Growing Times - Jan. '23

Click here to download a PDF version of our Winter Newsletter!

What Makes Us So Special?

A Chance To Grow is a special place for many reasons, not the least of which is our Turnquist Child Enrichment Center, that primarily serves young families that require county assistance to receive childcare services.

These parents, many of whom are still teenagers, are faced with countless obstacles that prevent them, and their children, from reaching their full potential. We understand their struggle and have implemented initiatives like our Teen Parent Transportation Program and free food pantry to help them establish a solid foundation on which to build their lives. But our services extend even further, beyond any other childcare program in the Twin Cities, by providing our integrated Clinical Services to each child in our Turnquist family. >> Continue Reading

---

Vision Clinic Accepting New Clients!

Are you or a loved one struggling to see clearly? Do you need an annual checkup? Then come SEE us! We offer  screenings and therapies to meet the whole family’s eye care needs. Our friendly optometric team is dedicated to helping individuals of all ages obtain optimal vision through custom treatment plans. Whether it’s glasses, contacts, preventative eye care or disease management, our Clinic and OptomEYES Vision Therapy services are here to help you SEE your full potential!

Scheduling Request

---

'23 S.M.A.R.T. Workshops Begin Next Month

The first S.M.A.R.T. Workshops of 2023 begin in February! Learn about a developing brain and how S.M.A.R.T.’s movement-based activities will ENERGIZE your student’s learning readiness. Don’t miss your chance to experience this transformational workshop!

Register today! 

• S.M.A.R.T. Workshop
  ​February 21-23, 2023
• ​S.M.A.R.T. Pre-K Workshop
  February 28-March 2, 2023​

​​Registration is open for all Elementary & Pre-K workshops! Our experienced instructors will help you understand how to easily implement these brain-stimulating activities in your classroom.

​*All workshops will be held in Minneapolis, MN. Register two weeks in advance and save $25!

---

S.M.A.R.T. Steps Program Expands!

The S.M.A.R.T. Steps program - a pilot project designed to bring the S.M.A.R.T. program to Family Child Care providers - has begun its 4th cohort, with nearly 80 providers from around the state enrolled  in 2023.

Special thanks to the Mardag Foundation, who recently awarded ACTG $25,000 to expand the program to the middle and northern regions of Minnesota. Additionally, we want to thank the Fred C. and Katherine B. Andersen Foundation for their steadfast support of this project, as well as the Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation, the Northland Foundation, and the Initiative Foundation for helping to cover participant costs for 100 new providers across the state.

---

New Year, New Focus with Neurofeedback Brain Training

​Happy New Year! Do you have a lot of resolutions you hoping to achieve in 2023? Feeling overwhelmed or stressed by it all?
​We can help!

A Chance To Grow's Neurofeedback Brain Training is a great way to stay calm and focused all year long. Non-linear dynamical Neurofeedback is a holistic tool that trains the brain to become more resilient, helping clients feel more relaxed and focused while often improving sleep. It allows individuals to become more aware of their body's natural rhythms, helping mind and body to reach a state of optimal regulation. Learn more!

Free Consultation Request

---

MNRI Courses Return to ACTG this Spring!

A Chance To Grow will be hosting two Masgutova Neurosensorimotor Reflex Integration (MNRI) courses this spring at its facility in Northeast Minneapolis. The first course, titled Dynamic and Postural Reflex Integration, runs from April 21-24, 2023 and is led by Trina Deiss. The course focuses on the importance of primary motor reflex pattern maturation. Cost is $756.

The second course, titled Proprioceptive and Cognitive Integration, runs from May 19-21, 2023, and is led by Theresa Fischer. In this course, participants explore links between the proprioceptive
and cognitive systems. Cost is $576. To learn more or register for either course, please visit  www.masgutovamethod.com/events. For all other questions, please call (612) 706-5553.

---

Thank you, Edith!

Last month, we said goodbye to a long-time member of our ACTG family, Edith Lockhart. For more than 18 years, she served in our Home-Based Services department, helping hundreds of families receive the care and support they needed to achieve independence.

“She was an essential member of our team and we will miss her greatly. The dedication and loyalty to the agency, as well as the PCA’s she managed and the families she served, has been outstanding and admirable. We know that she will excel in her new adventure and wish her all the best! Thank you, Edith!” - Erica Dickerson, ACTG Executive Director

---

Save the Date: 2023 Race for the Children!

A Chance To Grow is excited to announce we will be holding our 32nd Running of the Race for the Children event on Sunday, August 20, 2023 at Canterbury Park in Shakopee, MN. Event details, sponsorship and registration information will be shared later this year. Proceeds from the event support the essential programs and services of A Chance To Grow. Contact us at (612) 789-1236 to learn more!

Learn More!

---

28th Annual MN Autism Conference

A Chance To Grow will be a sponsor and exhibitor at the 28th Annual Minnesota Autism Conference on April 26-28, 2023 at the Marriott Minneapolis Airport Hotel. The conference will have keynote speakers and breakout sessions featuring experts, educators, caregivers, parents and direct support professionals in an effort to connect, collaborate, educate and advocate for the Austim community. More event details and registration information can be found at www.ausm.org/events/state-autism-conference. ​

---

Sheet Metal Connectors, Inc. Helps Turnquist Families!

Over the years, our friends at Sheet Metal Connectors, Inc. have made many generous contributions in support of A Chance To Grow’s mission. Recently, they donated $2,000 worth of gift cards to the 40 families at our Turnquist Child Enrichment Center, with each family receiving $50 to help them through the holidays. Thank you Sheet Metal Connectors for your steadfast support of the families we serve, we are truly grateful!

We would also like to sincerely thank the Minnesota Department of Health, who awarded us $2,500 to purchase and install a new hydration station in our lobby, ensuring access to clean and safe water for our clients and staff.