The Richard Hebert Family Foundation Fund, a fund in the Northwest Minnesota Foundation family of funds, has granted $20,000 to the Lakes Area Yes Network to support its efforts in bringing free summer programming directly to the children around Calloway, Frazee, Waubun, and White Earth.
The Lakes Area Yes Network, an expansion of a program started in St. Cloud, specifically works to avoid transportation challenges by bringing summer programming directly to the children.
“Enrichment activities, STEM projects, art, music, reading, recreation, field trips and free play are all components of the program,” wrote Mike Labine, who established the Lakes Area Yes Network and serves as its director. “No longer will parents be expected to take off work or drive many miles each direction to give their children opportunities. Lakes Area Yes Network will bring the opportunities to them.”
As soon as school lets out for the year, the Yes Network gets to work, ensuring its staff are well-trained in trauma-informed care, Indigenous culture, food safety, and more. Each site has five staff who work to cultivate connections with and between the children in each community. The staff is comprised primarily of high-schoolers from the areas served by the program.
The children experience a 12-week program that includes two meals a day, and hands-on opportunities to learn about STEM, art, music, and more. Every two weeks, there is an outing. This past summer, those included visits to Itasca State Park, the Children’s Science Museum in Detroit Lakes, and a fishing trip that fostered explorative learning.
“Kids can build confidence and see that there is more out for them,” Mike said. “They can build connections on a personal level.”
The nonprofit currently has requests to expand its locations to include Mahnomen and Pelican Rapids beginning in 2025. To learn more about the Yes Network, visit https://www.lakesareayesnetwork.org/ or visit its Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/lakesareayesnetwork
Are you interested in learning more about how to establish a donor advised fund at Northwest Minnesota Foundation? One benefit of such a fund is that the donor directs its giving to support efforts that mean the most to them. To learn more, visit https://nwmf.org/donors-giving/ways-to-give/donor-advised-funds or email giving@nwmf.org to connect with a philanthropy officer.
