The staff of the Nokomis Healthy Seniors Program
is back in their office at 4553 34th Ave. S. The building housing the program had been
rendered unusable due to a fatal car accident that caused structural damage last October.
The organization operated out of a temporary location for the past three months. All
services, including the Tuesday morning Nurse is In Clinic, have now returned to their
original location at 4553 34th Ave. Please call the office at 729 5499 for more
information. Everyone at Nokomis Healthy Seniors wishes to express their thanks for the
community's support during the challenges of the last few months.
Assistance With Basic Needs
Minnehaha United Methodist Church, 3701 E. 50th St., offers a MinneHarvest of free
groceries—surplus perishables such as produce and breads—the fourth Sat. of each
month, 9 - 10:30 a.m.
The Women’s Cancer Resource Center, 4604 Chicago Ave. S., collaborates with more than
60 organizations focusing on women’s health, cancer prevention and creating a healthy
environment for all. One of the organizations is Woman to Woman, an African American
breast cancer support project that provides one-to-one support and advocacy for African
American women with breast cancer. To find out more, contact the Women’s Cancer
Resource Center at 612- 822-4846.
The Senior LinkAge Line is a free telephone information and assistance service which can
help connect with services including transportation, housing, adult day centers, home
health care, housework, volunteering, hospice care, caregiver support, food/meal delivery,
legal assistance, financial assistance, snow/lawn care, employment, minor home repairs,
health insurance counseling and more. Call 1-800-333-2433.
Holy Cross Lutheran church, 1720 E. Minnehaha Parkway, hosts lunch Mondays through Fridays
at noon for people 60 and up. Holy Cross Senior Dining is sponsored by Volunteers of
America of Minnesota. Suggested contribution is $2.50. For menu, reservation information
or questions call Evelyn Ramey weekdays at 612-729-6668 between 9 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.
They’d love to set a place for you.
If you love to read but can’t get to the library because of illness or disability,
the Friends of the Minneapolis Public Library can help. Volunteers will deliver books,
tapes and other library materials to your door. For more information about this free
service to Minneapolis residents with limited mobility, call 612-630-6173.
St. Cloud State University is having a two-day, eight-hour course for senior driver
improvement. It is open to the public, however, pre-registration is required. A certified
consultant teaches the class. Persons age 55 and older who complete the course qualify for
a ten percent discount on their auto insurance premiums for three years, according to
Minnesota law. Classes are held Feb 13 and 14 from 12:30-4:30 p.m. at St. Thomas Episcopal
Church, 4400 44th Ave. S. and Feb. 25 and 26, 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. at Hobart United Methodist
Church, 100 West 46th St. For more information or to register, call toll free,
1-888-234-1294.
Support
The South Minneapolis Coalition for Grief Support is offering a 13-week series at
Richfield United Methodist Church on Thursdays from Feb. 14 through May 9 from 6 to 7:30
p.m. (Refreshments and registration begin at 5:45 p.m.) Adults who are mourning the death
of a loved one are invited to attend. Guest speakers will share their own experience and
professional knowledge of grief and loss. Small groups for sharing will follow the speaker
each week. Richfield United Methodist Church is located at 5835 Lyndale Ave. S. in
Minneapolis. For more information, call the church at 612-861-3086 or Jan Stanton, the
coalition coordinator, at 612-721-5584.
Volunteer Opportunities
The English as a Second Language Program at Holy Rosary\Santo Rosario Church, 2424 18th
Ave. S., is in need of volunteers. Volunteers do not need to speak Spanish. A two hour
commitment once a week for a ten week period is requested.
Classes are Mon. - Thu. mornings from 9:30 - 11:30 and Mon. - Thu. evenings from 6:30 -
8:30. Volunteers would work in small groups with students. An on-site orientation program
is offered as well as training through the Minnesota Literacy Program.
To observe a class or talk with a volunteer to get a feel for the experience, call Sister
Colleen Moran, 612-724-3651.
Pillsbury House, 3501 Chicago Ave. S., has several opportunities for volunteers.
