Above: Gospel powerhouse group, JoVonta Patton & DFY rocked the house at BLACK History Showcase, February 18th, 2011. The spoken word, dance, rap, r&b and gospel event was produced by the PCY Discovery Crew. Click here for more photos.
The Beam is designed to keep you up to date and in the loop on North Minneapolis partnerships, programs and people. This monthly "quick read" provides current news briefs from NorthWay Community Trust and its partners.



For more information, please contact Shawntera at Shawntera@impactminnesota.org or James at James_PublicPolicyProject@msn.com

Northway Community Trust has been a long time partner and financial supporter of this collaboration. NPAC was formed to provide an effective legislative voice for North Minneapolis residents. This forum is an effort to educate North Minneapolis residents on issues being discussed at the State Capitol that may effect them."

PLEASE JOIN US March 15, 2011, 6:30 pm - 8:00pm
UROC, 2001 Plymouth Avenue North, Minneapolis

Proposed Agenda Navigating the Political Landscape at the State Capitol Northside-Policy Action Coalition (N-PAC)

Call to Action Strategies to Connect at the Capitol
Re-Introduction to Impact Minnesota and the Northside-Policy Action Coalition (N-PAC)

Elected Official Panel Discussion Representative Bobby Jo Champion, Senator John Harrington, Representative Jeff Hayden, Representative Rena Moran
Guest speaker, Wesley Walker moved students attending The Public Policy Project, preparing North Minneapolis residents for advocacy, with his own story of civic engagement. His childhood neighborhood lost a resident in a house fire due to a lack of water pressure. Door knocking developed enough momentum to influence city decision makers to reline the sewer system. A good beginning to a powerful session in the Public Policy Training series.

Walker went on to outline strategies on how to organize with models for individuals and institutions as well as community building. Trainees stepped into character as they role played to demonstrate how to address the barriers typically encountered in this process. Everyone left convinced many of these participants will play a bigger future role in their own communities.

This collaboration between the Public Policy Project and Northway Community Trust was developed to create Northside leaders who are adept and knowledgeable about the public policy and civic engagement process. This class represents the fourth class of cohorts over the past four years. Past graduates have gone on to become candidates for elected office and board members of various community organizations.

Walker inspires a sense of purpose as James Tice looks on, "The best way to talk to people is to listen."

Role playing helps enrolees gain empathy.

Northside Achievement Zone recently launched an ambitious document called the NAZ Operating Plan. This is nearly seventy pages of detailed development, operations and assessment plans for success in 2011.

The NAZ Operating Plan calls it TURNING MOMENTUM INTO RESULTS. The plan goes on to say:

For the Northside Achievement Zone, 2011 is the year to turn the momentum of the last two years into results. NAZ has organized a group of partner organizations and schools around a common vision to give ALL children in the Zone the opportunities they need to be college-ready, and has made significant progress toward planning and enacting the strategies to achieve this vision. In order to turn its momentum into results in 2011,

NAZ will: 1. Turn interest from pilot families in the Zone into action on their achievement plans.

2. Translate commitment from the education pipeline and opportunity partners into high impact strategies accessible and aligned with families based on individual achievement plans.

3. Work with the NAZ Continuum as a guide to meet checkpoints for its initial

200 pilot families with plans for scaling up to meet checkpoints Zone-wide.

To effectively execute this effort,

NAZ is: 1. Developing a project management tracking tool shared by NAZ leadership that supports execution of the NAZ Tracker goals for operations and partner work.

2. Investing in capacity and leadership development in order to empower community members, including NAZ Connectors, families, partner organization staff, volunteers and even children themselves to drive change from within the community.

3. Building on NAZ's short-term operating and fundraising plans to create a five year business and resource development plan.

4. Creating strategic plans with action areas that are based on peer-reviewed, high impact strategies to offer to NAZ pilot families, with plans to go to scale.

NorthWay Community Trust has been in support of the Northside Achievement Zone since it's inception and urges everyone to get behind this groundbreaking and ambitious endeavor.

Click on the NAZ logo to read the entire NAZ Operation Plan. NAZ offices are at 1200 W. Broadway Suite 180, Minneapolis, MN 55411 612-521-4405

NorthPoint Health and Wellness Center is participating in the March Campaign, Minnesota's largest food drive sponsored by Minnesota FoodShare. The campaign is designed to bring everyone in Minnesota together to fight hunger through community action. NorthPoint is requesting food and cash donations to support our March Campaign Food Drive.

Our goal is to collect a combined total of 55,000 in pounds of food and cash donations during the month of March.

One hundred percent of cash donations are used to purchase food items at cooperative prices from local food banks. Simply mail a check to NorthPoint Inc. Food Shelf, 1315 Penn Avenue North, Minneapolis, MN 55411. Donations by credit card can be made online at www.northpointhealth.org.

Non-perishable food, hygiene and paper good donations can be dropped off at the food shelf. All donations are weighed with a receipt issued. Food donations can also be picked up-simply call 612 767-9180 to make arrangements.

Please help us reach out goal by making a cash or food donation to the the food shelf.

Greta Oglesby
a rare solo concert,
"I Sing Because…"
 7 p.m. Saturday, April 9, 2011
3 p.m. Sunday, April 10, 2011
Click to purchase tickets. 		Click here to reserve tickets for The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra's second free concert at the Capri Theater, 8 p.m. Saturday, March 26, 2011,
featuring music for percussion, winds, brass and violin featuring Michael Israelievitch, Principal Timpanist and Percussionist.
You can instantly unsubscribe from these emails by clicking here.

Forward this email to a friend

Having trouble reading this email, click here.		 NorthWay Community Trust creates wealth through programs and services that improve the quality of life for the people of North Minneapolis.

Your feedback and suggestions for a feature idea are welcome. For more information or to be added to an email list, contact us: 612.521.4500 — or — info@northwaycom.org