Will Heller

Rapid Response Food Donation Drop Off Center at North Market

North Market accepting donations for community:

📍North market | 4414 N Humboldt Ave | Minneapolis
📅 Mon-Fri  🕛 8:30am-9:30am

Items Accepted:

  • Dry Items
  • Can goods
  • Meat and Frozen goods
  • Spices
  • Produce/Deli/Dairy
  • Non-Food Hygiene Products

Full list of items needed: https://pillsburyunited.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Food-Shelf-Wishlist.pdf

Donations are distributed through Pillsbury United Communities (PUC)Food Shelves located at:

PUC- Brian Coyle Community Center
420 15th Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN, 55454
612-338-5282

PUC – Waite House Community Center
2323 11th Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN, 55404
612-721-1681

North Market is an Enterprise of Pillsbury United Communities.

Will Heller

In This Moment…

In this moment we ask ourselves: how do we best show up for one another?

The answer: active radical care and love.  What does that look like?  For us that means standing firmly with our community; listening deeply and working in solidarity.  Our centers and programs are open. Today we are working hard to meet the ever-increasing needs of our neighbors while facing the same threats ourselves. While we are not new to crisis, this manufactured chaos and lawless assault feels different. Here are some of the ways we are activating care and love: 

On Saturday, January 17, a small group of anti-Muslim agitators and aggressors have planned an action in Minneapolis.  We will be following the guidance of our partners in Cedar Riverside about how to support within the neighborhood where our beloved Brian Coyle Center stands as a second home to so many.  We encourage our friends and allies to do the same. 

Beginning on Tuesday, January 20, we will be collecting donations of food and provisions at North Market Monday – Friday from 8:30 AM-9:30 AM to help facilitate and disseminate support across our networks.  This rapid response is one of many strategies we are using to help get food for people who are too afraid to leave their homes. 

On Friday, January 23rd, labor unions, immigrant rights organizations, community groups and faith leaders across Minnesota are calling for a “Day of Truth and Freedom” — a statewide economic blackout with the call of no work, no school, no shopping to stand against federal immigration enforcement and honor the life of Renee Nicole Good, who was fatally shot by a federal ICE officer in Minneapolis earlier this month. We will be closed in solidarity to support and hope you will join us. 

Lastly, we are setting up a Rapid Response Fund. This fund will allow us to continue to provide food, space for legal representation, personal care items, community connection and critical services and resources for our community as we navigate this terror with care and love. We will continue to show up for our community in these ways because that is what being a loving and caring neighbor looks like. 

Please stay connected and support one another during this moment of collective action.  

In Solidarity,

Anthony Washington
President & CEO 

Will Heller

Press Release: ICE Continues to Terrorize American Citizens

This morning, we witnessed the continuation of state sponsored terrorism as ICE agents murdered a member of our community near an elementary school in Powderhorn Park. Pillsbury House and Theatre (PH+T) and Pillsbury Creative Commons (PCC) are a mere three blocks away from the scene where at the same time staff witnessed ICE agents circulating our beloved community center.  

As ICE continues to increase its violent presence in our communities, we encourage community members to support each other by ensuring loved ones are accounted for, and elders, children and vulnerable community members are in trusted locations. Despite the anger we are feeling, we ask our beloved South Minneapolis community to refrain from engaging armed ICE agents who appear to be willing to shoot unarmed people without provocation or cause. 

We condemn these actions. We condemn the weaponization of law enforcement agents against ordinary people—people who work, live, raise their children, take care of our elders and contribute towards making Minneapolis and Minnesota one of the most desirable cities and states to live in. No one deserves to face death while expressing their dissent with government policies; no one deserves to die while picking their children up from school, purchasing groceries, or carrying out the duties of daily living. 

The antidote to the fear and isolation being actively sown in our community is increased connection. We know that our actions of radical love and care will uphold our deep commitment to the very democratic ideals that have shaped our nation and continue to inspire so many people who seek refuge, freedom, and belonging.   

