Our Journey Continues!

Some people say the best things in life are free, but I beg to differ! In fact for the past 3 months I have been working to make “Village Child” a dream come true, and it has been a lot of hard work. Of course I could not do it without the help of such great people such as Aaron Hickman, Stacy Kimbrough, Jerry Moore, Calvin Buchannan, my friend Sandy, Lutunji Abram and of course my village children.

Thus far “Village Child” has been run off of my personal funds and pro bono services from those in the community. However with over 12 families who have been consistently involved with our program the need to take things a step further was inevitable. With the help from the Board, I am proud to say we are headed in the right direction.

In the year end message I challenged each of our followers to prepare to get involved with Village Child. As we prepare to launch a “Pilot Project” this fall, the need for financial support and volunteer services will hit an all-time high. Why, some might ask well let me be frank with you. Minnesota has the highest achievement gap in the nation for minorities, the suspension rate in Minneapolis and Osseo school districts for “Blacks” is well over 60%, the graduation rate for minorities in the US has fell to an all time low, and the group most affected by the unemployment rate are minorities. If the reasons given were not enough for you, think about this. In the past month two major non-profits that have serviced minority communities have closed, The City Inc of Minneapolis and LaFamilia of St. Paul. Although the doors of these non profits have closed, the needs for the families still remain.

I will not debate about what led up to the doors of these two pivotal non profits closing, but what I will say is that lack of funding played a major part in both. As Village Child prepares to expand, it would be foolish of me not to look at how the trends of our industry are being affected and how those trends affect us. With a background in Business Management, I am forced to look at alternative ways to supplement our programs. What that means is we will be calling on our community to step up and take care of our children. We will need volunteers, mentors, corporate professionals, sponsors, donors, and much more.  Some of our followers are in other States and even other Countries, we are also calling on you.  One thing I do know is that it can be done if we all work together!

On May 7, 2011, Village Child will be having our first fundraiser here in Minnesota. Although I will not give specific details at this time, I will say that we have an exciting event that we are planning and I hope to see each and every one of you there are take part in some way.  With the event being a silent auction, we are asking people to donate items that could be auctioned off. Examples of items are the following: art work, services from their business, jewelry, hotel stays, flat-screen TV’s, gift cards, laptop computer, computers, surround sound systems, and much more. All interested parties can contact me Mary at 612-275-0877.

I want to thank each of you in advance and leave you with this final thought. We have become so obsessed with the material things, our jobs, food we put into our bodies, and our own successes that we have forgot our most important assets, our children. This year as we began to receive our income tax refunds, why not donate to Village Child a cause that can change a child’s life? After all we are changing the world one village at a time!

Executive Director and Founder

Mary Anderson

It's Time to Say Good Bye!

It’s time to say good bye to the year of 2010. For those of you who have supported Village Child this year, I personally want to say thank you. I could go down a long list of supporters who have donated their time, money, work, and so much more yet it would not reflect the gratitude that I have for you.

You see, Village Child started out 33 years ago when a child named Mary Anderson was brought into this world. Her first 5 years of life was spent with her mother, brother, sister, grandmother and grandfather in a little town called Huntington, West Virginia. Unfortunately, like many children who experienced hardship in the home, she was torn away from her family.  At such a young age Mary thought that this would be the end, instead it only proved to be the beginning of one of the many God given purposes of her life. Village Child is a program that is based upon the concepts, ideas, morals, values, and support system Mary received from community members throughout her life.

As Village Child embarks upon a new year, expect to hear more about our founder, our programs, and our purpose.  Yet as we move forward we ask each of you to ask yourselves how can you make Village Child a better program? For some of you it may be volunteering time by tutoring a child. For others it may come in a form of mentorship, what you are doing now may be the answer to a troubled child or adult’s life. For others help will come in the form of an in-kind donation or monetary value.  Just remember every one of us has had someone invest into our lives and as a result, we are all “Village Children”!

Wishing you a Happy New Year,

Executive Director and Founder

Mary Anderson

Welcome!

Anyone who has ever started a non-profit knows that it can be challenging. For Village Child, we know this first hand. However behind every great organization you will find a few faithful individuals such as Aaron Hickman, Stacy Kimbrough, and Calvin Buchanan.

