The Shine Celebration Gala gathers Way to Grow supporters to celebrate our families, partners, and community on Friday, October 6, at the Depot, Minneapolis. The audience will consist of local corporations in various sectors with dedicated Way to Grow supporters, donors and board members and their networks. We expect to host over 350 guests from diverse backgrounds in our community.

The gala will host a fun and engaging silent and live auction, multiple speakers, and live entertainment for guests. Donors will want to particpate for the mission that Way to Grow champions: that every child deserves an equal opportunity to succeed in school and in life.

Funds raised from this event, including the silent auction portion, will be used to support Way to Grow's Great By Eight programming to help to close the education gap in Minnesota. While Minnesota is a leader in education, children of color or children experiencing poverty are often left behind. Working with families across Minneapolis and beyond, Way to Grow aims to close the education gap of our youngest learners by developing programs and offering support that starts early - prenatal to the third grade. Our vision is that all children are born healthy, stay healthy and are ready to succeed in school and beyond.

Through Great By Eight, we work to address persisting early childhood education gaps and barriers families experience in communities across the Twin Cities. Currently, about 31,000 low-income children throughout Minnesota including 12,500 children in Minneapolis alone lack access to quality early education and start kindergarten unprepared – one of the root causes of Minnesota’s worst in nation education gap.

Since our founding, Way to Grow has achieved outstanding outcomes that have impacted over 70,000 people over the last 33 years. In 2022, Way to Grow provided 11,368 home visits to 1,850 individuals (1,061 children and 789 adults) in 623 families. Of these, 98% of children were deemed ready for kindergarten, compared to the state average of 51% for low-income children; 81% of K-3 students combined demonstrated growth in literacy assessments; 92% of K-3 children attended school 90% of the time; 74% of parents read with their children 3 times or more per week; and 86% of families attended at least one parent-teacher conference. School disruptions and high-quality childcare challenges are some of the barriers that Way to Grow helps families navigate.