While our individual actions may sometimes feel insignificant, our connection to one another in action, solidarity, and care can be a powerful force for healing and justice.  We encourage all to embrace the neighbor and stranger alike, and to lean into our collective strength in support. 

MIRAC – Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee: Emergency Vigil in Response to ICE Shooting 

TODAY, January 7, 2026
5:00pm
E34th St and Portland Ave S
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1CubZ9Kw2a/ 

Know Your Rights 

Documenting and Responding to ICE https://pillsburyunited.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Documenting-and-Responding-to-ICE-12_03.pdf 

Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid: https://mylegalaid.org/
MN State Resources https://mn.gov/ombudfam/resources/immigration.jsp
Immigrant Advocates Network https://www.immigrationadvocates.org/
Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota https://www.lssmn.org/services/refugees/services/legal
CAIR MN https://cairmn.org/ 

Will Heller

“Freedom Tree Garden” Installed At Oak Park Neighborhood Center

On an otherwise unassuming morning in early August, Project Sweetie Pie set out to plant some trees.

Gathering under the blazing summer sun with shovels in hand, a group of youth and supervisors gathered to hone their horticultural skills and contribute to their community’s environmental health. What resulted was the “Freedom Tree Garden.”

The gravel bed tree farm, located at 1701 Oak Park Avenue N in Minneapolis, seeks to address issues surrounding food and climate justice, as well as bolster environmental literacy for the surrounding community. This coming Indigenous People’s Day, trees from the garden will be given to North Minneapolis residents in need of increased green canopy cover.

This project represents a community-wide collaboration in its truest form, with twelve different organizations participating in the project. A full list of participating organizations can be found below. The gathering was further enriched by a visit from John Evans, formerly from Hennepin County, who returned from retirement to participate in the construction of the tree garden.

The story of Project Sweetie Pie and these gravel bed tree farms is far from over, with plans to install more at the Loppet Foundation.

Photos provided by Juan Coleman

Participating Organizations:

  • City of Minneapolis Health Department Green Careers
  • Project Sweetie Pie
  • Minneapolis Parks & Recreation
  • Birch Tree/LLC
  • To Succeed You Must Read
  • Black Lives Matter
  • Consultjssj
  • The Minnesota Horticulture Society
  • Abode Research
  • Zintkala Luta
  • Minneapolis PAL
  • Hennepin County Sheriff’s Department

Will Heller

Interns Showcase Their Experiences And Achievements At The 2025 Summer Showcase

Pillsbury House + Theatre was abuzz with activity during the 2025 Summer Internship Showcase as community members gathered to see what our interns had been working on over the past few months. The theater itself was host to a vibrant program of readings and performances, while all throughout the building, interns had the opportunity to share the impact of their experiences in media, agriculture, fashion, and more. All in all, it was a day of learning, discovery, and celebration of the incredible achievements of our hardworking interns.

Youth Internships have always been a crucial part of Pillsbury United Communities’ ongoing efforts to prepare our communities’ youth for a wide range of career paths, and these summer internships were no exception. We are incredibly grateful for all of the interns who chose to spend their summer with us, as well as the community members and partners who make it possible for us to be able to offer these programs.

Photo Credit: David Pierini

Will Heller

“Fit & Fun Family Jam” Community Health Fair at North Market

Music and laughter that filled the air at the 2025 North Market Community Health Fair: “Fit & Fun Family Jam,” a joyous celebration of much of what makes the North Minneapolis community so special. Attendees spoke with representatives of different community health organizations and learned more about the resources available to them. Children with vibrantly painted faces decorated the concrete underfoot with equally vibrant chalk drawings. Many received free meals, courtesy of Wendy’s House of Soul, as well as backpacks and even a free bike, in one case.

The event, hosted by Pillsbury United Communities in collaboration with Culturally Responsive Caregiver Support & Dementia Services, brought together members of the surrounding community with the goal of nurturing healthy lifestyle choices, as well as raising awareness for the many organizations that work so hard to do the same.

