Northway Community Trust

NEWSLETTER

December 19, 2011- Northside Achievement Zone (NAZ) has been awarded the Department of Education's Promise Neighborhood Implementation grant. The audience of several hundred elected officials, NAZ members and Northside citizens burst into applause as Jim Shelton, assistant deputy U.S. education secretary for the Office of Innovation and Improvement announced a grant amount of $28,000,000. In commenting on the award of such a large grant amount Secretary Shelton quoted a the line from NAZ's application that tipped the scales: "And if it doesn't work, we'll keep trying until it does."

The U.S. Department of Education announced the award at Elizabeth Hall International Elementary School in North Minneapolis, one of several partners who work to prepare North Minneapolis children to graduate from high school ready for college.

"It's a monumental responsibility that we don't take lightly. Thank you to NorthWay Community Trust for their early investment, of one half million dollars," said NAZ CEO, Sondra Samuels."

Samuels went on to say, "North Minneapolis is a renewed community today. The Promise Neighborhood program and NAZ share the same vision-that all children and youth deserve access to great schools and strong systems of family and community support that will prepare them for college and a career starting at birth." Besides Samuels, speakers at Minneapolis' Elizabeth Hall International Elementary School included both Minnesota senators Klobishar and Franken, Minnesota Representative Keith Ellison, Governor Dayton, Mayor R.T. Rybak and Minneapolis Public Schools Superintendent Bernadeia Johnson, among others.

January 10, 2012 6:00pm-7:30pm at Turning Point, Inc. 1500 Golden Valley Road Please make a note in your calendar to attend these very important community functions.

Chad Schwitters of Urban Homeworks held up a 1935 "social delineation map" which identified a part of North Minneapolis as the "Slum Negro Section." From Left to right: Katya Pilling of Catalyst Community Partners, Schwitters, Barb McCormick of Project for Pride in Living, Grover Jones of NEON, Northside Economic Opportunity Network and Mike Wynne of Emerge Community Development. Each representative reported on the progress of their North Minneapolis social service organization.

For some businesses, foreign markets present not only an immediate sales opportunity, but a hedge against local economic downturns. That was a message and motivation behind a talk on "Export 101" held Dec. 14 at UROC.

That opportunity and a promise by Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton to help bring resources to North Minneapolis. After introductions by Katie Clark, executive director of the Minnesota Trade Office, Micah Hines of the governor's office, and Bass Zanjani representing Congressman Keith Ellison, Ed Dieter, the trade office's deputy director presented his overview.

If anyone doubts that homegrown food or urban agriculture is gaining popularity, just ask the 98 people citywide who applied to serve on the new City-community Homegrown Minneapolis Food Council to begin January 2012. At the City of Minneapolis initiative's meeting to review progress and gather thoughts for next steps, they announced the membership.

NorthWay has played a critical role in Minneapolis' Northside community. It has been behind the
most impactful organizations at their inception, guiding the vision and stepping up as the first
funder. NAZ, N.E.O.N., Kindred Kitchen among others, were all launched with seed money from
NorthWay at that most difficult step in establishing credibility and proving capacity to deliver on a
social good.

Executive Director, Wesley Walker, continues to recognize the needs of the community, then
organizes solutions around them. NorthWay Community Trust depends on foundation support as
well as private donations to do this work. Consider NorthWay for your charitable donations as we
approach the New Year.

Just in time for Valentine's Day, the Capri Theater's "Legends" series offers a musical conversation about love, featuring four outstanding Twin

Cities performers: Sanford Moore, Dennis Spears, Julius Collins and Dennis Oglesby. The concerts are at 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 11, 2012, and 3 p.m. Sunday, February 12, 2012. Tickets are $25, and $20 for groups of 10 or more.

Legend Series Creative Director, Spears, promises a range of genres and musical moods, from pop to jazz and blues, and perhaps a poem

or two, in an inclusive mix. "A lot of
men don't know how to be romantic.
These guys' voices can be the
answer to that," he says. "It's a sweet,
warm Valentine with something for
everybody."

You can instantly unsubscribe from these emails by clicking here.

Forward this email to a friend

Having trouble reading this email, click here.

NorthWay Community Trust creates wealth through programs and services that improve the quality of life for the people of North Minneapolis.

Your feedback and suggestions for a feature idea are welcome. For more information or to be added to an email list, contact us: 612.521.4500 — or — info@northwaycom.org

Click to:

Past Issues