Advocacy Services: - The center advocates in areas of civil and human rights, employment/disability benefits, housing, transportation, and on the state, local, and federal levels Equipment Loaner Closet: - Loans a range of home medical equipment including wheelchairs, walkers, power chairs, canes, transfer benches, raised toilet seats, and more. Equipment are available on a first come first served basis and will hold equipment for a 24-hour period. - Swap Shop: A self-directed equipment listing available for persons shopping/looking for used equipment. Information and Referral: - Up-to-date disability information and referrals to various agencies and individuals within the region - Other Services: Includes disability benefits application assistance, housing assistance, emergency disaster preparedness plan, and more Nursing Facility Transition: - Assist individuals living with a disability to identify in transition from nursing facilities and other institutions into community settings with the goal of preventing institutionalization Peer Support: - Assists individuals living with a disability to identify goals and work to create a unique plan to achieve those goals - Match interested consumers with a peer mentor who provides support, problem-solving, social skills, and more Personal Assistance: - Offer skills instruction curriculum for individuals living with a disability the fundamentals of managing their personal attendant care including how to hire, manage, and more Recreational Groups: - Holds various events for individuals with a disability or a health condition to meet and socialize with others through dances, parties, picnics, and outings Staying and Aging in Place/Accessibility Assistance: - Offers accessible modification assistance and accessibility assessments for homes and businesses for safe access and increased independence in people's homes and businesses Support Groups: - Various support groups are available to individuals who want learn more about their particular disability, wanting peer support, or first-hand information on how to manage their disability. Some support groups are directly coordinated by Options and others are independent. Youth Transition Services: - Assist youth ages 14 - 22 years who are transitioning from high school into the next phase of their life with learning the skills necessary and acquiring the resources needed to be successful

A community-based youth development program working with youth ages 5-18 years to nurture personal growth and to support, inspire, and guide them toward a future of unlimited opportunities. The program provides tools and services in the form of mentors, after school programs, community events, and group activities to help youth navigate the challenges of growing up healthy, safe, and prepared for success. Services may include: - Healthy friendships - Life and leadership skills - Mentorship program lasting 2-4 hours a month or more - Personal well-being - Social skills

The Restorative Justice Mentoring Program provides a one-on-one relationship between a youth in need of support and guidance and a positive, caring adult mentor.

Provides a mentoring program for youth ages 12 - 18 in grades 6 - 12. Every youth is matched with a mentor who meets with them one-on-one each month. Includes a safe place for youth to hang out, connect, have fun, and participate in recreational activities.

Adult volunteers are matched with youth to: - Help kids stay in school - Help improve youth's self-esteem - Help youth set career goals - Teach youth how to relate and communicate better with others

- Mentoring program which matches adult role models with at-risk youth to provide social and recreational interaction - School-site mentoring available for adults to meet with children in the classroom or on the playground for mentoring - REACH program: Serves Owatonna Middle School students in grades 6th - 8th who have high academic potential but face obstacles in their lives by providing each student with a one-to-one mentor and friend

Mentoring program serving youth (ages 5-17) in Meeker County

A mentoring program for children that improves lives by facilitating quality relationships with caring adult volunteers for the purpose of promoting stability, support, friendship, and community. The mentor and mentee spend a couple hours together at least two times per month. Accepting both adult volunteers to become mentors and referrals of children who would benefit from having a mentor.

One-to-one mentoring program which matches volunteer adult mentors to young people

Offers educational programs such as: - Best Buy Teen Tech Center: A drop-in space for teens ages 14 - 18 to be creative and develop new skills. The center helps youth expand their interests and discover career paths through technology-based projects in programming, film-making, music production, graphic design, and much more. - Citizenship Classes: Prepare students to pass the United States Citizenship exam successfully. Classes are taught in English only. The class topics include the process of becoming a citizen, United States history and government, interview preparation and practice, study materials, and other resources. - English Language Classes (ESL): Classes open to anyone who would like to improve their English skills. Students learn how to read, write, speak, and understand the English language while also gaining essential life skills that will better prepare them to navigate life in the United States. Classes are offered online on Zoom. - GED Preparation Classes: Help students prepare to take the GED (High School Equivalent) exam. Classes cover all testing subjects, including math, social studies, science, and language arts (grammar and writing). Classes are offered in person, while Math courses are offered online on Zoom. - Youth in Action (YA!): A Latine-focused youth program for 9th - 12th grade students in the Twin Cities Area providing mentorship, leadership development, skill-building opportunities, college preparation, community service-learning projects, and innovative programs.

