Volunteers flock to Twin Cities neighborhoods to clean up ravaged streets

Cleanup on East Lake Street
Volunteers flock to Lake Street to volunteer in the post-riot cleanup effort in Minneapolis May 30, 2020.
Courtney Perry for MPR News

Updated: 6:33 p.m. June 8

After several nights of fires and looting in the Twin Cities following the killing of George Floyd, volunteers are turning up by the hundreds to pick up trash and help businesses clean up.

As state and local authorities brace for more protests, community leaders in the Twin Cities have also organized efforts to support members of the community who are affected by civil unrest in and around their neighborhoods.

How to help

  • Throughout June, Hennepin Healthcare is accepting donations for its East Lake Clinic patients Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. They are looking for diapers for adults and babies, toilet paper, baby wipes, feminine hygiene products, deodorant, toothpaste and toothbrushes, soap, shampoo, laundry detergent, and nonrefrigerated, ready-to-eat food. Find more information here.

  • Grocery Pop-Up at Nu Way Missionary Baptist Church will be open on Saturday from 12:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. for donations, and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. for picking up food and essential items. They are also looking for 10 volunteers to help the operation. You can sign up here for donations and volunteering.

  • From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday, a donation drop-off site will be open at Greater Friendship Missionary Baptist Church at 2600 E. 38th St., Minneapolis 55406. They accept soap, tissue paper, paper towels, diapers, baby formula, water, nonperishable food and reusable bags and boxes. The church will distribute items to various distribution sites as needed.

  • The Sheridan Story is holding an emergency food drive on Friday, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Surly Brewing Company in Minneapolis. They will take rice, pasta, diapers, wipes, feminine hygiene items and baby formula at the brewery’s Beer Hall, and all social distancing protocols will be observed. If you’re interested in volunteering for the event, sign up here.

  • Sewa-Aifw is looking for volunteers to deliver food, clean up and protect the building; 3702 E. Lake St., Minneapolis.

  • Vietnamese Social Services is looking for food and volunteers to help with food delivery to seniors; 277 University Ave. W., St Paul.

  • Pillsbury United Communities needs "ready-to-go" meals, access to groceries; at its multiple locations in the Twin Cities.

  • Division of Indian Work needs food delivery, cleanup and help protecting the building. Contact the organization via email at info@diw-mn.org to coordinate timing for donations. They’re also accepting monetary donations at diw-mn.org/donate. Find more information at diw-mn.org.

  • The Lake Street Council has organized an online fundraiser to help small businesses and nonprofits rebuild.

  • West Broadway Business and Area Coalition is partnering with the Northside Funders Group to collect donations for northside businesses.

  • Bethlehem Lutheran Church in the Midway needs blankets, fresh produce, single-serve coffee packets, baby supplies and paper bags or reusable grocery bags for transporting these products; 436 Roy St. N., St. Paul.

  • A group of community members on Saturday delivered supplies and food at Lexington Parkway and Central Avenue in St. Paul. They take donations of items needed, including baby supplies and food, and will continue to distribute donated products at the St. Paul location.

  • The Twin Cities Democratic Socialists of America is providing hot meals, fresh produce and other food supplies to all south Minneapolis residents in a parking lot off 30th and Lake streets. They are now asking for monetary donations to their Solidarity Fund here.

  • Midtown Global Market has launched a GoFundMe page to raise money to help rebuild and reopen the small businesses in the market and in the neighborhood.

  • Minnesota Transitions Charter Schools has started a GoFundMe to help recover from the damage they sustained over the weekend.

  • A Midway United Fund was started and is taking donations for the Union Park and Hamline Midway neighborhoods to support the small business and nonprofit community as they rebuild.

  • Women for Political Change have a map of aid distribution stations and are taking donations through a mutual aid fund.

  • Broadway Family Medicine Clinic is taking donations to help support those living in Minneapolis and the larger community they serve.

  • Support the Cities is taking donations and has a list of opportunities to help on their Facebook page.

  • Lyndale Community School is collecting donations of nonperishable food items, hygiene products, baby supplies and paper bags from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday and Tuesday at 312 W. 34th St., Minneapolis. No-contact drop-off is available at door 5.

  • Northeast Middle School has launched a resource drive, which goes from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday, at 2955 Hayes St., Minneapolis. They are looking for food items, household supplies, baby supplies and monetary donations.

  • Alchemy 365 in Edina has opened a food and supply drop spot, which runs from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday and Tuesday. They are asking for nonperishable food items, diapers ,wipes, feminine products, medical supplies and hand sanitizer.

  • Pimento Jamaican Kitchen on Nicollet Ave. has made itself available as a drop off site for food, toiletries and other supplies.


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