Jennifer Griffin-Wiesner

Change Inc. utilizes the power of relationships and community to create educational, training and healing opportunities for children, youth, young adults and families so they can achieve their highest ambition. Change Inc. envisions a world in which children, youth and young adults, regardless of their place of birth or economic resources, succeed in school and grow to their full potential. In this world, families are embraced by empowered communities. Change Inc. is the product of a merger of two community-based organizations, Guadalupe Alternative Programs and Change Inc., both originally founded to serve at-risk, underserved individuals and address the challenges of systemic poverty and racism that prevent Twin Cities families from achieving their full potential. After more than a decade of close collaboration, both organizations determined that the most effective way to move forward would be to merge, adopting Change Inc. for the name of the organization with GAP School being retained as the name for our alternative high school and associated programs in Saint Paul. Through the merger, complete in June 2019, we are able to leverage additional resources, streamline operations, and draw on a large body of experience and deep ties to the community, helping us expand on our work to serve the diverse Twin Cities region. The foundation of our approach is that relationships are the key to change. Change Inc.’s program activities, based on strong relationships and trust, holistically ensure our students are cognitively, socially, and emotionally equipped to succeed in school and life.