Will Heller

Produce Distribution Begins at Oak Park

This week marked the beginning of Produce Distribution at Oak Park for 2026. The air was warm, and the sun was high as staff and volunteers from across Pillsbury United Communities gathered to unload pallets, stack boxes, and prepare fresh produce to be distributed to members of the surrounding community.

Our produce distribution program, in partnership with Second Harvest Heartland, is one of the ways that we serve the surrounding community, along with our Community Meals, which are served from 4-6pm on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays year-round.

Produce distribution at Oak Park takes place on the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of every month from 4-6pm, with setup beginning at 2:30pm.

If you are interested in leaning more, including possible volunteer opportunities, contact Jacara Warfield, Community Development/Engagement Manager at Oak Park: [email protected]

Will Heller

“Growing Good” 2026 Internship

Applications are open for this year’s “Growing Good” internship, in partnership with the U of M-Landscape Arboretum.

Our 8 week paid summer internship is looking for youth ages 12-14 in the Phillips community who are interested in learning about growing food and local food systems!

This internship runs June 23rd – August 20th.
  • Two 4-hour shifts per week
  • $16.37/hour

Use This Form to express interest.

For more information, contact [email protected]

Growing Good 2026 Flyer

Will Heller

Urban Farming Internship at Oak Park Center

Registration is now open for the 2026 Urban Farming Internship at Oak Park Neighborhood Center! This internship is focused on urban agriculture, food systems, and community food access. Interns will work in the hoop house, help with produce distribution, care for and harvest crops for the community, and learn about food systems & food justice!

Interns will have the opportunity to learn, develop, and apply skills in:
  • Food systems
  • Gardening
  • Design
  • Creativity
  • Advocacy
This internship begins June 23rd and meets at the following times:
  • Tuesday: 11am to 3:30pm
  • Wednesday: 12pm to 6:30pm
1701 Oak Park Avenue North, Minneapolis, MN 55411.

Click Here to Register

Will Heller

Park Avenue United Methodist Church to Host Food Giveaway

A graphic that shares information about the Park Avenue United Methodist Church Food Giveaway. The event was held on Friday, March 20th from 2:30 to 4pm.

Another fantastic opportunity to help bring some relief to our struggling neighbors! Thank you so much to Park Avenue United Methodist Church for arranging this food giveaway!

🗓️ Friday, March 20
🕐 2:30 – 4:00 PM
📍 Park Ave Church
3400 Park Avenue South, Minneapolis
Lower level, Dining Room

Additionally, their Cornerstone Thrift Store is open Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday afternoons and the 3rd Friday of the month. The Free Legal Clinic is open on Thursdays, 2:30 – 5:00pm and the 3rd Friday of the month.  St. Mary’s Clinic offers free healthcare services for the uninsured Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1:45-4:35 PM at Park Ave Church. For eligibility and to schedule a clinic appointment, contact 651-287-7777 or [email protected].

Will Heller

Support Your Local Food Shelf: The Minnesota Food Share March Campaign

This March, Pillsbury United Communities is partnering with Minnesota FoodShare to support local food shelves across our state.

Every day, families in our own community are forced to make impossible choices: pay the rent or buy groceries, keep the lights on, or put food on the table. No one should have to choose between food and other basic necessities, yet this is the heartbreaking reality for far too many Minnesotans.

You can make a meaningful difference. With your support, we can ensure that no child goes to bed hungry and no parent has to skip meals so their family can eat. Your generosity helps provide fresh produce, nutritious meals, and essential pantry staples to households who may otherwise go without.

A gift of any size creates real impact:

  • 10 dollars can provide a week’s worth of healthy snacks for a child
  • 25 dollars can supply fresh groceries to a family in crisis
  • 50 dollars can stock a pantry with essentials for an entire month

Your compassion helps restore dignity, stability, and hope. Together, we can build a community where every family has the nourishment they need to thrive.

Please consider making your gift today. Your kindness today can change someone’s tomorrow.

