Care in Action Minnesota

Our Mission

At Care in Action Minnesota, we provide essential support to abused and neglected children in Washington, Ramsey, Dakota, Winona, Fillmore, and Hennepin Counties and to their caregivers. Through a variety of programs and initiatives, we work to promote the social, physical, spiritual, and emotional well-being of children, strengthen families, connect communities and prevent childhood maltreatment.

We thrive to foster equity, trauma-informed healing, family stability, and self-sufficiency.

Our Vision

All children, youth, and families in our community can operate at their full potential and have the resources and skills they need to live with hope and dignity.

How we Meet Our Mission

We establish localized partnerships with State agencies, faith-based communities, and other community organizations that share our dedication to improving the lives and futures of at-risk children and families in crisis. Through our collaborative system of program delivery, we mobilize the generosity of caring individuals and leverage the resources of social service agencies to provide direct assistance and critical goods to families struggling to meet the basic needs of their children. Leading to fully internally motivated, hyperlocal networks of development, healing and growth.

Our Impact

Child maltreatment prevention requires a focus on reducing risk factors and promoting strong communities and families. Abuse and neglect are often associated with factors and conditions causing families to experience toxic levels of stress. These include: lack of access to basic resources, housing instability, poverty, mental health issues and social isolation. Conversely, access to these concrete resources and services can help meet families’ basic needs and support parents in their role, reduce those common risk factors, and contribute to family stability and healing. 

Care in Action Minnesota supporters help provide these timely and crucial resources to children and families, in response to requests from county social workers. The requests we receive typically fall into the following Impact Areas:

• Sustainable Livelihoods – Assuring access to basic needs & critical goods for youth & families (i.e. Glasses, Clothing, Dental Care, Diapers, Groceries).
• Housing Stability – Preventing & ending homelessness for youth & families. (i.e. portion of past-due rent for a single mother who had fallen behind, transitional housing for emancipating foster youth).
• Strengthening Learning Opportunities – Examples include providing: School supplies; Career Exploration & Life Skills Classes.
• Childhood Enrichment – Enhancing quality of life and bringing joy (i.e. Holiday Gifts; Arts & Cultural Opportunities; Summer Camps & After school programs; Tickets for kids).

Our History

Care in Action Minnesota was established by Pete and Chris Singer in Washington County, Minnesota, in 2005. It was modeled after the HALOS (Helping and Lending Outreach Support) organization in Charleston, S.C.

Pete Singer is a licensed clinical social worker with more than 25 years of experience working with children and adults who have mental health diagnoses and intellectual disabilities. Chris Singer has worked more than 20 years in various healthcare leadership positions, and currently serves as chief operating officer of a community healthcare system.