An activity-based mentoring program that matches at-promise youth with volunteer adult mentors who participate together in goal-centered, one-on-one relationships. - Youth are matched with their mentors for one year and meet weekly for 2 - 4 hours. Throughout the one-year program, the mentors and youth develop goals (one physical activity, and one academic), have new experiences, and attend a variety of events with other mentors and mentees of the program. - Youth and their mentors attend agency events based on four programming pillars: Healthy Living, Lifelong Learning, Emotional Development, and Community Connectivity. - Youth and their families receive case management/support, and referrals for services. Mentors also have a network of support throughout their year of volunteering.

Offers a variety of support groups. - Abuse Tuesdays: Provides a safe place for those recovering from an abusive relationship. Provided at the Lakeville campus. - Cancer Support Group: For individuals with cancer or their loved ones. Provided at the Lakeville campus. - Codependency: Encourages the development of healthy boundaries for individuals who experience an emotional or psychological reliance on someone else, possibly due to an illness or addiction. Provided at the Lakeville campus. - Divorce Care: For individuals who are divorced, separated, or in the process of divorce. Provided at the Lakeville campus. - Freedom from Addictions and Abuse: Provides a safe place for individuals recovering from addictions related to gambling, drugs, alcohol, food, and more. Provided at the Lakeville campus. - Freedom from Anxiety: Support for people struggling with anxiety. Provided at the Lakeville campus. - GriefShare: Offers support and encouragement for those who are grieving the death of a loved one. Provided at the Lakeville, Shakopee, and Northfield campuses. - Grief's Road to Emmaus: Provides care and support for those experiencing the loss of a child. Provided at all campuses. - Hispanic Spanish Life and Faith Group: Provides a supportive environment for people looking to make healthier choices in life and their faith journey. Provided at the Lakeville campus. - Men's Purity group: Provides healthy steps toward freedom from pornography and sexual addictions. Provided at the Lakeville campus. - TreeHouse for Teens: Provides mentoring for youth ages 10 -18 to receive support, guidance, and practical skills in making better choices. Provided at the Lakeville campus. - Victory Over the Struggles of Life: Provides a supportive and encouraging environment for people encountering depression, emotional stress, boundary issues, mental health, and more. Provided at the Lakeville campus.

Providing the following services: - Accessibility Services, include ramp design ?- Advocacy ?- Assertiveness ?- Benefits Management ?- Community education and support groups ?- Cooking/nutrition ?- Financial Management ?- Housing ?- Housing referral ?- Independent living skills training ?- Information and referral and advocacy ?- Peer mentor services ?- Transition services ?- Work with schools in the area ?- Work with veterans, possible areas of skills training include, but not limited to: ?- Self-esteem ?- Vocational ?- Relationships ?- Safety

A mentorship program that pairs Gustavus students and youth with developmental delays from Saint Peter and the surrounding communities to foster friendship and personal growth.

Program provides mentorship that pairs Gustavus students with youth from Saint Peter and the surrounding communities to foster friendship and personal growth.

A program in which a mentor is matched with an elementary school student and goes to the school to eat lunch with the student once a week. The mentor shares lunch and conversation with their mentee and then, at most schools, there is time to play board games, go out onto the playground, etc. with the mentee. Provides children who need it most with a caring adult to act as an advocate and support system in order to increase social and emotional skills.

Job exploration counseling: - - Career mentorship - - Identification of career pathways of interest to students - - In-demand industries and occupations - - Informational interviews - - Job shadowing - - Non-traditional employment options - - Skills verification - - The labor market - - Vocational interests - - Workplace tours/field trips Work Based Learning: Uses the workplace or real work to provide students with the knowledge and skills that will help them connect school experiences to real-life work activities and future career opportunities. - - Career mentorship - - Informational interviews - - Job shadowing - - Paid and non-paid work based learning internships - - Paid and non-paid work experience - - Practicum - - Service learning - - Student-led enterprises - - Volunteering - - Workplace tours/field trips - - Youth apprenticeships Counseling on Postsecondary Education: Options may include - - - Advising students and parents or representatives on academic curricula - - Completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) - - Providing information about college application and admissions processes - - Providing resources that may be used to support individual student success in education and training (i.e., disability support services) Workplace Readiness Training: Teaches skills such as - - - Communication and interpersonal skills - - Financial literacy, benefits planning - - Job-seeking skills - - Navigating transportation options - - Understanding employer expectations for punctuality and performance, as well as other "soft" skills necessary for employment - - Utilizing assistive technology effectively Self-advocacy: Provides instruction including - - - Learning about personal rights and responsibilities - - Learning how to request accommodations, or services and supports - - Mentoring with educational staff such as principals, nurses, teachers, or office staff - - Participating in youth leadership activities offered in educational or community settings - - Peer mentoring from individuals with disabilities working in competitive integrated employment

