A YEAR OF
BREAKTHROUGHS
PREPARING
CHILDREN FOR
SCHOOL AND LIFE
Report to the Community 2013
page 1
Many of the images in this
montage are from a summer
2013 scholarship event
celebrating children on their
way to kindergarten!
Selected photos by Denise Garcia
page 2
Friends,
2013 was a year of significant progress and breakthroughs, and one which left us pushing ever harder to give
Minnesota’s youngest children a strong start in life.
• The State made its largest early childhood investment in over a decade: $46 million appropriated by Minnesota’s legislature in 2013 for 8,000 Early Learning Scholarships over two years for children in families at or near poverty income levels. The Legislature also committed $20 million to strengthen and support high quality child care programs.
• Through our two year refugee microenterprise initiative, 17 new family child care businesses have been licensed and are serving diverse families. Each of these new businesses is owned by a woman who had to leave her country of origin because of war or ethnic violence.
• With the inauguration of the Redleaf Lane children’s book imprint, we announced an exciting new direction for Redleaf Press, our internationally acclaimed early childhood publishing company.
Think Small was established in 1971 on the principal that the quality of a child’s early experiences greatly influences
his or her success later in life. The first five years are the most important years in a child’s development, and far too
few of Minnesota’s entering kindergartners are fully prepared to thrive in school.
On behalf of our board and staff, we thank you for all that you do for our youngest children. And we ask you to do
ever more, as we are doing, to champion early childhood care and education. There is no single better investment,
with no higher rate of return, than in quality early learning.
Every child is unique and each child’s situation is different. But they all have one thing in common: Their success in
life depends on the adults in their lives making wise choices. Thank you!
Barbara Yates
President and Chief
Executive Officer
Rob Grunewald
Chairman of the Board
page 3
Support to Minnesota’s diverse
early learning professionals
Today, nearly 1 in every 5 children under the age of five in Minnesota is a child of an immigrant. Attention to
the early learning needs of Minnesota’s foreign-born children today will help these children become tomorrow’s
contributors to a vibrant economic, cultural, and civic community.
In 2013, we embarked on an ambitious new path to increase the number of early childhood professionals
serving the early learning needs of cultural communities.
We also completed a successful child care business development program for refugee women who recently
had fled their home countries and sought asylum in Minnesota.
Both of these new efforts will help increase the number of children who are in high quality early learning
environments and on track for school success.
Bilingual and
Bicultural
Professional
Training
Using a train-the-trainer model,
we have made a strong start
to our goal of increasing by
50% or more the number
of
bicultural
expertise
to
trainers
support
with
family
child care providers and others
in their home language and in
English. These nine individuals
speak Spanish, Hmong, Somali,
Amharic, Oromo or Karen, as
well as English.
page 4
Refugee Family Child Care Microenterprise Project
Seventeen refugees from Bhutan, Somalia, Ethiopia, and Burma/Myanmar are proud new business
owners. All of them are women.
Think Small, in partnership with two refugee support partner organizations, CAPI, and Hmong
American Partnership, concluded a major two year effort in 2013 with funding from the U.S. Office
of Refugee Resettlement. The object was to identify and support refugees of less than five years in
making family child care a career decision.
Child care licensing is a very rigorous process—more so for those unfamiliar with mainstream systems.
You must have a strong commitment to meeting basic health and safety standards and investing in
ongoing training and education.
There are benefits, the most important of which is that children are nurtured in settings where their
home language is spoken, they eat familiar food, and they can observe the same cultural practices
they follow at home. We provided the technical assistance, coaching, and mentoring these women
needed in child development, as teachers and business professionals.
Five years ago, none of the 17 women were aware early education could be a career. In gaining self
confidence in her abilities as a business owner, one program participant, Zahri Ali, also gained a
profound respect for her important role as an educator. “I don’t just babysit, I help raise children,”
said Ali.
None of the women had dreamed that
caring for and teaching children could be an
economic opportunity in America.
page 5
Early
Learning
Scholarships
What does $46 million in Early Learning
Scholarship funding mean to Minnesota’s
children and families?
8,000 scholarships are being awarded over two years to children in families living in poverty or near poverty.
Parents are empowered to decide how to use the
scholarships. They can choose from among any
Parent Aware quality-rated program, including
licensed center-based child care, licensed family
child care, preschool programs, public school
based programs, and Head Start programs.
