Experience
West Bank
Presented
by Brian Coyle Center in collaboration with the Sigma Alpha
Chapter of
Sigma Lambda Gamma National Sorority Inc.
Summary
Who- Brian Coyle Center's Youth Development Program and Sigma Lambda Gamma National Sorority Inc.
What- We will be providing participating local businesses/organizations with a donation jar for 5 days.
When- March 25th- March 29th, 2013
Why- To support the endeavors of the Youth Program and promote the various businesses of Cedar Riverside.
In addition- To celebrate, give thanks to our sponsors, and have one final day of fundraising, we will have a Brian Coyle Youth Development Program Showcase on March 30th from
6-8 pm in the Mississippi Room at Coffman Memorial Union.
Who
are the partners?
Brian
Coyle community Center is
located at the heart of the Cedar Riverside neighborhood of
Minneapolis. This
neighborhood is one of the most densely populated areas in the state,
with approximately 1,800 apartment units on two city blocks. Brian
Coyle Community Center offers residents an institutional-size
kitchen, six multi-purpose meeting rooms and a food shelf.
The
Coyle Center offers recreational, leadership and academic support to
over 300 neighborhood K-12th graders annually and includes
approximately 40 hours of weekly after school, weekend and summer
programming. 95%-98% of
our youth qualify for and receive free or reduced lunch at their
schools.
Sigma
Alpha Chapter of Sigma Lambda Gamma National Sorority Inc. is a Latina-based sorority with multicultural membership that strives to be the premier organization committed to providing a mechanism of empowerment to women of all cultural backgrounds. SLG is committed to academic
excellence, morals and ethics, cultural awareness, integration and
support of all communities through social interaction, and community
service. With all these principles in mind, the Minnesota members of
SLG have dedicated themselves to the support of Brian Coyle and Cedar
Riverside throughout the years.
What
is the project?
This
collaboration is looking to promote the variety and accessibility of
businesses on the West Bank, particularly of Cedar Riverside, while
providing monetary support to Brian Coyle Center's Youth
Program. Brian Coyle's Youth Program is annually supported through
grants and personal donations. Due to cuts in grants, it is nearly
impossible to run all of the programs and activities we provide to
youth from kindergarten through 25 years old.
How
are local businesses/organizations helping and who are they?
Local businesses/organizations are helping us raise money by allowing us to place
a donation jar in their space for the week of March 25th
through March 29th,
2013.
Brian Coyle and the Minnesota Gammas will support these sponsors in our many forms of social
media throughout the week and will encourage U of M students and the greater community to get out and experience what West Bank has to offer. Special thanks and recognition will be given to all local sponsors for their community efforts. Restaurants looking to do more are offering a taste of what they serve at our Brian Coyle Youth Program Showcase, our celebration/final donation event, on Saturday, March 30th, 2013.
Sponsors:
May Day Books, your local independent bookstore selling left wing literature
www.maydaybookstore.org
Midwest Mountaineering, your local source for outdoor adventure gear and expertise
www.midwestmtn.com
Mapps Coffee and Tea, serving up fresh Turkish Coffee and a warm atmosphere
www.mappscoffeeriverside.com
Afro Deli & Coffee, offering great food (prepared Halal) at a great price served quickly
www.afrodeli.com
Samiya Clothing Store, located right on Cedar with interesting goods
410 Cedar Ave S
Depth of Field yarn, operating out of two spaces and offering a beautiful mix of yarn
www.depthoffieldyarn.com
Sagal Restaurant and Coffee, a traditional and delicious Somali restaurant with character
411 Cedar Ave S
West Bank Grocery, a convenient, friendly and local grocery offering fair prices
417 Cedar Ave S
The Wienery, family owned, delicious, and featured on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives!
www.wienery.com
West Bank Diner, a fresh take on Somali and American cuisine with a twist!
http://westbankdiner.com
Halal Mini Market, known for offering friendly service
410 Cedar Ave S
The Red Sea Bar and Restaurant, a famed bar, restaurant and music venue in MPLS
www.redseaclub.com
Dilla Ethiopian Restaurant*, look for the fabulous options with student ID!
www.dillasethiopianrestaurant.com
*Dilla's will not be offering a donation jar on site, but will provide sambusas for the celebration.
Where
will the final celebration be?
