The arrival of spring brings with it a sense of hope and rejuvenation, refreshing our perspective on the important things in life. What better way to celebrate post-thaw living in the North than by getting out into the community and giving back? Here are 10 Minnesota-based nonprofits to consider supporting today.
Cookie Cart
Twin Cities
What is the mission of Cookie Cart?
Cookie Cart teaches life, leadership and employment skills to teens of color through on-the-job and classroom experiences in nonprofit bakeries. The organization envisions equitable communities where Cookie Cart alumni thrive and lead.
What types of services does the organization provide?
Cookie Cart is a leader in youth social enterprise within the Twin Cities. The organization’s bakeries are classrooms where hundreds of teens learn and build real-world skills that prepare them for successful futures. Cookie Cart combines paid work experience with workshops to promote career and leadership development for youth. And it does all this while operating two commercial bakeries that make incredible cookies made with real, quality ingredients.
How can the Twin Cities community best support Cookie Cart right now?
The best way to support Cookie Cart is by purchasing cookies, donating and volunteering.
Housing First Minnesota
St. Paul
What is the mission of Housing First Minnesota?
As Minnesota’s trade association for residential builders, remodelers, developers and building industry suppliers, Housing First Minnesota brings the housing industry together to advocate for housing and homeownership, connect building industry members, and market newly built and remodeled homes. Housing First Minnesota is the leading voice of homebuilders, remodelers and all who are dedicated to building safe, durable homes at prices Minnesotans can afford.
What types of services does the organization provide?
By partnering to build safe housing for those in need, the Housing First Minnesota Foundation is building futures through housing. The organization’s community builds provide association members the opportunity to give back to their communities while making a lasting impact on lives for years to come.
How can the Twin Cities community best support Housing First Minnesota right now?
Donations are needed now more than ever. With your financial support, Housing First Minnesota can help build and repair more transitional housing to support our veterans and other Minnesotans in need.
Children’s Minnesota Gender Health Program
Twin Cities
What is the mission of Children’s Minnesota Gender Health Program?
Children’s Minnesota Gender Health Program is an exclusively pediatric multidisciplinary program that includes pediatric gender health, endocrinology and adolescent health physicians as well as social work, psychology and psychiatry. The Kid Experts are dedicated to serving as an essential partner and resource for transgender youth and families along their journey. Children’s Minnesota is here to help, every step along the way.
What types of services does the organization provide?
Children’s Minnesota currently offers gender consultation with patient and family, mental health assessment and referral as needed, treatment and monitoring, integration of other subspecialty services as appropriate, and coordination and care navigation support to integrate health, education, legal and social needs for transgender and gender diverse kids and their families.
How can the Twin Cities community best support Children’s Minnesota right now?
As a nonprofit health system, the Kid Experts at Children’s Minnesota rely on the generosity of the community to make possible the highly specialized care children deserve. Donate now.
Project for Pride in Living
Minneapolis
What is the mission of Project for Pride in Living?
Project for Pride in Living builds the hope, assets and self-reliance of individuals and families who have lower incomes by providing transformative affordable housing and career readiness services. The organization is committed to elevating the voices of the communities it serves that are disproportionately affected by systemic inequities.
What types of services does the organization provide?
Project for Pride in Living builds and manages safe and quality affordable housing across the Twin Cities with support services to create stability and pride. The organization also offers readiness programs, providing participants with the skills necessary to get and keep a job with proven income growth and job placements.
How can the Twin Cities community best support Project for Pride in Living right now?
The community can best support Project for Pride in Living through donations and volunteering.
This Old Horse
Hastings
What is the mission of This Old Horse?
This Old Horse’s mission is to assist at-risk horses to find a path forward to a happily ever after. In exchange for this compassion and kindness, the organization’s horses give back through programming to help educate and engage the community in turn.
What types of services does the organization provide?
This Old Horse offers retirement, rehoming, rehabilitation and rescue to horses whose life circumstances have left them vulnerable. This support is offered in 15 barns throughout the Twin Cities and by more than 80 foster hosts. This Old Horse has helped horses of more than 32 different breeds and has specialty programs for wild mustangs, miniature horses and ponies, and off-track racehorses. The horses give back through various programs and equine-guided activities, helping children and adults work through struggles with social and academic pursuits.
