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:
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:
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...
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
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.
Nearly $12K of our GoFundMe donations have gone toward the CANDO (Central Area Neighborhood Development Organization), tents and shelter needs, security and first aid, sanitation and hygiene, miscellaneous supplies, small business support, and varies food providers.
The process of helping maintain the Memorial has been organic. There has been no planning, and as of now we are only getting by with volunteer help and limited financial support from the community.
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
The Real Minneapolis is a fierce and fabulous non-profit organization in the process of obtaining our 501c3 status. Ongoing funding from donors like you make these projects possible.
Our current priority is the the healing, change and enrichment of the youth surrounding The George Floyd Memorial. We have developed paid summer jobs! We also continue to fortify The George Floyd Memorial, and make it a safe and comfortable space to visit. Your contribution will enable us to support our community and continue operations.