Support Your Local Food Shelf

 

Elizabeth Brisbin

The 2023 PUC Summer Youth Showcase

Rather than enjoying time by the lake or playing video games inside, this summer was spent by our youth interns working vigorously at various social enterprises of Pillsbury United Communities. These students spent a large part of their time working as journalists, theater tech interns, radio hosts, film crews, fashion designers, and horticulture workers. To celebrate the work they’ve done, PUC held a very special celebration at Pillsbury House + Theatre on Thursday, August 3rd with the culmination of these interns’ work on display.

The event began just outside the venue where “inside out cars” were on display thanks to the creative theater tech interns. Inside was a booth with a spectacular sound system set up by KRSM Radio. The KRSM interns maintained a live broadcast of the event throughout the night where people of all ages could go live on the air and give a shout out at the event.

Located on the second floor was a hot sauce competition led by the Growing Good interns which, as many could attest, was incredibly spicy. Beside them was a strategically placed cucumber water stand to help combat the heat of the contest. In addition to that was a free produce table where community members received free vegetables grown by the Food Systems interns. North News and the East Lake Street Cohort had displays across from them with storyboards and photos of the amazing work they had done this summer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Finally, a film screening was projected in the theater. The films were directed, shot, and edited entirely by the students and focused on some of the harsher aspects of life in Minneapolis. Following the film screenings was a fashion show put on by interns at Sisterhood Boutique. Unlike some fashion shows, the models walking were the interns themselves who had designed and crafted pieces of clothes using up-cycled materials as a commentary on the fast fashion industry.

Many thanks to the wonderful community members who came and supported our youth interns. An additional thanks to our parters Best Buy Teen Tech Center and the University of Minnesota. This night was a showcase in how investing in our youth can lead to monumental change for a just society.

Elizabeth Brisbin

Arts Blocks Project 2022

Artblocks 2022

ART BLOCKS, an initiative launched in 2013 by Pillsbury House + Theatre, aims to make the rich artist ecology found in neighborhoods visible to everyone and provide opportunities for artists and communities to make and experience art together. In 2022, the project expanded to include each neighborhood served by Pillsbury United Communities. The project focuses on community safety and wellbeing and seeks to engage people in proximity to support each other and deepen connections through the creativity of artists. ART BLOCKS aims to increase community connection, vitality, and safety through ‘creative place keeping.’ 

Several community events were held at Waite House to promote community safety and togetherness. Sarah M. Greer hosted two music events in her front yard, while Shelly Rainey conducted a beading class and provided sage bundles to her students. Tamales y Biciletas collaborated with various artists, co-hosted community safety conversations and quilt square creations, which resulted in beautiful quilts that were shared throughout the community. 

Four individuals from Brian Coyle – Ifrah Mansour, Hamza Noor, Binyam Raba, and Mohamed Salad – have taken steps to promote community safety and engagement in their Minneapolis neighborhood. Ifrah created a Somali hut in Currie Park for kids to engage in activities and learn about co-creating safe communities. Hamza took photographs of Cedar Riverside youth and edited their backgrounds to showcase their family’s heritage, while Binyam painted a large picture of the Lowry Bridge with the Oromo flag to celebrate the Oromo Community Center’s anniversary. Mohamed created a scavenger hunt to encourage children to explore their community, and their pictures were used as conversation pieces to promote community love and communication. 

At Pillsbury House + Theatre, Joseph Bard combined hip hop and martial arts to create a safe space for young scholars, while Bayou Bay created a game day at his studio installation to bring his neighbors together. Mankwe Ndosi and Phyllis held an event called “Neighborhood Medicine” to bring people together and teach them about wild medicine, while Con Rice created flags representing the Black diaspora to heighten the visibility of his community. Fernanda Sequeiros created a conversation box called “Spoons that Nourish” to bring people together over a simple meal and foster connections among neighbors.  

North Side artists created initiatives such as a Halloween “Fest,” an art-making day, a spoken-word performance, and a summer of community events. Participants in these events describe community safety as involving relationships and connections among neighbors, access to resources and equitable opportunities, and a sense of trust and openness in the community.  

To learn more about this community creative initiative read this booklet created by Mike Hoyt – Creative Community Liaison at Pillsbury House + Theatre. 

