Who We've Funded

Ty Hegland closes every presentation to young people with these words: “There are two things you never get back in life: Time and opportunity. Do not waste either.” He has learned the truth of these words through his own personal and business

David Whitestock understands what it takes to get well. Ten years ago, mired in drug and alcohol addiction, he began his recovery, learning what it takes to get and stay sober. Today, he has earned a law degree and is the nation’s first and only

As executive director of Local Initiatives Support Corporation - Twin Cities, Andriana Abariotes works with more than 30 different community-based developers and neighborhood partnerships to direct millions of dollars in investments to some of the

As a journalist, corporate PR manager and consultant, Syl Jones has spent his much of his career at the intersection of healthcare and communications. Merging that experience and his background as a playwright and producer of award-winning videos

In 2009, Marge Anderson, then the chief executive of the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe, tapped Jennifer Waltman to join her cabinet as commissioner of community development. Jennifer wasn't sure she was the right fit for the job, but Anderson, who passed

Food is central to each of our lives, yet, many people purchase, prepare and eat food without fully understanding the impacts of their food choices. My goal is to increase access to healthy, sustainable and local foods by developing a community-owned

African Americans represent a small portion of the Minnesota population, yet African American men and youth are incarcerated at a disproportionate rate, contributing to low high school and college graduation rates. With my fellowship, I will work to

Rural Minnesota includes numerous food deserts and has higher poverty levels than the state as a whole. In my central Minnesota community, there is not a sustainable supply network that can meet the demand for local food. With the support of my

Immigrant and refugee populations experience huge health disparities and numerous barriers in accessing health care. As an experienced medical professional, I will collaborate with other healthcare providers to offer culturally and linguistically

The Twin Cities is home to the largest population of Karen refugees outside of Burma/Thailand. The Karen face a huge adjustment to Western practices around housing and medicine. My goal is to develop a collaborative community network to address the

Every three to five years the Standing Rock Sioux experience suicide clusters—at times in excess of 49 attempts in a 30-day period—with 16 completions over the last two decades. This is the highest rate in the nation. I hope to get "people moving

Nearly 70,000 Twin Cities residents with varying circumstances need assistance with self‐care tasks including bathing, dressing and grooming. We struggle to connect and build long‐lasting relationships with the 63,000 direct support professionals (e