1

AMHERST H.

WILDER FOUNDATION

Here for good. W

MRC Cast and Crew

Nona Ferguson Division Director

Family Supportive Housing Services

nona.ferguson@wilder.org

651.280.2351

Laura Birdsong Program Coordinator

Mobile Resource Center

laura.birdsong@wilder.org

651.280.2375

Scott McGillicuddy Technology Coordinator

Mobile Resource Center

scott.mcgillicuddy@wilder.org

651.280.2379

In This Issue:

St. Paul: City of

Volunteers 1

Cummins Receives

Wilder Volunteer

Award

2

Celebrating Cum-

mins Volunteers and

Their Achievements

3

An Update to an Old

Favorite 4

July Calendar 5

Partner Map 6

The Mobile Resource Center Newsletter for Volunteers

SUMMER 2012 Volume 3, Issue 2 News From the MRC

Volunteerism is helping St. Paul

non-profits to thrive (and it hasn’t

hurt the volunteers, either!)

The Mobile Resource Center seeks to

connect individuals with computer

literacy and job readiness training. We

pursue this mission through the provi-

sion of educational courses and 1-on-

1 support, often with the aid of volun-

teer instructors. Within mere blocks of

Wilder Center, there are two other

organizations that utilize volunteer

contributions to strengthen our com-

munity: PCs For People offers low-

income individuals an opportunity to

acquire a computer; Cycles For

Change seeks to support residents by

teaching them valuable skills, while

simultaneously generating positive

outcomes for the greater public.

“Where can I get a computer?”

“I haven’t used my laptop in

months, ever since it got a virus.”

Thankfully, there is one place where

both of these issues can be addressed:

the offices of PCs For People. A non-

profit organization headquartered on

Marshall Avenue in St. Paul, PCs For

People operates low-cost computer

distribution branches across Minneso-

ta. Applicants, who must live below

150% of the Federal Poverty Level or

be enrolled in a government assis-

tance program, can make a voluntary

cash donation and receive a desktop

computer, monitor, mouse, and key-

board - a set of speakers and a printer

are also included, if in stock. PCs For

People is notable too for its reliance

on volunteer labor to accomplish its

mission. Interested parties can learn to

refurbish used machines, organize in-

ventory, help with community out-

reach, even develop proprietary soft-

ware applications for PCs For People!

Transforming Transportation

Like PCs For People, Cycles For

Change depends on the efforts of vol-

unteers for its aim to be achieved: the

promotion of cycling as a primary

mode of transportation. Formerly Si-

bley Bike Depot, this non-profit offers

free repair advice and tool access for

cyclists. It leverages volunteer support

to repair donated bikes, which are

then distributed at schools and other

community organizations, or lent out

through a bicycle library system. Peo-

ple who give their time gain valuable

knowledge and the confidence to at-

tempt otherwise daunting repairs: I

once let my bike stand idle for six

months because I had never fixed a

flat! Cycles For Change also incentiv-

izes volunteers with its Earn-A-Bike

program, through which individuals

can transmute their efforts into a used

bicycle that they can then repair using

the bike shop’s tools.

Whether they are supporting the work

of the Wilder Foundation or any of

the numerous community organiza-

tions in St. Paul, volunteers are essen-

tial to a program’s success. Without

their contributions, a vital component

of important initiatives would be ab-

sent. On behalf of program staff

everywhere: thank you, volunteers!

- Scott McGillicuddy

St. Paul: City of

Volunteers

2

News From the MRC

Cummins Receives Wilder Volunteer Award

From left to right: Diane Peterson, Kyle Benning, Sandy Kiernat, Donna Mody, Kieron Brewer and Gretchen Templin receive the award on June 6 at the Contributor’s Luncheon at Wilder Center.

TIME IS MONEY

From March 2007 (First MRC Class) to June 2012...

Cummins volunteers have donated over 1,255 documented hours. These hours are valued at $25,675.36.

June 6, 2012

Cummins Power Generation received

the Sandy Kiernat Community Ser-

vice Award today for exemplifying a

spirit of community service in their

commitment to the Amherst H. Wil-

der Foundation. Beyond Cummins

volunteers’ impact on the Mobile Re-

source Center, Cummins volunteers

also invest time in other Wilder pro-

grams, including the Child Develop-

ment Center, Wilder Research, Aging

Services, and the Child Guidance

Clinic. They deserve to be honored

and recognized for their time and

commitment to Wilder’s mission.

Cummins employees continue to be

instrumental in making the Mobile

Resource Center program successful.

Historically the Mobile Resource

Center was a volunteer-run program:

the program was designed, piloted,

and launched with the support and

commitment of Cummins employees.

Cummins employees advocated for a

new program back in 2006 and were

able to help us raise the start-up

funds necessary to launch an innova-

tive program - the Mobile Resource

Center.

- Laura Birdsong

Recognizing the Valuable Contributions of Cummins Volunteers

Online at: mrc-wilderfoundation.wikispaces.com

3

News From the MRC Recognizing the Valuable Contributions of Cummins Volunteers

Cummins Volunteers Over the Years*

(March 2007 - June 2012)

Amit Malik Anand Muppur Chi Pham Dana McDonald Donna Mody Eric Ebensteiner Hande Kayacan Houa Lee Hue Truong Kieron Brewer Kishore Dasararaju Kyle Benning Joe Halbach John Bui Lue Xiong Mitch McCoy Nancy Zurn Naveed Mohammed Pankaj Lakhani Philip Nguyen Piyush Dharaskar Susan Greer Timothy Buchanan Trung Ha Thuy Le Vinayak Saklani Ziyad El Tagi

Employees have provided 1,255 hours of volunteers support in the classroom and outside; their time is valued at $25,675.36!