Children benefit from care and education in an
environment that helps prepare them for
kindergarten and future learning success.
Placing a priority on early childhood education
is critical for Minnesota’s future.
Photo by A.J. Olmscheid/MN Senate Media Services
Minnesota was the first state to tie its early childhood
MinneMinds is a coalition of more than 70
program quality rating system to school readiness. It’s the
organizations committed to increasing access
best return on investment we can make in terms of :
to early learning for those that need it most.
Think Small serves on the MinneMinds executive
committee and spearheaded the grassroots
advocacy efforts that resulted in a $46 million
Greater school achievement and decrease in
achievement gap
Improved graduation rates
Higher earning potential
More productive workforce
appropriation by Minnesota’s Legislature in
2013 for Early Learning Scholarships.
page 6
Redleaf Press: Building new
foundations for success
Books play a meaningful role in children’s
lives. Story time is a treasured ritual of
childhood, one that captivates children’s
imaginations and helps build the foundation
for academic success. This year, Redleaf
Press widened its reach by creating children’s
books that are based on real challenges
children face and the best practices adults
can use to help them.
Together, the first six-book collection offers
child care providers, classroom teachers,
and families a library of charming stories
featuring common situations among children
in child care.
Mama’s Gloves
shows one child’s experience with
separation anxiety and how he learns to
cope with it
With the mission to publish engaging,
high-quality picture books, Redleaf Lane
will provide titles that support children’s
social-emotional development and reflect
a high level of diversity in characters and
BREE FINDS A FRIEND
illustrates how young children discover friendship
through common interests
experiences in group-care settings. Children
can learn to break through some of the
barriers they face, just like the characters in
EVETTE’S INVITATION
the stories.
captures the rich, spontaneous, and problem
solving conversations among children
Redleaf Lane books are fun to read and
beautifully illustrated. They make great
teaching tools in classrooms, child care
settings, and for parents with young children.
RITA AND THE FIREFIGHTERS
chronicles the challenges one child experiences
as she tries to join in play with others
Children will relate to the situations and
feelings the characters experience and the
environment in which the stories take place.
Each book contains a page of information to
help adults connect children to the deeper
THE AMAZING ERIK
provides a helpful reminder that sadness is a
temporary feeling
message within the story and support
children’s learning and development.
ALL IN ONE DAY
helps children understand the routine of the day
in a group-care setting
A new imprint of Redleaf Press
page 7
Financial Position as of June 30, 2013
2013
2012
Assets $6,387,231
$7,216,175
Liabilities $2,345,106
$2,734,410
Total Net Assets $4,042,125
$4,481,765
Statement of Activity
2013
2012
Operating Revenue
Government & Other Contracts
$6,469,293
$4,147,207
Redleaf Press Publication Sales
$2,861,380
$3,223,750
Contributions
$614,591
Fees for Service
$413,870
$323,603
Other Income $203,091
$277,005
Total Operating Revenue
$10,562,225
Operating Expenses
$1,001,894
$8,973,459
Programs and Services
$7,008,609 $4,761,167 Redleaf Press
$2,923,046 $3,101,431 Management and General $789,795 $879,272 Fundraising $280,415 $334,700 $11,001,865 $9,076,570
Total Expenses
2012
2013
Programs and Services............
90%
87%
Management and General .......
7%
10%
Fundraising ..............................
