The REAL Minneapolis
The REAL Minneapolis
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    • Home
    • Our Work
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    • About Us
      • Supporters
      • Staff
      • Founding Partners
    • Gallery
    • Contact Us
    • Merch
    • Our Principles
  • Home
  • Our Work
  • Youth
  • Media
  • About Us
    • Supporters
    • Staff
    • Founding Partners
  • Gallery
  • Contact Us
  • Merch
  • Our Principles

We Are Public Health Ambassadors

CareCollab | Services for friends experiencing homelessness

In March of 2022, we began our pioneering collaboration with The Conflict Resolution Center. We bring unhoused folks indoors in our own unique, custom HOPEmobile -- and they bring their own unique, custom Healing Circles, case management, pizza and delicious snacks, as well as a $25 gift card. 


In late August 2022, with the growth of Healing Circles to nearly triple (and ever-increasing demand), GMCC has graciously offered their facility and staff awesomeness. They bring their own unique, custom food shelf tailor-made for homeless friends. The location is ideal at East Lake Street and 11th Avenue, an area we call a "vortex of scarcity." Our aim is to remedy and heal.

Addressing the social determinants of health

As public health ambassadors, we address the social determinants of health: healthcare access and quality, education access and quality, social and community context, neighborhood and built environment, and economic stability. 

Meeting unmet needs with moxie

Our HOPEmobile is a motorhome and the only one-stop shop in Minnesota addressing the social determinants of health -- all under one roof. in  400 hot meals a week, triage for social and medical services, winter gear, new socks and underwear, hygiene, harm reduction kits, and more.

The power to be fluid and fierce

As a grassroots nonprofit 501c3 organization -- formed by BIPOC women with abundant lived experience -- we embrace our power to be fluid in the projects we choose. Priority projects are determined by thoughtfully listening to members of our community and taking swift and dependable action. Also, we are scrappy and fierce and don't typically take no for an answer.

We Work in Real Time

The Real Minneapolis - HOPE & HELP

Our current priorities are homelessness, youth engagement, opioid epidemic, and overall mental health support. Launched as crisis support following the mu


See below for various ways to make a tax deductible contribution. You can specify if you would like your funds to go to one of these areas: 

  • FOOD JUSTICE / FOOD DISTRIBUTION
  • OPIOID CASE MANAGEMENT & SERVICES
  • HOUSING CASE MANAGEMENT & SERVICES
  • YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH & SERVICES
  • ADULT MENTAL HEALTH & SERVICES
  • CRIMINAL JUSTICE SUPPORT
  • SHOWERS, CLOTHING & ESSENTIAL SUPPLIES

We Are Seeking Corporate Donors

The Real Minneapolis is a fierce and fabulous 501c3 non-profit organization. Your contributions are 100% tax-deductible. Contact valerie@realmpls.org 

for sponsorship packages and donation options.

OUR RECENT WORK

MARCH 2022-PRESENT: Mpls CareCollab Healing Services for Unhoused Friends

MARCH 2022-PRESENT: Mpls CareCollab Healing Services for Unhoused Friends

MARCH 2022-PRESENT: Mpls CareCollab Healing Services for Unhoused Friends

Building on our unique trusted relationships and aided by our own lived experience, we have ushered more than 500 friends experiencing homelessness indoors for services including case management, showers, healing circles and more. GMCC has graciously offered use of their facility, ideally located at 1100 E. Lake St.

Mpls CareCollab Flyer

AUGUST 2021-PRESENT: HOPEmobile Outreach & Services to Unhoused Friends

MARCH 2022-PRESENT: Mpls CareCollab Healing Services for Unhoused Friends

MARCH 2022-PRESENT: Mpls CareCollab Healing Services for Unhoused Friends

HOPEmobile is our "vehicle for change" - a on-stop shop motorhome which has enabled us to serve nearly 35k meals (as of February 2023, new clothing, life-saving Naloxone, triage to essential medical an social services

HOPEmobile Flyer

June 2023 - PRESENT: Hennepin Country Environmental Green Partners

MARCH 2022-PRESENT: Mpls CareCollab Healing Services for Unhoused Friends

June 2023 - PRESENT: Hennepin Country Environmental Green Partners

More Info Coming Soon!

May 2020 - PRESENT: Youth Mental Health & Engagement

MAY 2020-PRESENT: Conduit & Connector to Criminal & Social Justice Resources & Services

June 2023 - PRESENT: Hennepin Country Environmental Green Partners

More info coming soon!

MAY 2020-PRESENT: Conduit & Connector to Criminal & Social Justice Resources & Services

MAY 2020-PRESENT: Conduit & Connector to Criminal & Social Justice Resources & Services

MAY 2020-PRESENT: Conduit & Connector to Criminal & Social Justice Resources & Services

More Info Coming Soon!

