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Minnesota HELPS Fund Grants $500k to Launch a Coordinated Recovery Effort in North Minneapolis

Together these grants will support a variety of human services along with a new case management infrastructure to help North Minneapolis residents affected by the tornado access services more easily. Residents affected by the tornado can now call a hotline at 612-787-3730 from 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. The hotline will assist residents by connecting them to services and support needed for their recovery.

The bulk of today's funding - $240,750 - will support the overall coordinated recovery effort, with the Greater Minneapolis Council of Churches serving as the fiscal agent. The funding will enable NCRT agencies to share data in order to more efficiently address unmet needs of families, individuals and children. It will also allow the NCRT to track how many unique individuals and families are being served, the variety of needs they have, and what services are being requested and provided.

The NCRT has identified the following goals: to ensure short-term housing, mental health, physical health, and basic needs of tornado victims are met; track the dispersion of residents due to the tornado; ensure residents and businesses participate in the recovery effort; support job creation efforts and secure the resources and sustain the interagency relationships needed to make long-term recovery successful.

Additional Grants Serve Individual Agencies

The additional grants, ranging in size from $10,000 to $50,000, will go to nine individual agencies to help them deliver services directly to Northside residents impacted by the tornado. These groups will provide mental health, child care and housing assistance, including tenant/landlord conflict mitigation and some relocation costs. The funded agencies include: Jordan New Life HUB; Pillsbury United Communities; Northside Achievement Zone; Family Partnership; Shiloh International Temple; Minneapolis Urban League; Habitat for Humanity; MAD DADs; and EMERGE. All of these groups, along with many others funded previously through the Minnesota Helps Fund, are part of the NCRT's coordinated recovery efforts.

"This is an unprecedented level of coordination in terms of human service delivery on the Northside. It goes to show how much a tragedy can unify us around a common purpose. All of these organizations have deep roots in North Minneapolis. We are all committed to working together and creating an even stronger community in which every person, family and business has the stability and tools to thrive." Chanda Smith-Baker, president and CEO of Pillsbury United Communities, the agency responsible for leading the human needs response. "The Minneapolis Foundation, Greater Twin Cities United Way and other funders were very intentional about supporting a well-coordinated and integrated service delivery model, making sure the funding makes as great an impact as possible in the lives of those directly impacted by the tornado."

"As a Minnesota Helps funding partner, it's been amazing to see how contributions raised from throughout our community will support a wide variety of needs. We're helping families find stable housing, helping small businesses recover, helping young North Siders gain job skills while cleaning up their own neighborhood, and supporting street outreach crews that are providing food, clothes, grief and trauma counseling, and transportation services to those impacted by this disaster," said Christa Getchell, president of Park Nicollet Foundation.

More than $1 Million Granted Through Minnesota Helps

With today's grants, a total of $1,150,010 has now been awarded from the North Minneapolis Recovery Fund to support the immediate and long-term recovery needs. Previous grants, totaling $636,752, were distributed in May and June. Nearly all of the contributions have now been distributed to support the immediate and long-term recovery needs. Each organization receiving funds is required to report back on the impact of their efforts and organizations that are part of the NCRT will sign an agreement pledging coordination of data and service efforts. Visit MinnesotaHelps.org for a full list of grants and funded activities or to contribute to the recovery effort.

About the Minnesota Helps - North Minneapolis Recovery Fund

The Minnesota Helps - North Minneapolis Recovery Fund was established by The Minneapolis Foundation, Greater Twin Cities United Way, and GiveMN.org to meet the short- and long-term needs of individuals and families impacted by the tornado. 100 percent of the donations made to the fund will be used for the North Minneapolis relief and recovery effort. More than $1.35 million has been raised so far from community donations and matching grants. To date, over 4,500 individuals and more than a dozen local corporations and foundations have contributed.

The needs are significant: With damages estimated at $166 million and several families still displaced, experts are predicting a three-year recovery period. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recently denied relief for individuals affected by the storm. The public is still encouraged to contribute either through GiveMN.org or through The Minneapolis Foundation.

About The Minneapolis Foundation

The Minneapolis Foundation helps people support the community and causes they care about, and invests in efforts to ensure everyone in Minneapolis has the opportunity to thrive. Established in 1915, The Minneapolis Foundation manages more than $600 million in assets, administers more than 1,100 charitable funds and distributes approximately $36 million in grants each year. In addition, The Minneapolis Foundation works with other community leaders to improve the quality of life in our region and serve as a catalyst for constructive dialogue and action on critical issues. Visit www.MinneapolisFoundation.org for more information.

About Greater Twin Cities United Way

Greater Twin Cities United Way addresses our community's most critical issues by focusing on three key areas: Basic Needs, Education and Health. We attack poverty on multiple, interconnected fronts to achieve lasting change - through 10 measurable goals - by collaborating with business, government and nonprofit organizations to create solutions and carry out our call to action to LIVE UNITED by encouraging everyone to Give. Advocate. Volunteer. United Way serves people living in or near poverty in nine counties: Anoka, Carver, Chisago, Dakota, Hennepin, Isanti, Ramsey, Scott and western Washington. Join the movement. LIVE UNITED. For more information visit www.unitedwaytwincities.org or call (612) 340-7400.

Padilla Speer Beardsley
Megan Fallon, 612-455-1923/612-877-0387
mfallon@psbpr.com
or
The Minneapolis Foundation
Becky Borsheim, 612-672-3823
bborsheim@mplsfoundation.org
or
Greater Twin Cities United Way
Kristin Gast, 612-340-7469
gastk@unitedwaytwincities.org