It's time to shine!

Join us for the annual Way to Grow Shine Celebration

Join us for an evening of celebration, connection, and purpose! Enjoy a delicious dinner, spirited entertainment, heartfelt stories, and the excitement of live and silent auctions. Our 2025 theme, The Head & the Heart, reflects the powerful balance at the core of Way to Grow’s work: pairing measurable impact with meaningful relationships. Rooted in the real-life experiences of the families we serve, this night honors the strength of parents, the power of early learning, and the community that surrounds each child with care. Together, we’ll raise a glass to brighter futures for all.

WHEN:
Friday, October 3, 2025
5:30 pm – 9:30 pm

WHERE:
The Depot, Minneapolis
225 3rd Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55401

ATTIRE:
Semi-formal and cocktail attire

KEYNOTE:
Kao Kalia Yang
Author, Four-Time Minnesota Book Award Winner

FEATURING:
Arthur J. Rollick, Ph.D.
Associate Economist, University of Minnesota

Sponsorship:

If you'd like to learn more about sponsorship, please click here. To purchase more than two tickets, please fill out the total ($250 x Number of Tickets) in the "Other" selection.

Please Note:

Paid parking is available in the Depot parking lot with meters nearby. A small number of community partner tickets are available. Please contact [email protected] for more details or any questions.

About Way to Grow:

For over 35 years, Way to Grow has worked to address the serious and prevalent gap in early childhood education in the Twin Cities. With a culturally diverse team of Family Educators, we provide free, year-round family support and educational programming for families, prenatal through grade 3, ensuring all children are ready to succeed in school and beyond!

"Great by Eight" starts early with prenatal parents and continues through the third grade delivering resources, education curriculum and support. We are proud to work with over 800 families in Minneapolis, Brooklyn Park, Brooklyn Center, and surrounding suburbs—neighbors who work hard to provide for their children and are active in their community and their child’s education. 

Our Family Educators focus on building trusted relationships with parents and children. The result: children ready to succeed in kindergarten and beyond.