Jennifer Ford Reedy is vice president of strategy and knowledge management for Minnesota Community Foundation and The Saint Paul Foundation. She drives strategy development and implementation across all areas of the two Foundations. She guided the development and launch of Minnesota Idea Open, an idea platform designed to involve as many Minnesotans as possible thinking and talking about solutions to critical issues facing our state.
Minnesota Compass research intern Heather Vinge Hanson recently completed a literature review of evidence-based strategies that combat obesity from a systems-change perspective, rather than those that involve actions individuals can take.
We talked with Andi Egbert about working on the new immigration section on Compass. Get Andi's take on why it was exciting to expand the immigration data, what surprised her, and what Compass has that you can't find anywhere else. We hope you will use Andi's suggestions as an impetus to delve deeper into this rich topic.
Wilder Research just completed its seventh triennial statewide homeless study. Along with many other government, nonprofit, philanthropic and community organizations, Compass uses this information – homeless persons – as a key measure in our housing section.
Mental illnesses and poverty go hand in hand. Having a serious mental illness can lead to poverty; living in poverty increases the risk of developing a mental illness.
Immigrants are a critical resource in re-energizing the state's economic engine and growing our economy
Deborah Hutterer is the executive director of Faith in the City. She explores, coordinates, and implements strategies that assist Lutheran partners in promoting stronger and healthier city neighborhoods in Minneapolis.
Since well before it publicly launched in February 2008, Compass has been committed to looking at disparities of race, income and gender whenever possible. In many instances, the state and its regions may appear to be doing well until looked at through these lenses. Susan Brower shares her thoughts on the impact of income disparities in our state.
Mike Newman is vice president of the Travelers Foundation. He has been with the company since 1997. Prior to that, Mike worked in the nonprofit and government sectors. He has served on the boards of the Minnesota College Access Network, the Page Education Foundation, the Minnesota Association of Volunteer Directors, Dakota Woodlands, Minneapolis Red Cross, and Minnesota Children's Trust Fund, among others.
If a 4th grader from Lincoln, Jackson, Marshall, Rock, Pope, or Traverse county challenges you to a game of Scrabble, you may have met your match. Last year, while in 3rd grade, more than 9 out of 10 of kids in these counties were proficient in reading, the highest performance across the state. With these counties sprinkled mostly along the western edge of Minnesota, one wonders whether there is something in the Red River – or the Dakotas' influence.