The
celebration will be held at the Mississippi Room (3rd
floor) in Coffman Memorial Union on Saturday, March 30th
from 6 to 8 pm. At this celebration we will outline how much money we
have raised, thank our sponsors individually, give a special
recognition to the winning sponsor (that raised the most throughout the week) and hold a final donation raffle
that U of M student organizations can take part in. This will also be
a time for Brian Coyle youth participants to join in on the fun. They
will be a part of the presentations and we will be showcasing a few
of our k-8th
service projects, and give more in depth information on our programs
and activities and how people can become more involved.
Q
& A
Where
is Brian Coyle?
420
15th
Ave S. Minneapolis, MN 55454. We are located directly across from the
Riverside Plaza and Mixed Blood Theater and next to Currie Park.
What
are the links for the social media websites mentioned?
-On
Facebook we are represented by the “Minnesota Gammas” and the
work profiles of Teresa Gonzalez, Angel Peluso, Burhan Mohumed, and Mahdi Abdi. Look up our event page, "Experience West Bank Donation Drive!"
-On
Instagram and twitter our hashtag is #briancoylelove and will use #experiencewestbank to promote the weeklong event.
-On
Blogspot our website is http://briancoyleyouth.blogspot.com
How
much money do you hope to raise and for what?
We
hope to raise $1000 to supplement our program and
fund new and upcoming projects.
10%
will go to K-8th school
and art supplies
10%
will go to buying new/used books
10%
will go to buying supplies for sports and games (this will include
balls, board games, and other items for active play)
20%
will go to the implementation of our new Friday Free Talks for teens
(this will cover food, transportation and unforseen expenses throughout the
remainder of the academic year)
50%
will go to the implementation of our Teen Study Skills Workshops over
Spring Break (this will provide participating youth with gift cards,
dinner for the evening, a field trip and fun activities)
Any
money raised over $1500 will go towards FANS (Furthering
Achievement through a Network of Support), our scholarship group for
high school students. The money will be added directly to the
scholarship fund.
Can
you tell me more about the youth program and what you do?
Our programs are based on youth voice and developing the skills to make positive choices. All age groups have opportunities for service learning, particularly our Action CREW (our middle school age group) who work to improve the community. For our sports oriented students, we have a 4th-8th boys and girls leagues particular to the seasons.
For our teens, along with daily tutoring, we offer safe spaces to hang out, open computer lab and open gym. We also have FANS or Furthering Achievement through a Network of Support, which is our scholarship program for 16 students yearly. In this program we work on College Readiness, Healthy Decision-making, Leadership, and Service.
Our young women have the opportunity to be a part of our Sisterhood group, a group that is defined and developed by the participants and facilitated by one of our Youth Development Team members. Throughout the year Sisterhood has transformed into an entrepreneurial group dedicated to creating a thrift store for the benefit of the community. They have named themselves the Sisterhood of the Traveling Scarf and are working hard to develop their project.
And our young men get to take part in Brotherhood, a similar program offering opportunities for positive growth and the development of solidarity.
Our
Fridays are getting fired up with our newest endeavor, Free Talk
Friday, whose mission is to discuss culture and age appropriate
topics that are relevant to the teens at the center in an interactive
manner. Every Friday, from 4:30pm to 5:30 pm teens will be given a
safe space and a platform to freely talk about their lives; the
things that they see in school, home and their community.
We
also hold a plethora of events regarding college/career prep for our
teens, like a FAFSA night, scholarship research night, and our
upcoming Teen Study Skills Workshop Week. We are also open to working
with you/your organization in creating a one-time event or an
activity that showcases your skills or the skills of your
organization. If your group has an idea, feel free to shoot us a
proposal and we will get back to you in a timely manner.
Want
to see more?
Check
out our videos on youtube, “Brian Coyle Moving Like Bernie,”
“Brian Coyle Bullying,” “Brian Coyle Youth Programs poetry
@open book,” and “brian coyle vid," and "Brian Coyle Community Center"
Do
you have a question that we did not address?
Please
feel free to email, Teresa Gonzalez. She is the liaison between SLG
and Brian Coyle Community Center. Her information is listed below.
Teresa
Gonzalez
Out of School Time Lead Educator & Advocate
Pillsbury United Communities
420 15th Ave South Minneapolis, MN 55454
Tel (612)338-5282| gonzalezt@puc-mn.org
Out of School Time Lead Educator & Advocate
Pillsbury United Communities
420 15th Ave South Minneapolis, MN 55454
Tel (612)338-5282| gonzalezt@puc-mn.org