3%
3%
2012
2012
2013
page 8
BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2012 - 2013
Elected for terms starting July 1st, 2013
Greg Pearson Board Chair Marketing Manager, General
Mills, Minneapolis, MN
Jerri Freier Community Volunteer, Roseville, MN
Hunter Saklad
Vice Chair
Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer, Select Comfort, Minneapolis, MN
Matt Grose
Superintendent, Deer River Public Schools, Deer River, MN
Ann Hill
Secretary
Ombudsperson,
African-American Families,
St. Paul, MN
H. B. “Bud” Hayden
President, Hayden Enterprises, Minneapolis, MN
Mark Cross
Treasurer Chief Solutions Officer, Solve Globally, Eden Prairie, MN
Marshall Johnson
Managing Partner, North Point Capital Partners, Long Lake, MN
Elaine Rodriguez Birkemeyer
Senior Finance Director,
Best Buy, Plymouth, MN
Trustees Emeriti
Jim Boyle
President, James R. Boyle & Associates, Minneapolis, MN
Jacqueline Cross
Head Start Director, Anoka/
Washington County Head Start, Anoka, MN
Rob Grunewald
Economist, The Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis,
Minneapolis, MN
Nancy Jost
Early Childhood Coordinator, West Central Initiative, Fergus Falls, MN
Mark Lofthus
Economic Development Director, Dakota Electric Association, Farmington, MN
Eileen Pinto
Organization Development Consultant, Eileen Pinto & Associates, St. Paul, MN
Jacqueline Reis
Consultant/ Manager,
Minnesota Business Gives,
White Bear Lake, MN
Jodi Sandfort
Associate Professor,
Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs,
Minneapolis, MN
Scott Singer
Chief Security & Information Officer, PaR Systems, Inc.,
Mahtomedi, MN
Vallay Moua Varro
Senior Vice President of States, 50 CAN - Campaign for Achievement NOW, St. Paul, MN
Rhoda Redleaf
Mary Ann Barrows Wark
page 9
Think Small recognizes with gratitude the
time volunteered and financial support by
the following. Thank you!
EXECUTIVE leadership team
Barbara Yates
President and Chief Executive Officer
Ray Aboyan
Chief Operating Officer
(as of August 2013)
Todd Otis
Chief Advancement Officer If we have overlooked anyone or made an error, please notify
us by calling our development office at 651-641-3545 or
emailing dadams@thinksmall.org.
Volunteers
senior MANAGEMENT team
East African Advisory
Committee
Janet Bisbee
Director of Development
Paul Bloomer
Co-Director of Redleaf Press
Kristen Harinen
Director of Finance
David Heath
Co-Director of Redleaf Press
Kat Kempe
Senior Policy Advocate
Sandy Myers
Director of Early
Childhood Education
Diana Rockstad
Director of Human Resources
Leyla Dalu
Lydia Negade
Meliha Yusuf
Friends of the Debra S.
Fish Early Childhood
Library at Think Small
Alice Bloedoorn
Patricia Brockman
Jean Curtiz-Neitz
Lynn Galle
Sharon Gerber
Rosie Guthrie
Jon Jacka
Carrie Johnson
Pat Landy
Rhoda Redleaf
Gail Roberts
Peggy Sundermeyer
Krissy Valdez
Rica Van
Grant Advisory
Committee
Kat Kempe, Senior Policy Advocate at Think Small,
was named winner of the Catalytic Leader award at
the 2013 Leadership Conference of the Minnesota
Council of Nonprofits. Awarded to a person on the
rise, Kat was recognized for her organizing efforts
with parents and early childhood professionals.
page 10
Jason Anderson
Susan Andrus
Pam Bohm
LouAnn Braun
Rebecca Bringgold
Bridget Burton
Deb Colling
Chantel Dacas
Jodi Diekmann
Kara Downer
Kristin Erickson
Kristine Finco
Nicole Frethem
Jacque Froemke
Marcia Gillett
Dina Greiskalns
Nadine Groven
Tara Hallberg
Michelle Herzog
Lynn Heibel Hoskins
Gwen Jansen
Gena Johnson
Jean Knaak
Lori LaLonde
Patricia Lee