Elizabeth Brisbin

Cinnamon Pelly Named President and CEO of Pillsbury United Communities

MINNEAPOLIS, MN, APRIL 10, 2023 — The Pillsbury United Communities Board of Directors announced today that Cinnamon Pelly has been named the President and CEO of Pillsbury United Communities. Ms. Pelly comes to the agency from Cincinnati, Ohio where she has most recently served as the Chief Operating Officer for the Urban League of Greater Southwest Ohio.

Pelly is an experienced executive with diverse leadership experience spanning community development, education, health and human services, banking and philanthropy. As COO of the Urban League, she oversaw significant renovations to the Cincinnati and Dayton offices during the COVID-19 pandemic which kept the doors open and allowed staff to serve 40,000 in the community.  She led negotiations for a 10-year, multi-million-dollar real estate contract for the new Holloman Center for Social Justice. The Cincinnati Enquirer called her an “African American emerging leader to watch,” and she’s been honored with several professional awards for her transformational leadership.

“I am deeply honored to lead Pillsbury United Communities as its next president and CEO. I am fortunate to join a team of incredibly talented and caring executives, staff, volunteers, trustees, and donors who have prioritized a bold vision for justice, equity, and prosperity. Together, we will build on our rich legacy of co-creating enduring change that positions people and communities to reach their full potential.”  said Pelly.

Pelly’s first official day at the agency will be April 17, 2023.

“Pillsbury United Communities has been the quiet achiever, fighting for social justice and equity in our communities for over 140 years. The team has been preparing for the next chapter and selecting this new leader was a serious undertaking. We had some wonderful candidates, and we actively involved the entire organization. In the end, Cinnamon didn’t only bring an incredible breadth of skills and experience, but her ability to genuinely connect with people at all levels was amazing. Uniting people is the key to our future. With game-changing directives in play that will positively impact so many parts of the community, the Board is excited to welcome Cinnamon to help begin PUC’s next chapter.” said Heath Rudduck, Chair of the Board of Directors.

“I’m so pleased to have Cinnamon join Pillsbury United. Her breadth of experience, coupled with her commitment to strengthening communities and racial equity are a beautiful combination of talent and passion that align with our agency’s values. I am thrilled to work closely with her in coming months to welcome her to the PUC family and introduce her to our community,” said Pillsbury United Interim CEO Brenna Brelie.

The Pillsbury United Board of Directors retained BroadView Talent Partners to conduct the CEO search in the fall of 2022. “Midwestern born and raised, Cinnamon brings an amazing blend of progressively responsible corporate, non-profit, and community development leadership coupled with exceptional relationship management and fundraising capabilities to the PUC CEO role. Cinnamon will fast-adapt to Minneapolis and the constituent communities served by PUC’s mission and social enterprises. We envision that she will be the perfect catalyst for PUC’s next phase of growth and maturity,” said Tracy McMillan, CEO & Managing Partner of BroadView Talent Partners.

About Pillsbury United Communities

Pillsbury United Communities is one of Minnesota’s most well-established organizations with 140+ years of service to diverse communities across the Twin Cities and beyond. Pillsbury United Communities has an annual operating budget of $16M (including affiliates) and 150 change agents. We are community builders co-creating enduring change toward a just society where every person has personal, social, and economic power. Our united system of programs, neighborhood centers, social enterprises, and partnerships connects individuals and their families across the region. More information about Pillsbury United Communities is available at www.pillsburyunited.org

 

Contact: Kenzie O’Keefe, Head of Mobilization & Narrative Strategy
651.245.2647
[email protected]

Elizabeth Brisbin

Shop local at PUC and invest in community this holiday season

It’s December, and we know you are looking for that special gift for all your family and friends. With a broad range of local offerings, Pillsbury United Communities’ social enterprises have you covered this gift-giving season. Not only will you be supporting local small businesses, but you will also be contributing to strong communities.

