasonal). Growing Up Healthy, in partnership with the United Way of Faribault, bought an EBT (Electronic Benefits Transfer) card reader so that low-income residents of Faribault can use their food support benefits at the Faribault Farmers’ Market to buy local produce. The market runs Saturday mornings from June – October. Growing Up Healthy provides a tent, chairs, table and all the materials—we just need you to run the machine! If you are interested in taking a Saturday or two, please contact Sara at sara@growinguphealthy.org

• Re-design the Growing Up Healthy pamphlet. Our three-fold pamphlet is in need of a makeover. If you have an interest in graphic design or an eye for how to arrange text and photos on a page, please contact Janet about updating the GUH publicity pamphlet!

 

If you have ideas for building more connections between families in Rice County, contact Growing Up Healthy coordinator Janet Lewis Muth.  janet@growinguphealthy.org