Focus Area: Youth Development

Grant Amount: $5,000

Based in Chisholm, serves the Iron Range, Koochiching County, and Lake of the Woods County. Established in 1966, UWNEMN is a volunteer-based organization serving individuals and families in the northeastern region of Minnesota. The organization supports more than 30 nonprofit partner agencies as well as its own initiatives.

Grant supports expansion of the Lunch Buddies mentoring program, a trauma-informed youth program that matches local elementary school children who need additional positive adult role models with screened, trained, caring adults from the community. They meet one-on-one once a week during lunch throughout the school year. The program was designed with guidance from MENTOR Minnesota to ensure a culturally sensitive, responsive, and equitable program, and staff and mentors receive regular training. The program is now operating in 11 schools in Mountain Iron, Babbitt, Aurora, Eveleth, Virginia, Chisholm, and International Falls.