How can the Twin Cities community best support This Old Horse?
This Old Horse is funded exclusively by private donations. If you have horse property or the means, consider fostering or adopting a horse. This Old Horse is also a volunteer-based organization.
NATIFS
Minneapolis
What is the mission of NATIFS?
North American Traditional Indigenous Food Systems is dedicated to addressing the economic and health crises affecting Native communities by re-establishing Native foodways. The organization imagines a new North American food system that generates wealth and improves health in Native communities through food-related enterprises.
What types of services does the organization provide?
NATIFS actively participates in meal production for tribal communities, promotes Indigenous entrepreneurs, creates Indigenous education opportunities, and builds Native outreach programs to address the diverse needs of tribal communities throughout North America.
How can the Twin Cities community best support NATIFS?
The Twin Cities community is always welcome to make a donation.
Pimento Relief Services
Minneapolis
What is the mission of Pimento Relief Services?
This mission of Pimento Relief Services is to convene a community coalition to reach our goal of economic, social and political liberation for all Black people.
What types of services does the organization provide?
Pimento Relief Services is actively responding to the needs of Black community leaders to help rebuild and reimagine a world where a Black economy flourishes, reparations and healing are a community priority, and Black individuals are protected and represented in our political system. PRS is a convening partner for organizations and individuals actively combatting racism. With its wide network of community partners, the organization supports the many voices fighting for racial equity and liberation.
How can the Twin Cities community best support Pimento Relief Services?
The Twin Cities community is welcome to donate.
Curiosity Studio
Minneapolis
What is the mission of Curiosity Studio?
Curiosity Studio’s mission is to help people get to know themselves through exploratory art making. The organization celebrates being messy and playful, and experimenting with analog art forms to develop richer art practices and lives.
What types of services does the organization provide?
Curiosity Studio creates art kits and classes that let you play, reflect and connect with the world. The organization asks its participants to come into the space with vulnerability and tend to the parts of themselves that can be overlooked in their day-to-day lives. At times, a class will be a total exploration of a medium, and other times there will be no product to frame on your wall. This art therapy–informed model encourages folks to leave with a box full of tools to incorporate exploration, play and creativity into daily rhythm.
How can the Twin Cities community best support Curiosity Studio?
Curiosity Studio has partnered with Riverbend Education Center, a Minneapolis public school that provides 100% special education services to all their students with a variety of needs. With the purchase of a Curiosity Kit, you will also be purchasing an art kit for students at Riverbend to use during distance learning and investing in social-emotional art programming when they return to school. Donations of snacks and supplies are also welcome!
Bountifield International
Minneapolis
What is the mission of Bountifield International?
Bountifield International envisions an Africa free from hunger, poised to feed the world. The organization creates opportunities across Africa for rural entrepreneurs with tools and services to efficiently process, save, and sell more food. Small businesses and farmers increase their incomes, more jobs are created, and Africa feeds herself and the world.
What types of services does the organization provide?
Bountifield International implements programs and strategies to sustainably reduce hunger and poverty by supporting rural communities with opportunities to process, save and sell more food. With its technical expertise and 40+ years of experience, the organization focuses on mechanizing post-harvest processing while supporting entrepreneurial development in rural communities for cultivating a thriving agricultural industry and resilient food systems.
How can the Twin Cities community best support Bountifield International?
The community can best support Bountifield International through donations. Tickets for the organization’s 40th anniversary gala are available for purchase as well.
Can Do Canines
New Hope
What is the mission of Can Do Canines?
Can Do Canines is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for people with disabilities by creating mutually beneficial partnerships with specially trained dogs. The organization envisions a world where people with disabilities live free and independent lives.
What types of services does the organization provide?
Can Do Canines provides highly skilled assistance dogs to qualifying individuals free of charge. Successful dog and handler teams rely on finding the right dog for the job. Therefore, the majority of the Can Do Canines’ dogs are bred, raised and trained by the organization. Working dogs are smarter, healthier and more willing to please their partners.
How can the Twin Cities community best support Can Do Canines?
The Twin Cities community is welcome to donate, volunteer or foster a dog.