Pillsbury United Communities extends gratitude to all of the sponsors who contributed to making this health fair possible:

Will Heller

Waite House Center Hosts Phillips Community Health Fair

On August 6th, 2025, members of the Phillips community gathered for a day of learning, free health screenings, live music, backpack giveaways, and more – all as part of the Phillips Community Health Fair. Hosted at Wait House Center, the event connected members of the surrounding community with resources of all kinds, from kids activities and haircuts to testing for Covid-19 and HIV.

This health fair is part of a broader effort by Pillsbury United Communities to provide Minneapolis residents with increased access to health resources, with additional health fairs hosted at North Market in the Webber-Camden neighborhood and the Brian Coyle Center in Cedar-Riverside. We are grateful for the ongoing support of all of the attendees, community partners, and sponsors who make events like this possible.

Will Heller

Brian Coyle Center Hosts Cedar Riverside Community Health Fair

On August 21st, 2025, The Brian Coyle Center was host to the Cedar Riverside Community Health Fair. Live music from KRSM Radio (KRSM Radio is an Enterprise of Pillsbury United Communities), punctuated by the playful shouts of children, created an air of celebration as members of the surrounding community met and connected with many of the organizations that serve them. Local providers offered a wide array of health and wellness resources, including free health screenings, Covid-19 testing/vaccination, HIV testing, bike/backpack giveaways, free haircuts, and more. Additional activities, like face painting, henna, and a Halal food truck made for a fun and energetic event.

This health fair is part of a broader effort by Pillsbury United Communities to provide Minneapolis residents with increased access to health resources, with additional health fairs hosted at North Market in the Webber-Camden neighborhood and the Waite House Center in the Phillips neighborhood. We are grateful for the ongoing support of all of the attendees, community partners who take part in events like these.

Pillsbury United Communities extends gratitude to all of the sponsors who contributed to making this health fair possible:

Will Heller

A Look At The 2025 Multi Cultural Dinner

It was a gray, late-September evening in Minneapolis, the skyline backed by dark, rain-heavy clouds as scattered showers made their way across the city. Despite the threat of rain, though, a celebration was taking place in the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood. The sounds of drums and choirs flooded the streets, punctuated by the excited shouts of dancers and audience members alike. Outside the Brian Coyle Community Center, children ran up and down the sidewalks, playfully squealing over the din of hundreds of conversations between friends, neighbors, and community members. Inside, the air was filled with a rich mix of spices as attendees filled their plates with dishes from all kinds of different cuisines.

This was the 2025 Multi Cultural Dinner – an evening of local food, traditional performances, and community relationship building.

Pillsbury United Communities hosts the Multi Cultural Dinner in partnership with other neighborhood organizations and businesses. The event works to uplift the cultures of Cedar-Riverside and build bridges of understanding across our community, welcoming folks of all ages and backgrounds to celebrate the richness of our city’s most diverse neighborhood together.

We extend a heartfelt “Thank You” to everyone who made the Multi Cultural Dinner possible this year.

 

Will Heller

A Lesson in Love — World Premiere at Pillsbury House + Theatre

Have you ever seen a Black romantic comedy on stage? This fall, the joy, laughter, and tenderness of the rom-com tradition come to life at PH+T with the world premiere of A Lesson in Love, a new play by Nubia Monks.

Like the best rom-coms—think Brown Sugar or The Best Man—A Lesson in Love blends humor, vulnerability, and heart. It asks what happens when our needs, intuition, and truths collide in the complicated terrain of connection. Along the way, the play celebrates the many unexpected ways love shows up in our lives: messy, funny, tender, and real.

Directed by Jamil Jude, A Lesson in Love invites audiences to laugh, reflect, and revel in the joy of seeing Black love centered on stage.

Preview Performances: September 24 & 25

Opening Night: September 26

Run: September 27 – October 19, 2025

Pick-Your-Price tickets ($5–45) are available now.

Order Pick-Your-Price Tickets Here

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