Childcare providers are needed for special events. Payment is in credits, exchangeable for
shampoo, detergent, diapers and more, for each hour of service.
English as a Second Language (ESL) instructors are needed for basic English classes. ESL
certificate preferred, experience required. Stipend and credits offered. For further
information call 612-824-0708, x110.
Imagine being able to help an individual who is struggling to “make ends meet”
receive a refund of over $1,000 simply by helping them complete their tax returns. That is
what AccountAbility Minnesota volunteers do everyday during the tax season. “It is
heart warming to see the look in someone’s eyes when you tell them they are receiving
a refund,” said Darlene McGee, a long-time volunteer. “People tell me the money
will help them buy a car, pay utilities and other debts.” Volunteers are needed to
prepare tax returns, review returns and assist with copying and operation of our sites.
Training is provided. For more information please call 651-287-0187, email jbrand@mtn.org
or visit www.accountabilitymn.org.
Anyone with their own shovel or snow blower can earn $10-11 per hour and help seniors and
disabled adults at the same time. Call Tracey at Rivercreek Handiworks to sign up,
612-721-8687, x329. Other openings are in housekeeping, light maintenance and lawn care.
Minnesota Friends of the Orphans, a nonprofit fundraiser for orphan homes in Mexico and
Latin America, needs volunteers to translate letters from sponsors for Spanish-speaking
children. The letters provide emotional support for the children and are great practice
for advanced Spanish students. Translate at home and mail or e-mail the work. Tamara
Downs, tdowns@friendsmn.org, 651-482-1703.
The Division of Indian Work is looking for responsible and caring adults to tutor American
Indian children ages 5 to 17. The volunteer commitment is 1.5 hours a week for 10 to 12
weeks during after school hours. Tutors help children with any homework they may have. For
more information contact Andrea Keezer through DIW's Youth Leadership Development Program
at 612-722-8722, x340.
Classes
Pillsbury House, 3501 Chicago Ave. S., offers basic one-on-one computer instruction by
appointment only. Call 612-824-0708, x110 for more information.
Women Achieving New Directions is offering free skills assessments for single moms,
services including ongoing workshops, free childcare on site, mentoring by professional
women and monthly support groups. For more information or to register call Marline at
612-752-8500 or Elaine at 651-604-3516.
Ever want to point to a skyscraper or a house and say “Hey, I helped build
that?” If you are a woman considering a career in the building and construction
trades, take advantage of a great chance to learn about all your options and
opportunities. For the sixth successful year, Women in the Trades is offering this unique
seminar providing an overview of choices and career paths in these fields. We will cover
apprenticeships, on the job and other training, community and educational resources, the
job market and the benefits of and barriers to working in fields where women are
underrepresented. Pre-registration is required and closes the Thursday prior to class. The
free sessions will be held at the MN Women’s Building, 550 Rice St., St. Paul (2
blocks north of University Ave.) Please call Women in the Trades at 651-228-9955 to
register or for a complete schedule. Sorry, no childcare is available.
Social Action
The Twin Cities Coalition to Defend Mumia Abu-Jamal meets at 7 p.m. every Wednesday at the
Arise! Bookstore, 2441 Lyndale Ave. S. Call 651-649-4579 for more information.
By logging on to www.thehungersite.com, you can feed a hungry person. First you’ll
see a map of the world. Below the map is a “donate” button. Every time a visitor
clicks on it, a donation is made to a charitable organization by one of the site’s
corporate sponsors. There is no cost to the viewer.
The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board's Forestry Section (MPRB), Tree Trust and 18
Minneapolis Neighborhoods are sponsoring free hands-on workshops in your area. Thanks to a
grant from the USDA Forest Service, the workshops will teach Minneapolis residents how to
care for the tress in their yard and neighborhood. The goal of the workshops is to provide
support to all Minneapolis residents so that they can become community forest stewards,
"TreeKeepers." Workshop #1: The Urban Forest—Working with Trees and People:
What's new with urban trees; How do trees really work; Why are trees in our Neighborhoods
important anyway; Do property values really increase with trees?; What's a good tree and a
bad one; Some great partnership projects that have worked in other neighborhoods. Phillips
Community Center 2323 11th Ave. S., Tues., Feb. 19, 6 to 7:30 p.m.