Promotes youth development by instilling a sense of accomplishment, competence, belonging, and usefulness. Programs: - Academic success: Goal is for every member to graduate on time with a plan for their future, whether that plan is post-secondary or a career. Homework help, tutoring, mentoring, chess club, computer classes, and career exploration. - Character and leadership: Offers programs designed to help members practice and strengthen leadership and problem-solving skills. Community service and support groups. - Healthy lifestyles: Programs help members learn how to engage in positive behaviors, set personal goals and grow into self-sufficient adults who can make healthy choices. Yoga, exercise classes, gardening instruction, and gym time. - The arts: Offers a variety of arts programming so that members can learn to express themselves through visual arts, applied arts and performing arts in a safe space. Painting, drawing, and bracelet making.

Intensive, 8-week program that uses interactive learning experiences to prepare youth for life and leadership. Participants who complete the program gain life skills in a variety of realms, including financial literacy, coping skills, healthy relationships, and educational and career planning. Units include: - Coping Skills - Education - Getting to Know Me - Law and Legal Rights - Money Management - Relations and Relationships - Respect and Responsibility - Who I Am and Who I Will Be Also provides ongoing mentorship and needs-based education.

Provides support for parents involved in the child protection system by helping them navigate their way through a challenging process. The goal is to support parents through reunification or the best possible outcome with their children. - Navigating the Process: Informing parents on what to expect and attending court dates and meetings with them - Navigating the Case Plan: Making sure the parent has a voice - Connecting Parents with Resources: Helping parents access community services - Coaching on Parenting Strategies: Sharing tips and insights on how to protect the child's well-being - Offering an Empathetic Ear: Listens, supports, plans, and problem solves with parents In addition to aiding parents through the legal process, Parent Mentors help families establish healthy environments for their children by using protective factors: - Concrete support for parents - Knowledge of parenting and of child and youth development - Parental resilience - Social and emotional competence of children - Social connections

Veterans employment services includes: - Assessment for marketable skills - Career planning - Job search and application help - Other support services Coordinate Salute Southern MN program for duty soldiers, guard members, reservists, veterans, and their families. Offers: - Networking events: Meet real employers and make connections - On-going career advancement: Engage with employers in the career fields that you're interested in - Mentorship: Mentors help with navigating career, family, and life challenges

Promotes youth development by instilling a sense of accomplishment, competence, belonging, and usefulness. Programs: - Academic success: Goal is for every member to graduate on time with a plan for their future, whether that plan is post-secondary or a career. Homework help, tutoring, mentoring, chess club, computer classes, and career exploration. - Character and leadership: Offers programs designed to help members practice and strengthen leadership and problem-solving skills. Community service and support groups. - Healthy lifestyles: Programs help members learn how to engage in positive behaviors, set personal goals and grow into self-sufficient adults who can make healthy choices. Yoga, exercise classes, gardening instruction, and gym time. - The arts: Offers a variety of arts programming so that members can learn to express themselves through visual arts, applied arts and performing arts in a safe space. Painting, drawing, and bracelet making.

Provides a network of local churches into a partnership that links their resources and services to help community members in need as well as providing a chance to engage with the person. Resources and services provided include: - Appliances ?- Clothing - Financial counseling ??- Furniture - Household items - Information and referral to community resources - Mentoring - Minor car repairs - Transportation to appointments - Vacuums - Winter clothing All services are dependent on volunteer availability and donations; there is no guarantee of receiving services or assistance. Donation accepted are both monetary and personal care items, kitchen items, storage and garbage supplies, and laundry soaps and detergent.

- Hands on mentorship program and experience through mechanic work and an auto repair program - Wheels also accepts donated vehicles and has an auto lot where our vehicles are for sale

Program is designed to support adoption as a life-long experience. Services include: - Counseling, educational workshops, support groups, homeland tours, and public education for those involved in adoption - Domestic intermediary services for birth parents and adopted persons doing search/outreach - Help in obtaining genetic background histories for adopted persons seeking medical information - International intermediary services for adoptive families and adopted persons doing search/outreach - Post-adoption therapy for attachment problems