 Aaron Hickman, who serves as the Chairman of the Board for Village Child, brings a rich wealth of experience, knowledge, and connections. Mr. Hickman, who has recently relocated back to Minnesota from California, has an extensive background in Corporate America and Volunteerism. With a degree in Business Management His experience working in a law firm has taught him the value of public policy, order, and the significance of knowing your rights. Since childhood, Mr. Hickman has volunteered by giving his time and service to the communities in which he has lived. Taking time out to mentor youth, donating his own personal money, and helping to produce such shows as “Don’t Believe the Hype”, and “Hoop Dreams Reunion”, Aaron Hickman exemplifies the true meaning of “Village Child”.

Stacy Kimbrough, the Treasurer for Village Child, has a Bachelors of Science Degree in Construction Management and currently owns her own business “Stacy Cakes”. Stacy has worked in the financial industry for the past 8 years serving as a tax consultant, mortgage under writer, loan closer, and personal debt manager. Mrs. Kimbrough has done pro bono work, volunteered her time, and made both in kind donations and financial contributions to organizations such as Village Child, Sanctuary Covenant Church, Girl’s Scouts of America, and victims of Hurricane Katrina. Stacy’s humble attitude and willingness to go the extra mile is just two of the many assets’ she brings to Village Child.

Calvin Buchanan currently works for Christiansen: Creative, is a father of two and a husband of one. Mr. Buchanan has designed for companies such as: Penumbra Theatre, Fraser, SVC and much more. Mr. Buchanan has won many awards, such as the 2009 American Graphic Design Awards, and 2009 Platinum Marcom Award. Calvin Buchanan has done an exceptional job in his line of work and has donated his time to design the logo and website for Village Child. For a closer look at Mr. Buchanan’s work please visit www.designandcalvin.com.

Our team here at Village Child is growing, and as you can see what we have is nothing less than extraordinary. Please join me as we welcome Aaron Hickman, Stacy Kimbrough, and Calvin Buchanan!

Preserving Our Heritage

There is a saying “you don’t know what you have until it is gone”.  About 2 ½ years ago this saying became real to me. Born in West Virginia, I relocated to Minnesota during elementary school. I remained in Minnesota during my childhood, yet somewhere along the way I began to resent the state I now call home.

 Although I had very vivid memories of West Virginia, I truly did not know what to expect as I prepared to move back to Huntington, West Virginia.  Without going into details, as soon as I moved, I realized that Minnesota was a prized jewel that I had mistakenly thrown away. There was not a day that went by  I did not dream of the festivals, ethnic foods, and the diversity that proudly makes up the Twin Cities area. In fact there are so many diverse activities in Minnesota, I think we have grown numb to the significance that these customs bring.

Take for instance this month, can you tell me one activity that is going on in your area surrounding Hispanic Heritage Month? Most people are not able to answer this question, or know that  September  15, 2010 started National Hispanic Heritage Month. This celebration has been around since August of 1988. The purpose of the 30 day celebration is to celebrate "the histories, cultures, and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America". With 5 days into Hispanic Heritage month, the remaining 20 days I will attempt to Blog about Hispanic Heritage. In the mean time, why not stop by and support a local event in your neighborhood? If you are in the Minneapolis area the Hennepin County Library will be hosting a number of events. The performances will showcase Latin American Folkloric music, Aztec ceremonial dance, and metal tooling for kids just to name a few.  For more information please visit www.hclib.org or call 952-847-5669. Another great option is to stop by the Afro-Brazilian Capoeira Association in Minneapolis. Capoeira is an art form that combines martial arts, music, dance, and cultural tradition that was created by African slaves in Brazil. I personally want to try this class myself!  For more information, visit www.abcapoeira.com.  You can also share this blog with an individual who may not have known about Hispanic Heritage Month.

You may not participate in the activities I have suggested, and that is OK. All I ask is please do something for Hispanic Heritage Month. After all you don’t know what you have until it is gone!

Source- Cited source was taken from the National Hispanic Heritage Month web page,  (www.hispanicheritagemonth.gov/about/ ).