Responding to the passage of the USA PATRIOT Act and other proposals that limit civil
liberties as defined by the Bill of Rights to the U.S. Constitution, Women Against
Military Madness invites all concerned people to a forum for discussion. The forum will
include presentation of the history of the struggle to preserve civil liberties and an
analysis of dangerous legislation passed since Sept. 11. Global Repression: The latest
assault on civil liberties will be held Sat., Feb. 16 from 930 to 11:30 a.m. at the
William Mitchell College of Law at Victoria and Summit Aves., St. Paul. Call 612-827-5364
for more information.
The National Association for the Mentally Ill (NAMI) is sponsoring a Day on the Hill,
Tue., Feb. 26. Meet in the State Capitol Rotunda at 12 noon to show support for mental
health programs and initiatives. FFI call 651-645-2948.
The Minneapolis Office of International Affairs, Institute of Agriculture and Trade
Policy, and Global Connections are pleased to announce the launch of an online directory
of international organizations in the Twin Cities and in greater Minnesota. This directory
is a useful tool for those seeking to understand the breadth of the international
community in Minnesota. The online directory, which can be accessed at
http://www.tcglobal.org/diretory, can help you locate an international job, opportunities
to volunteer with an organization with international ties and assist you in seeking
information on international topics.
Events
English/Spanish bilingual story time for children and their parents is held the first and
third Saturdays of the month at the Resource Center of the Americas, 3019 Minnehaha Ave.
All children are always welcome but the first Sat. is geared for ages 5 to 9 and the third
Sat., for ages 2 to 6.
Free Thursday movie nights are held weekly at the Resource Center of the Americas, 3019
Minnehaha Ave. featuring a series of bilingual educational videos and discussions, 6:30 -
8:30 p.m. Beforehand, the café is open for dinner, and letter-writing tables are set up
to contact government and corporate officials.
At the Hennepin-Overland Railway Museum, a scale model operating display, continuing in
restoration, is open to the public in February as follows: Feb. 9-10 and 16-17 from 1:30
to 4:30 p.m. The museum is located at 2501 East 38th St. Admission is $2 (max. for
families $5); children under 5 are free. Call 612-276-9034 for more information.
Bruce E. Levine, author of “Commonsense Rebellion: Debunking Psychiatry, Confronting
Society: An A to Z Guide to Rehumanizing Our Lives” will speak and sign his book at
the Mayday Bookstore, 301 Cedar Ave. S. in the Cedar-Riverside area on Sat., Feb. 16, at
4:00 p.m. Call Louise Bouta at 612-823-8249 or view www.wellmindminnesota.org for more
information. This event is sponsored by Well Mind Association of Minnesota and Mayday
Books.
The Longfellow Garden Club meets from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Longfellow Park, Wed., Feb. 13.
To meet with the Longfellow Business Association from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. on Thu., Feb. 14,
call 612-722-4529 for location. Or check online at www.longfellow.org.
The Longfellow Community Council announces meetings of interest to the general community.
The zoning and planning meeting will be held 7 - 9 p.m., Thu., Feb. 14, at Brackett Park.
From 1-5 p.m. on Sat. Feb. 23, there will be a Black history celebration and health fair
at Phelps Park Community Center, 701 E. 39th St. Contact Steve Mincey, director of the
Phelps Park Community Center at 612-370-4947 to reserve your table no later than Feb. 15.
If you have any other questions you can also contact Trudy at 612-250-2702.
Rainbow Families is holding its seventh annual conference from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on
Sat., Feb. 23, at Anwatin School. More than 45 workshops for LGBT parents, prospective
parents, grandparents, friends and allies will be offered. There will be quality
programming for teens and children, ages 6 months to 16 years, and a resource fair.
Keynote speaker will be Wisconsin congresswoman Tammy Baldwin. The cost for those who
register by Feb. 9 will be $28 for adult nonmembers and $12 for children and teens. The
fee covers lunch, snacks and a family dance.
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