2024 Annual Report
Whole Family, Whole Heartedly
Dear friends and supporters of Wilder,
I am excited to share with you our 2024 Annual Report showcasing the incredible impact your contributions have made towards advancing our mission at Wilder.
At Wilder, we believe that every family, regardless of their background or circumstances, deserves the opportunity to thrive. Our Whole Family approach recognizes the interconnectedness of economic, health, and educational needs within a family unit, and is designed to address these holistically.
Thanks to your support, we have been able to provide vital resources and services to families in need, partnering with them to overcome obstacles and create a brighter future. As we reflect on the past year, we are filled with gratitude for your dedication and generosity. Thank you for being a valued partner in our efforts to build stronger, healthier communities. We truly could not do this important work without you.
Sincerely,
Armando Camacho
President & CEO
93 Toddlers & Pre-K Students
increased their academic, social, and emotional learning at Wilder's Child Development Center.
783 K-8 Students
participated in Saint Paul Promise summer programs - 90% showing improved academic skills.
1,221 East Side & North End Families
were supported through academics, extended learning, and health & human services at Achievement Plus community schools.
500 K-12 Students
received culturally responsive mental health care through full-time, on-site therapists at 30 schools.
2,695 Clients
received a total of 90,369 trauma-informed mental health and substance use services.
790 Neighbors
received support to live independently as they age, including 39,330 home-delivered meals.
502 Community Members
joined in culturally responsive workshops that promote maternal health, early childhood development, and violence prevention through the African American Babies Coalition and Projects.
1,427 Families
received wealth-building support for 147 families through our guaranteed basic income pilot and housing stability support for 262 families through direct housing assistance.
1,240 Volunteers & Interns
dedicated 28,549 hours of service in support of Wilder’s mission, including 34 primarily BIPOC student interns training in social work, counseling, psychology, and other disciplines.
86 Parents & Community Leaders
grew public policy knowledge and advocacy skills to drive change in their communities.
166 Organizations
hired Wilder Research to evaluate and inform their efforts; and Wilder Research produced 199 reports offering Minnesota’s leaders critical data and analysis to inform decisions to improve lives and communities.
In 1924, Wilder launched one of the first Child Guidance Clinics in the nation. 100 years later, we are a full-service mental wellness provider serving people of every age and stage of life, including addiction recovery services.
Specially trained therapists work with children as young as 0-5 and their parents; therapists in 30+ schools offer culturally-responsive care to hundreds of primarily African-descended, Hmong, Karen, and Latinx students and their families; and bi-lingual therapists blend Western mental health and traditional healing supports for Hmong, Vietnamese, Karen, Cambodian, and Afghan adults. We’ve also supported nearly 200 behavioral health professionals to secure their licenses through our Clinical Training Institute.
[Wilder's school-based mental health program] has helped me heal from very traumatic childhood experiences – it has helped me trust people more – it has given me someone to talk to when I feel like I have no one.
School-Based Mental Health Services
In partnership with schools across Saint Paul and the Twin Cities, our Wilder school-based mental health team supports the unique identities and experiences of students and their families. We offer culturally specific care for our Hmong, Black and African American, Somali, Latinx, and Karen youth.
Afghan Support Services
Wilder's Center for Social Healing now offers Labkhand Salem Support Services for members of the Afghan community. Staff who speak Pashto and Dari help adults and their families access resources, build life skills, assist with day-to-day needs, and foster community connections.
Wilder Research conducted the triennial Minnesota Homeless Study, an essential resource for understanding the prevalence of homelessness in Minnesota and the circumstances of those experiencing homelessness.
Initial insights and data from the October 2023 study have informed legislative committees about homelessness trends, equipped service providers and decision-makers with accurate information to improve programs and policies, and expanded public understanding of the issue through news stories and educational presentations.
In recent years, data from the study has guided our leadership’s strategic decision-making about where to expand programs and services, informed our agency response to the COVID pandemic, and shaped our multi-year campaign to develop more trauma-informed, health-focused programs for homeless individuals of all ages
Early Care and Education Workforce, 2023 Study
Wilder Research contracted with the Minnesota Department of Education and Department of Human Services, in partnership with the Children’s Cabinet, to conduct an Early Care and Education Workforce Survey.
Murdered and Missing Indigenous Relatives Injustice in Utah
The Utah MMIR Task Force partnered with Wilder Research to examine the scope and nature of the MMIR injustice and make recommendations for improvements to the criminal justice and social service systems for preventing and addressing crimes involving Indigenous relatives in Utah.
Minnesota Compass
Led by Wilder Research, the 2024 Compass Points report summarized indicators of quality of life in Minnesota that showed a state struggling to build back from COVID-19 and its disruptions.
Thank you to our supporters and sponsors for helping make Ordinary Magic, our Annual Community Celebration and Fundraiser, a truly special evening in support of Wilder and the people and families that we serve. Together we raised more than $400,000 in support of Wilder’s mission to be a collective force for social good that works to see all people thrive!
Our foundation and the Schulze family have long recognized and tried to support the important role played by Wilder in the Twin Cities East Metro area. It’s not just the scale and range of human services provided by Wilder, but the quality and data-driven approach to its human service programming that we find impressive.
Support Families Whole Heartedly
Together, we can build a more vibrant community that includes access to affordable housing, timely and culturally affirming mental health services, care for our youngest and oldest family members, access to nutritious food, and research that sheds light on complex issues.
A Community Effort
Generous supporters like you help make our mission possible of improving lives today and for generations to come. From all of us at Wilder, thank you!
A Guiding Force
Our board of directors and executive team stewards the mission of Wilder so we can improve lives today and for generations to come.