Experience West Bank Donation Drive!

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 29^th, 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 30^th 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 25^th through March 29^th, 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 (3^rd floor) in Coffman Memorial Union on Saturday, March 30^th 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-8^th 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 15^th 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-8^th 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?

 

We have kindergarten through 12^th grade afterschool tutoring Monday through Thursday.  Our tutors work with students on a variety of subjects, between 2:30 and 8 pm. Our k-8th end their tutoring time by 5pm, but our high schoolers may receive tutoring throughout the entirety of the afternoon and evening hours. Our k-8^th daily afterschool activities, which our tutors can also be a part of, include technology, gym, art, boys’ and girls’ groups, and more.

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-8^th 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