The Well Youth Center

Improve the level of programming for our youth/ children. With increased funding our center will be able to provide more opportunities toward learning good citizenship.

THE WELL YOUTH CENTER

of Mapleton MN . . .

 

 

The Well is a nonprofit, charitable organization which began in the Fall of 2003 as a community outreach youth program in the town of Mapleton, Minnesota, a small, rural community, often referred to as the “curling capital” of southern Minnesota.  The Well serves the Maple River area, which includes the communities of Amboy, Good Thunder and Minnesota Lake and Mapleton.

 

        In June 2010, The Well was granted its

501 (c) 3 tax exempt classification, opening up new avenues of contribution opportunities.

 

The mission of The Well is to provide a safe, supportive and friendly environment for youth during the hours immediately after school until suppertime.  The Center offers a safe haven where youth come and enjoy friendship, activities, refreshment, assistance with homework and support from caring adults.  For some children, The Well provides the main meal of the day.  For most children in our service area, the reality is that their parents work and therefore no one is at home when these children leave school.  If The Well did not exist, these children would go home to an empty house.  The Center meets a critical need for the youth, offering a safe place with supervision from community-minded, caring adults.  In this way, the community is reassured that youth have a supervised place to go and that the needs of the youth are met.

 

The vision of the Board of Directors and Staff is to continue to address the unmet needs of our Maple River area children/youth.  The immediate and  long-term goal is to improve the level of programming by implementing programs that promote the development of lifelong character-building assets including responsibility, respect, self-direction, resourcefulness, ethics, integrity, honesty and caring  - attributes that will enable youth to make wise choices during their entire lives.

 

The Community recognizes that The Well has a unique “family” presence – the primary element youth want and need.  This is due mainly to the longevity of core Staff – the Administrator having been with the program since its beginning.  Professionals who visit The Well remark on this rare but apparent ingredient.

 

A success story:  “Sid” came to The Well on a regular basis, but initially rarely smiled or made eye contact; and, usually sat or hid in a corner.  He was very shy and had no friends. It appeared that “Sid” trusted no one. Later on, during the course of the year “Sid” left his corner, and began smiling and talking to others.  “Sid’s” mother shared her joy with staff over this dramatic change. “Sid” has since moved away.  Recently, he came to Mapleton to visit with old friends, and talked with one of our Staff.  “Sid” reported he was happy and doing well.