365 days of thanks

Central Corridor Pop-up Art

Day 191 - Street art is popping up everywhere on the Central Corridor. Check out this Irrigate project at 2290 University Ave. Irrigate is an artist-led creative placemaking initiative spanning the six miles of the Central Corridor Light Rail line in Saint Paul during the years of its construction. This is a unique opportunity that brings together huge infrastructure development, a high concentration of resident artists on both ends of the corridor, a diverse ethnic and cultural mix among the neighborhoods, and a city with a strong track record of artist community engagement. This artist-led community and economic development approach emphasizes cross-sector collaboration with local private and non-profit sectors. Thanks to all the  Irrigate artists who will change the landscape of the Central Corridor with color, art, surprise, creativity and fun. 

Bob Dylan

Day 190- Bob Dylan will receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom at a White House Ceremony tonight. The Minnesotan songwriter will be given the highest civilian honor awarded by the United States along with author Toni Morrison, former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, astronaut John Glenn and former Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens.

Dylan was praised as one of the “most influential American musicians of the 20th century” in a statement about the honor released by the White House. The White House also acknowledged that Dylan had “considerable influence on the civil rights movement of the 1960s and has had significant impact on American culture over the past five decades.”

Thanks, Bob for making Minnesota proud. 

Our Veterans

Day 189 - We’re thankful for our veterans everyday and today especially. If you’re looking  to pay tribute to those who have served our country, here’s a list of events and memorials in the Twin Cities area:

http://minneapolis.about.com/od/eventsfestivals/a/memorialday08.htm

A Weekend on the Lake

Day 188 - One hundred and eighty-eight days into our blog and Memorial Day Weekend seems like the right time to give thanks for our lakes! We hope you get to spend some time enjoying one this weekend!

Better Places to Live, Work and Play

Day 187 -  Community and public foundations – large and small, located throughout the state – are working on myriad projects, all with the intent of improving quality of life. For instance, the Mankato Area Foundation contributes to the area’s vibrancy and beauty through its support of the area’s parks, orchestra and historical society. And the Central Minnesota Community Foundation launched www.aroundthecloud.org, an online repository of arts and cultural information that area residents use to search for events and buy tickets.

The Rochester Area Foundation encour- ages new residents to put down roots with its First Homes initiative, which works to ensure an adequate supply of starter homes for working families. While Northland Foundation – through construction and management of three assisted living facilities – helps older adults stay in the places they have long called home.

Thank you all for making Minnesota a better place to live work and play. 

This post originally appeared in the Spring 2012 MCF Giving Forum here: http://www.mcf.org/system/article_resources/0000/2089/gf_spring_12.pdf 

40 Stories: PPL Celebrates 40 Years of Life-Changing Moments

Day 186 - Founded in 1972, Project for Pride in Living (PPL) is a nonprofit agency working with lower-income individuals and families throughout the Twin Cities metro area to achieve greater self-sufficiency through housing, employment training, education, and support services. For their 40th Anniversary, PPL is highlighting the impact of our work in the Twin Cities through personal accounts and community milestones in these 40 Stories, posted throughout 2012. Read the inspiring stories here.

Thanks to PPL and all the individuals who are sharing their stories.

Rock Your Block

Day 184 - Thanks to Steve Ladin, Co-Founder of Rock Your Block, teenagers can now search for local jobs and internship opportunities via an online, mobile, and location-based application. The Rock Your Block application is an easy-to-use, safe interface for teens to search for job listings and develop the necessary skills to become independent, successful adults. What’s more, as these teens gain work experience, their Rock Your Block profile grows, demonstrating their achievements and skills to potential employers. Looks like these entrepreneurs have found a great new way to connect communities and local businesses.

 To find out more, visit their blog or Facebook page.

 http://www.blog.rockyourblock.com

 http://www.facebook.com/rockyourblock

Tao Natural Foods Café

Day 183 - For over 40 years, Tao Natural Foods Café has been hard at work establishing itself as one of the area’s leading natural health foods stores. Whether you’re vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, or even macrobiotic, Tao Natural Foods has got something for you. Using only fresh, organic foods, Tao’s menu is vibrant, delicious, and of course, extremely healthy.

 In addition to the café, you can also purchase any herb, spice, or supplement you may be craving at their health care store within the same location. In fact, Tao Natural Foods carries the largest selection of bulk herbs, spices, and teas in the Twin Cities!

 Check out their website to find out more about this quaint uptown eatery.

http://www.taonaturalfoods.com/index.html

Paintballing for Good.

Day 181 - I never knew how big was paintball until my older brother began playing on a sponsored team when he was in high school. The Challenge for Children’s is a paintball tournament that raises money for the Children’s Hospital. MN Pro Paintball hosts the 4th annual Challenge for Children’s Big Game today. All profits from the paintball event benefit Children’s Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota. Since the first Challenge for Children’s big game, MN Pro Paintball has raised over $50,000!  Thanks to these Paintballers, for finding a way to do good while doing what they love.

More info here.