As I returned to work from the holidays, I knew I had to get the Sauer Family Foundation on track to closing. This time is bittersweet for me. In December, I celebrated 20 years as the Executive Director of the Sauer Family Foundation.  It has been a wonderful privilege to do this work with the Sauers […]

“It was inspirational to be in a room of like-minded people who careso deeply about the work they are doing.“ This was a theme in the feedback from the more than 100 family support professionals who came together in Staples, MN for two days of learning and sharing. The inaugural annual gathering of the Minnesota […]

September is National Kinship Care Month, a time to honor the grandparents, aunts, uncles, older siblings, and other relatives who step in to raise children when parents are unable to do so. Research shows that kinship care offers children greater stability, helps maintain cultural identity, keeps siblings together, and supports better mental and behavioral health […]

“When the State of Minnesota removes a child from their family of origin, it makes a promise to that child and to all Minnesotans. The promise is to care for that child better than the family would have done, and to nurture that child every day and to guide them towards full, successful lives.“ — […]

Since the passage of the READ Act in May 2023, school districts across Minnesota have been offering professional development (PD) to teachers and instructional support staff who are responsible for teaching reading. This PD provides training on evidence-based instruction and ensures that educators stay current with the evolving science of reading research and structured literacy […]