Whole Foods Donates Over $5,000 to Freeport West Through Their
"One Dime at a Time” Program
Recently, Whole Foods Market donated over $5,000 to Freeport West as part of their “One Dime at a Time” program. This program is part of an initiative of Whole Foods to encourage shoppers to
re-use their own shopping bags for their purchased groceries. Customers have the choice to accept a $.10 cash refund on each bag brought into the store or donate the cash back to the store’s selected nonprofit organization of the month. Through a grant application process, Freeport West was selected as one of Whole Foods nonprofits of the month and earned this donation through the generosity of Whole Foods and their patrons.
The donation received through the “One Dime at a Time” program will support Freeport West’s meals program at the Freeport Saint Paul Youth Center located in the Selby Avenue neighborhood of Saint Paul. These meals not only prevent poor nutrition and hunger among the youth served at Freeport Saint Paul, but also provide them with a sense of community in a positive and supportive environment. Participation in the meals program also keeps youth involved in other Freeport programming that provides guidance and education in the areas of housing, job readiness, health and wellness, education, leadership development and life skills.
On behalf of Freeport West staff and program participations, we thank Whole Foods and their patrons for their generous support.
A Remarkable 76 Young Men Graduate from Project Step Up!
John Robinson, who spearheads Project Step Up at Freeport West commented about the impact of the program, "These young men began to think about their lives differently than what they were used-to. They worked hard at finding out "who they are," and to develop a positive idea for what they want their futures to consist of. I believe in each one of them,... that they will be making good decisions and better choices for themselves going forward!"
Project Step Up is a Freeport violence prevention program that through mentorship, teaches young men positive alternatives to violence when confronted with challenging life situations. A dedicated group of 76 young men age 13 to 17 recently completed the 7 week course which included discussion groups, guest speakers, community service and field trips.
Discussion topics ranged from self-respect, self-control, self-love, dignity, empowerment, leadership, the value of education and more. Guest speakers from the community provided these young men with inspiration and critical perspective—and included peace officers, leadership consultants, motivational speakers, chemical dependency counselors, ex-gang members, pastors and probation officers.
Project Step Up participants expanded their horizons and sense of community as well— through field trips and events that included experiencing live theater, visits to the MN History Museum, a fun day at Valley Fair, participating in National Night Out and routinely playing basketball together!
 Freeport Saint Paul Youth Center’s National
Night Out Celebration Brings the Rondo Community Together
Freeport Saint Paul hosted its 3rd Annual National Night Out Celebration on Tuesday, August 3rd. Nearly 300 guests from the Saint Paul Rondo neighborhood gathered outside the Youth Center on Selby Avenue. The evening began with a barbeque and guest speakers, City Councilmember Melvin Carter and Saint Paul Police Chief Tom Smith, welcoming community members to the event. Both speakers shared memories and stories of their experiences in the neighborhood and thanked those present for coming out.Click here to read the full story.
Click here to view the photo slideshow.
Local Youth Build Awareness About Violence Through Youth Written and Acted Performance
Freeport West’s Saint Paul Youth Center announced today that the summer performance of Create-A-Play will be held on August 25th, 2010 at SteppingStone Theatre in Saint Paul.Click here to read full press release.
Freeport West honors Minneapolis & Saint Paul Police During National Police Week
May 10 – 14, 2010: Click here to read full press release.
Freeport West & SteppingStone Theatre present Create-A-Play May 12, 2010:
Click here to read full press release.
Freeport West Launching New Housing Initiative Supporting Teen Mothers: Click here to read full press release.
Freeport Saint Paul featured in the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder– December 22, 2009
Motorcycle Club Brings Holiday Surprise to At-Risk Youth
Nearly 200 youth participants and parents attended the Freeport Saint Paul Youth Center Holiday Celebration on Friday, December 18. The evening jumped off to an energetic start with a performance by a youth hip hop dance team, the Immortal Dancers, followed by a motivational speech from former WNBA player Tamara Moore. |