Cummins recently funded the MRC with $18,250 annually for 3 years to support expansion efforts.

Bi-lingual volunteers have taught our Computer Class in Vietnamese and Computer Class in Hmong, serving 31 unique participants.

Cummins volunteer Donna Mody modified the origi-nal Basic Computer Class curriculum, purchased in early 2007, helping to launch our first computer class. (See page four for a BCC update.)

Led train-the-trainer events from 2007 – 2009 to prepare volunteers for the computer-based class-room.

Kieron Brewer and Donna Mody designed lessons and handouts for the new Level II Computer Curriculum in 2009.

Cummins continues to provide funding to supply us with curriculum printouts and flash drives.

Cummins provides 2 liaisons, Kyle Benning and Kieron Brewer, to manage the relationship with the Mobile Resource Center.

Cummins volunteers provide computer classroom sup-port as well as provide mock interviews to employ-ment class participants, preparing them to be suc-cessful interviewers.

Recently launched a 6-Sigma Project to help the MRC evaluate program progress and guide expansion ef-forts.

Apologies to any volunteer who may have been

left off this database-generated list.

Online at: mrc-wilderfoundation.wikispaces.com

4

Online at: mrc-wilderfoundation.wikispaces.com

An Update to an Old Favorite

News From the MRC See What We’re Doing Right… and How We Can Improve

The words of a participant: “My

favorite part of this class was the

patience of the people teaching the

class, and [they] actually cared.”

He goes on to say, “This class will

help me in my career because I

will need to know how to use a

computer in almost every job and

to stay organized.”

Thank you for helping us test the

new basic computer class curriculum!

A new version of our basic computer class was

piloted at Wilder Center at the beginning of June.

This curriculum will soon be featured in all of our basic computer classes. Watch the wiki for its release!

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

Computer Literacy and Employment Readiness Training

MRC July Calendar

Course Legend

Questions? Contact us! Laura Birdsong laura.birdsong@wilder.org 651.280.2375

Scott McGillicuddy scott.mcgillicuddy@wilder.org

651.280.2379

2 3 4 5 6

9 11 12 13

16 18 19 20

23 24 25 26 27

30 31

Basic Computers:

2:00 - 4:00 p.m.

Open Lab:

8:30 - 11:30 a.m.

Open Lab:

8:30 - 11:30 a.m.

For more information, visit the MRC wiki at

mrc-wilderfoundation.wikispaces.com

Basic Computers:

9:00 - 11:00 a.m.

Open Lab-Offsite:

1:00 - 3:00 p.m.

Employment Class*:

12:30 - 4:00 p.m.

Level II Computers:

9:30 - 11:30 a.m.

Open Lab:

1:00 - 4:00 p.m.

Basic Computers:

9:00 - 11:00 a.m.

Open Lab-Offsite:

1:00 - 3:00 p.m.

Employment Class: A comprehensive employment readiness course. If an asterisk is present (*), this class

is open to community members, but registration is required.

Basic Computer (Class/Workshop): Learn basic computer skills like typing on a keyboard and using a

mouse, receive an introduction to the Internet and e-mail, and build a relationship with modern technology.

Level II Computer (Class/Workshop): This advanced course builds upon the skills acquired in our Basic

Computer Class and introduces Microsoft Office.

Open Lab: Offers one-on-one help for job seekers and computer learners of all skill levels. Bring your

questions!

Open Lab:

8:30 - 11:30 a.m.

Open Lab:

1:00 - 4:00 p.m.

Open Lab:

8:30 - 11:30 a.m.

Employment Class*:

12:30 - 4:00 p.m.

Open Lab:

8:30 - 11:30 a.m.

Employment Class*:

12:30 - 4:00 p.m.

Employment Class*:

12:30 - 4:00 p.m.

Level II Computers:

9:30 - 11:30 a.m.

Open Lab:

1:00 - 4:00 p.m.

Level II Computers:

9:30 - 11:30 a.m.

Open Lab:

1:00 - 4:00 p.m.

Level II Computers:

9:30 - 11:30 a.m.

Open Lab:

1:00 - 4:00 p.m.

Level II Computers:

11:30 - 1:30 p.m.

Level II Computers:

11:30 - 1:30 p.m.

MRC Class Locations Computer Literacy and Employment Readiness Training

Participating Organizations

Updated June 2012

Amherst H. Wilder Foundation 451 Lexington Parkway North,

St. Paul, MN 55104

Courses Offered

Open Lab

Employment Class

Minnesota Place 46 East 4th Street,

St. Paul, MN 55101

Maplewood Family

Service Center 2001 Van Dyke Street,

Maplewood, MN 55109

Wilder Square Hi-Rise 750 Milton Street North

St. Paul, MN 55104

Kimball Court 545 Snelling Avenue

St. Paul, MN 55104

Computer Literacy and Employment Readiness Training

American House 352 Wacouta Street,

St. Paul, MN 55101

Ravoux Assisted Living 280 Ravoux Street

St. Paul, MN 55104

East Metro

Women’s Council 3521 Century Avenue North,

White Bear Lake, MN 55110

Dale Street Place 313 N. Dale Street,

St. Paul, MN 55103

McDonough Homes 1544 Timberlake Rd, Saint

Paul, MN 55117