Esther Lenartz
Amy Loetz
Sheryl Looyen
Angie Lunow
Jayme Macchitelli
Shawn Mattson
Misty McKinley
Kelly McKown
Sharon O’Boyle
Lorna Pain
Sandra Perez
Dean Peter
Geri Peterson
Stephanie Ponticas
Trinette Potts
Wendy Prokosch
Kara Puterbaugh
Linda Rietz
Nikki Robins
Jessica Rogers
Anne Roy
Christine Schmitz
Kari Schmitz
Judie Schwanke
Libby Sloot
Karen Smith
Susan Spector
Becky Strasser
Kay Tellinghuisen
Nicole Thompson
Jody Urbano
Andrea Villanueva
Barb Wagner
Tina White
Georgianna Yantos
Latino Advisory
Committee
Olga Ahumada
Elisa Altamirano
Luz Marina Amaya
Alejandrina Barrea
Julieta Baxin
Griselda Araiza-Brown
Victoria Campoverde
Sandra Cossio
Patricia and Ricardo Estrada
Mayra Flodstrom
Ana Galleres
Dalia Granados
Hector Lopez
Ivette-Izea Martinez
Jovita Morales
Maria de Jesus Padilla
Maria Elisa Vega
Somali Advisory
Committee
Faiza Bayer
Fayrus Duale
Malyun Duale
Hawo Gurey
Suad Haji
Abshiro Omar
Southeast Asian
Advisory Committee
Daisy Josiah
Saw Josiah
Chaleng Lee
Chang Xiong
Dao Xiong
Donors
Individual Donors
Sandra and Edward Abramson
David Allen
Thomas Amatruda and
Lynne Morishita
Anonymous
Susan Baker
Melanie Baumhover
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas P. Bedard
Mark Berndt
Elaine Birkemeyer
Janet Bisbee
Trent Blain and Heidi Brown
George and Mary Bodem
Tom Borman
James Boyle
Sara Brice
Mary Anne Chalkley and
Michael Maratsos
Monika Chandler
Lorrayne Christianson
Richard W. and Jean Illsley Clarke Fund of The Minneapolis Foundation
Gerry S. Cobb
Richard and Ruth Cole
Albert and Susan Colianni
W. Andrew and Carolyn Collins
Page and Jay Cowles
Sage Cowles
Jackie Cross
Mark Cross
Sloan d’Autremont
Julia W. Dayton
Carol and Charles Denny
Bob Distad
Humphrey Doermann
James Dorsey and Dee Gaeddort
Chad Dunkley
John Eisberg and Susan Kline
Curt and Debbie Enestvedt
Bill and Katherine Erickson
Dr. Marti Erickson
Phyllis and Ron Ettinger
Wally and Cecy Faster
David E. Feinberg
Anne and Charles Ferrell
Harold D. Field, Jr.
Lindsey Fish
Thomas Fish
Erna Fishhaut
Joyce Flynn
Vicki and Si Ford
Mark and Michele Forde
Caroline and Dutton Foster
Richard J. Fournier and Katherine R. Fournier in honor of Robin, Chris, Andrew & Lily Sorheim
Don and Arvonne Fraser
Kathy Fredette
Roger and Carol Frommelt
Denise Garcia
Mr. and Mrs. Leonard Gloeb
Leon and Kitty Goodrich
John Goodwyne
Darlene Gorrill
Peter Grant
Rob Grunewald
Darrel Gubrud
Roxane and Stephen Gudeman
Renee Hammes
Ron and Barbara Harris
H.B. “Bud” and Carol Hayden of the Hayden Family Fund of The Minneapolis Foundation
Jane A. and Mark B. Heille
Jessica Hern in honor of
Barbara Wilson
Ann Hill
Charles and Ann Hommeyer
John and Ruth Huss Fund of The Saint Paul Foundation
Bridget Hust
Jon Jacka
Deborah Jean Thompson and John Sandbo
Wayne Jennings
James E. Johnson and
Lucy Rosenberry Jones
Mary-Louise R. Johnson
Hugh Jones
Nancy Jost
Robert Katz
Thomas Keller III
Jean King and Stuart Appelbaum
Mary Klas
Allan Klein and Harriet Lansing
David Koehler
Chris Kraft and Nelson Capes
Yogish Kudva
Richard and Thelma Lareau
Beverly A. Larson in honor of Donald W. Larson
Doris Lawson
Linda J. Lee
Meghan Lenzmeier
Irving and Gwen Lerner
Allen and Nancy Levine
James and Sharon Lewis
Joy Liebman
James Lockhart
Mark Lofthus and
Marian Blattner
Juanita and Richard Luis
Eric and Sue Lund
Rhoda and Don Mains
Judith and Todd Marshall
Donald and Anne McCarthy
Dick and Joyce H. McFarland Family Fund of The Minneapolis Foundation
Mary Bigelow McMillan
Barbara A. Menk
Susan Meyers
Jonathan and Martha Morgan