OUR PREVIOUS WORK

JUNE-AUGUST 2021: Hope Youth Center Summer Program

SUMMER 2020: Free Farmer's Market & Teen Retail Training

SEPTEMBER 2020-JUNE 2021: Hope Youth Center School Year

HYC Summer Flyer

SEPTEMBER 2020-JUNE 2021: Hope Youth Center School Year

SUMMER 2020: Free Farmer's Market & Teen Retail Training

SEPTEMBER 2020-JUNE 2021: Hope Youth Center School Year

HYC School Flyer

SUMMER 2020: Free Farmer's Market & Teen Retail Training

SUMMER 2020: Free Farmer's Market & Teen Retail Training

SUMMER 2020: Cultivating HOPE Teen Mental Health & Activities

FRESH PRODUCE FOR ALL


The  Real Minneapolis is working with local farmers and organizations to  provide a Farmer's Market outside of Phelps Community Center during  their existing food shelf times. Visitors can cruise through the market outside to select fresh farm-grown seasonal vegetables and fruit, and  non-perishables inside the building. We will follow all COVID-19 safety  protocols.


Before eating, always take time to thank the food. 


All plants are our brothers and sisters. They talk to us and if we listen, we can hear them. – Arapaho

About Native Proverbs

SUMMER 2020: Cultivating HOPE Teen Mental Health & Activities

SUMMER 2020: Cultivating HOPE Teen Mental Health & Activities

SUMMER 2020: Cultivating HOPE Teen Mental Health & Activities

The  Real Minneapolis has teamed up with "Marty the Sign Guy". Our Youth Team will be visiting In•Signity and learning how to build creative signs and sculpture pieces for their youth garden! Young people are great entrepreneurs. Not to mention they are our future community  builders, business owners, public servants, and families. Young people can sometimes be hard to engage depending on  how you approach them. 


We have found that they need to be passionate and genuinely interested in a project and it helps when they can visualize the outcome. Marty to the rescue! 


Stay tuned for some really fun stuff...

About In•Signity

SUMMER 2020-Winter 2022: South Minneapolis Youth Garden

SUMMER 2020: Cultivating HOPE Teen Mental Health & Activities

JULY 2020: "Hope Beyond the Rubble" Floral Art Installations

The Real Minneapolis was able to secure a convenient location at Chicago and Lake Street for Minneapolis youth to plant and maintain their own garden. We are paying Community teenagers $14.50 an hour throughout the summer to spearhead the garden and mentor the younger kids!  We believe giving youth skills and seeds is giving them much more than a meal! Evidence suggests there are several key benefits related to youth gardens, including:


  • Encouraging them to eat healthier. 
  • Providing engaging, moderate exercise. 
  • Building a sense of confidence and independence.
  • Positively impacting mood & psychological well-being.

JULY 2020: "Hope Beyond the Rubble" Floral Art Installations

SUMMER 2020: Cultivating HOPE Teen Mental Health & Activities

JULY 2020: "Hope Beyond the Rubble" Floral Art Installations

Youth  planted and maintained flowers and baskets to be displayed at Minneapolis businesses  that were damaged during the fires and  looting. The flowers are meant to brighten up our city, and offer hope to our small business community. In addition, it is both intuitive and scientifically known that adding elements of nature, like flowers, promotes well-being.  "The Power of the Flower" as we like to say, can aid in healing our community by: 


  • Generating Happiness
  • Accelerating the Healing Process
  • Benefiting the Environment
  • Nourishing Concentration and Memory. 
  • Promoting Health and Recreation


Power of Flowers

JUNE 2020: Intersection of Hope

JUNE 2020: Intersection of Hope

JUNE 2020: Intersection of Hope

In honor of George Floyd, the mission of Intersection of Hope started in an effort to create a safe, sustainable, sacred space for the healing, recovery, and growth of the community surrounding George Floyd Avenue. 


About $20k of our GoFundMe donations have gone toward the operations at George Floyd Square including the CANDO (Central Area Neighborhood Development Organization), security and first aid, tents and shelter needs, sanitation and hygiene, essential supplies, small business support, and varies food providers.

The remaining funds were used to employ and support BIPOC individuals living and working in and around the immediate area of George Floyd Square.

MAY 2020: City Clean-up Event

JUNE 2020: Intersection of Hope

JUNE 2020: Intersection of Hope

THE BROOM IS A SYMBOL

Immediately following the looting and fires after the murder of George  Floyd, one of our teammates created an event for Facebook friends to  clean up the rubbish. 


By that Friday 5/27, 80,000 people were reached in a single day -- demonstrating the true spirit of the Minneapolis community:  love and kindness. For 5 days, 300-500 people showed up with brooms and  garbage bags in tow to take action.


"Grab the broom of anger and drive off the beast of fear."     - Zora Neale Hurston

More About Zora

How Your Support Helps

  • We employ folks who have recently experienced homelessness and are in now in recovery at $20/hour.
  • We employ BIPOC teens at $18/hr to engage in community projects addressing hope, health and healing.
  • Your tax-deductible donation also helps w/staffing our essential programming, operational costs, supplies and more.

Pay with PayPal or a debit/credit card

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Support our feet-on-the-street work

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