#South Minneapolis
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Falling In Love, Again
What does Valentine’s day have to do with breaking cycles of poverty? More than you might think.
Urban Ventures’ Siempre Padres program knows that healthy homes are a key component to better outcomes for children. Children in homes with a healthy parent dynamic are less likely to experience behavioral issues, less likely to drop out of high school, and more likely to continue their education after high school. This belief is highlighted through the annual couples retreats, designed to nurture the relationships at the heart of our community's families.
“Many of our families aren’t investing in their relationship,” explains Myrna Garcia, a Family Support Specialist with the program. “What they don’t realize is that when they grow as a couple, it helps the whole family, it helps everyone.” Myrna goes on to explain that many couples put all of their focus on the roof over the head and food on the table. “But they don’t realize their children need more. Their children need to see love.”
This retreat, held twice a year, provides a vital space for couples to step away from the pressures of daily life, offering them the tools to strengthen their bond and, by extension, enhance the well-being of their children.
Facilitated by experts in family dynamics and relationship building, the retreat delves into the topics like maintaining romance, prioritizing time as a couple, and fostering open communication. These elements are crucial for cultivating love and respect within a relationship, which in turn creates a positive, nurturing environment for children. Research has consistently shown that children from stable, two-parent homes are more likely to succeed academically and socially.
Moreover, the retreat addresses the critical need for healing family trauma. Many parents carry the weight of their unmet needs from childhood, which can hinder their ability to fully support their children. By focusing on education, communication, and healthy relationships, parents are empowered to break this cycle, setting a positive example for their children to follow.
The transformative day culminates in a special evening where the program space is transformed into a date-night restaurant, allowing couples to enjoy a rare night out. “Some of the couples tell us it was the first time they had a time like this,” Myrna shares, adding, “They don’t have the time because they are working 2 or 3 jobs. Or they don’t have the money to hire a babysitter so they can go out. We are happy to give them some precious time together.”
Another highlight of the retreats is a time of sharing vows. Around 70% of participating couples are not married, and for most of them it is the first time they’ve put pen to paper to explain the promises they are making to one another. It is a beautiful moment of re-committing to each other and a shared future, often accompanied by tears of joy.
Over half the couples who attend find the experience so transformative that they commit to getting married. One of the participants, Areli, shared, “We had been living together for 17 years, raising our children together. But attending the classes helped us decide to get legally married and demonstrate to our children what a healthy, committed relationship looks like."
At Urban Ventures, Valentine's Day is more than a celebration of romantic love; it's a reminder of the power of strong, healthy relationships to uplift entire communities. Through initiatives like Siempre Padres, we're not just investing in the immediate well-being of families but planting the seeds for generational change and prosperity.
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Will you be our Valentine? Programs like Urban Ventures are only possible with your support. Make a donation today so we can continue serving Minneapolis families.
#south minneapolis#minneapolis#mpls#community#news#urban ventures#cradle to career#couples#marriage#family#healthy relationships
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A memorial for George Floyd in front of a South Minneapolis home.
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DO NOT! I repeat, DO NOT, go hunting or fishing at this small, astroturf daycare playground that basically sits in the parking lot of a strip mall in South Minneapolis. DON’T DO IT. Don’t you dare even THINK about it! UNDER PENALTY OF LAW.
#playground#signs#signs that make you think#signs that make you go… huh?#wtf#minneapolis#south minneapolis#kingfield
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Steps closed, Minihaha falls
#photography#minneapolis#mplsart#photo#mpls#35mm#35mm photography#outdoors#35mm flim#south minneapolis#minihaha falls#fujifilm superia#yashica electro 35
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The Benefits of Couples Massage for Every Couple
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Family Room in Minneapolis
Family room - mid-sized eclectic open concept light wood floor and yellow floor family room idea with blue walls, a standard fireplace, a tile fireplace and a wall-mounted tv
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Minneapolis Bedroom Master
Bedroom - small 1950s master bamboo floor bedroom idea with gray walls
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Eclectic Family Room in Minneapolis
Example of a mid-sized eclectic open concept family room with blue walls, a tile fireplace, a standard fireplace, and a wall-mounted television.
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Mudroom Mudroom
Idea for a mudroom with a medium-sized eclectic green floor, gray walls, and a white front door.
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Big Tobacco and the Lobbyists at the Giantvalley American Legion
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Pack Food with UV
Urban Ventures is thrilled to partner with Cristo Rey, Loaves & Fishes, MAD DADs, and Lake Street Works to host a Mobile Food pack event.
We have space for over 500 volunteers to help us pack 100,000 meals to feed individuals and families in need.
Minneapolis Food Pack Event
August 15 & 16 (multiple shifts available)
COLIN POWELL CENTER
2924 Fourth Ave S, Minneapolis
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR A SHIFT
#minneapolis#events#feed the hungry#urban ventures#south minneapolis#cristo rey#loaves and fishes#news#MADDADs#lake street works#volutneer#volunteerism#serve the city
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The K-Mart site in South Minneapolis. Firefighters fought a fire here earlier this month. After two South Minneapolis post offices were burned down in May 2020, the Postal Service leased space in the building from November 2020 to late summer 2023 for temporary post offices during rebuild.
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KerryJo Felder
[vc_row row_height_percent=”0″ override_padding=”yes” h_padding=”2″ top_padding=”2″ bottom_padding=”1″ overlay_alpha=”50″ gutter_size=”3″ column_width_percent=”100″ shift_y=”0″ z_index=”0″][vc_column column_width_percent=”100″ gutter_size=”3″ overlay_alpha=”50″ shift_x=”0″ shift_y=”0″ shift_y_down=”0″ z_index=”0″ medium_width=”0″ mobile_width=”0″ width=”1/1″][uncode_share…
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#North Minneapolis#South Minneapolis#Northeast Minneapolis#4th Precinct Occupation#PreK-12 Education#Minneapolis School Board
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Brittle branches and heavy snow
#photography#minneapolis#mplsart#mpls#photo#35mm#35mm photography#outdoors#35mm flim#fujifilm superia#south minneapolis#minolta#blizzard#snow#winter#snowy trees#trees
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flickr
Ross Brought, Badlands, South Dakota, 1929, Oil on canvas, 7/5/23 #artsmia #artmuseum by Sharon Mollerus
#Minneapolis Institute of Art#1929#fine arts#museum#Ross Brought#South Dakota#Badlands#Oil on canvas#Minnesota#Minneapolis#MN#flickr
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