Philip and Katherine Nason Fund of The Saint Paul Foundation
Charles Nauen and P.J. Pofahl
Norma Nelson and
Peter Goelzer
Howard and Martha Newton
Wendy and Steve Nielsen
in honor of Donald W. Larson and Richard P. Nielsen
Joan and Dick Niemiec
Cynthia and John O’Halloran
Edward Oliver
Steven and Katherine Onken
Vance and Darrin Opperman
Lisa J. Osdale-Popa
Molly O’Shaughnessy and
Mike Monahan
Raline Paper
Senator Sandra Pappas
Chuck Parsons
Betsy Pearson
Brittany Pearson
Greg Pearson in honor of Jackie Reis’s board service and her commitment to non-profit governance
Dr. Peter Pearson and
Lynn Pearson
Jon Pederson
Bruce and Lisa Peilen
Daniel R. Pennie
Eileen Pinto
Ida Rapoport
Rhoda and Paul Redleaf
Camilla Reiersgord
Jacqueline and Peter Reis
The John and Sandra Roe Fund of The Minneapolis Foundation in honor of Mary Ann Barrows Wark
Art Rolnick
Kari and Dan Rominski
Steve Rosholt and Leah Harvey
Connie and Paul Ross
Ken and Nina Rothchild
Hunter Saklad
Jodi Sandfort and Steven Marchese
Deborah Saul
Emily F. Seesel
Howard W. and Millie L. Segal
Susan and Neal Shapiro
Stanley and Lucy Shepard
Phil and Barbara Shively
Jane and Geza Simon
Scott and Kim Singer
James Skjong
Ella and Dick Slade
Dane Smith
Dr. James and Joanne Smith
Jacqueline M. Spies
Clark Starr, Jr.
Mary Kay Stranik
Don Sullivan
Richard and Dorothy Taylor Fund of The Minneapolis Foundation
Jenny Thompson
Melba and Paul Thompson
Ryvelle Tilsner
Parker and Albert Trostel Family Fund of The Minneapolis Foundation
Elena Tudor
Ms. Shirley Tulberg
Rica J. Van
The Vantine Family Fund of The Minneapolis Foundation
Joanne Von Blon
Peg and Doug Wangensteen
Kathleen Wark
Mary Ann Barrows Wark and David Wark
Mr. and Mrs. Lee Wattenberg
Bill and Carol Rohde in honor of Mary Ann’s service on the Board for many years
Vallay Moua Varro
Carol and Sanford Weisberg
Mr. John W. Windhorst, Jr.
W. Gary and Cheryl Winget
John and Marilyn Wolkerstorfer
David and Roberta Worrell
Ann J. Wynia
Barbara Yates
Mark and Andrea Zukor
Foundations/Corporations/
Businesses
3M Foundation
Andersen Corporate Foundation
Hugh J. Andersen Foundation
Anonymous
B & D Foundation
F.R. Bigelow Foundation
Buuck Family Foundation
Bush Foundation
Patrick & Aimee Butler Family Foundation
Deluxe Corporation Foundation
Ecolab Foundation
Graphic Options
Glen and Harold Bend Foundation of The Saint Paul Foundation
Hardenbergh Foundation
Lenfestey Family Foundation
MAHADH Fund of HRK Foundation
Mardag Foundation
McMonigal Architects, LLC
Jay and Rose Phillips Family Foundation of Minnesota
Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi Foundation for Children
Roseville Community Fund
The Saint Paul Foundation
Securian Foundation
Target
David M. and Mary Ann Barrows Wark Foundation
Gift to the Debra S. Fish
Early Childhood Library at
Think Small
Jon Jacka
Lindsey Fish
Thomas Fish
Rhoda and Paul Redleaf
In-kind Contributors
ABDO Group
Donna Alllan
Julie and Doug Baker
Mary Ann Cogelow
Community Action Partnership of Ramsey & Washington County
Dan Gartrell and Julie Jochum
Kristen Harinen
Bud and Carol Hayden
David Heath
Kristen Wheeler Highland
Linda Holstein
Mike Huber
Veda Huberty
Joanne Kiserow
Devin Kormanik
Patricia Landy
Shari Lero
Shaina Lobdell
Minnesota Children’s Museum
Kyra Ostendorf
Todd Otis
Angele Passe
Reggio-Inspired Network of Minnesota
Diana Rockstad
Rosedale Center
St. Anthony Park Community Foundation
Carol Stromme
Nina Sutton
Jack Vang
Janet L. Ward
Jennifer Wespiser
Wal-Mart #3404
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