 

Sisterhood Boutique
2200 Riverside Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55454
Hours: Monday – Friday, 1 pm – 6 pm

At Sisterhood Boutique, you will find colorful selections of gently used women’s clothing, accessories, and shoes. Shop sustainably from curated thrifted pieces by the enterprising and stylish women who run the boutique.  If you have attended their summer fashion show, you know your style is in good hands! Visit their boutique to gift style to your loved ones, shop sustainable slow fashion, and support a small, local, Black-woman-run business.

 

Full Cycle
3515 Chicago Ave S Minneapolis, MN 55407
Hours: Tuesday – Friday, 12 pm – 6 pm

Full Cycle Bike Shop in South Minneapolis is a one-stop shop for your next bike project. From refurbished bikes to plentiful bike parts, accessories and apparel– they’ve got it. Full Cycle isn’t just a used bike shop; the business supports youth experiencing homelessness by providing training and employment, free bikes for transportation, and emergency food access. Stop by during their store hours to find a gift for someone special from their selection of bikes and to support this small business that’s doing big things.

   

 

Pillsbury House + Theatre
3501 Chicago Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55407
Hours: Monday – Friday, 8:30 am – 5:30 pm

Pillsbury House and Theatre is a catalyst for arts-powered social change in the region. Home to “Breaking Ice” and the “Chicago Avenue Project,” the theatre just announced it’s 2023 season line up which includes productions such as “bull-jean stories” and “Naked Stages.” You can buy tickets on their website for your family and friends to enjoy and support community theatre. You can buy tickets on their website for your family and friends to enjoy and support this community theatre.

 

North News
www.mynorthnews.org

Since its inception in 1991, North News has been the primary local news source in the North Minneapolis community. This year, North News won awards from the Society of Professional Journalists Page One Awards Ceremony, including first place for breaking news coverage and columns, second place for the best issue, and third place for best feature. Gift your family and friends a subscription to North News to keep them apprised on North Minneapolis news from an award-winning publication. Subscriptions are $50 and can be purchased by emailing North News Editor David Pierini at [email protected].

 

KRSM Radio
www.krsmradio.org

Our community radio station KRSM broadcasts on 98.9 FM from the East Phillips Community in South Minneapolis.Programming is in 6 different languages: English, Spanish, Somali, Ojibwe, Hmong, and Haitian Creole. In addition, KRSM has a yearly intake of over 200 interns learning media skills through practice. Visit krsmradio.org to support this South Minneapolis community beacon through a donation in your loved one’s name.

 

North Market
4414 N Humboldt Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55412
Hours: Monday – Sunday 9 am – 9 pm

North Market is a grocery, community wellness, and neighborhood health center with an array of activities, classes, and programs that bring the community together. This local business hires from its Northside neighborhood and stocks produce and products from local vendors. They recently partnered with Wildflyer Coffee, a local coffee shop in the neighborhood. So, stop in at North Market for your groceries and pick up some Wildflyer Coffee for yourself and someone special.

 

Elizabeth Brisbin

Adair Mosley, CEO & President, Departing Pillsbury United Communities

MINNEAPOLIS, MN, AUGUST 16, 2022—Pillsbury United Communities Board of Directors announced today that Adair Mosley will transition out of his role as President and CEO. He will leave September 30 and will step into the role of CEO of the African American Leadership Forum in October.

Mosley has been President and CEO for the past five years and has been with the organization for 11. His time as agency leader has spanned philanthropic and community shifts, devastating tragedies, a global pandemic, and an uprising for social justice. Throughout it all, he has been a champion of meeting the moment with transformative innovation and investment. During his tenure, the agency’s budget grew from $12 million to $16 million. His accomplishments include:

    • Opening North Market, a full-service grocery store in North Minneapolis
    • Establishing Justice Built Communities, an economic development initiative with $20M in starting capital that will build equity in land, labor, entrepreneurship, and capital for Black Minnesotans.
    • Receiving a $1.5 million state appropriation to launch a career and early college program.
    • Securing a $750,000 investment from the Kresge Foundation to launch a policy and mobilization department and $1 million from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota to focus on social determinants of health through cross sector partnership.
    • Raising $1 million to give every member of the North High graduating class of 2022 a post-secondary scholarship

“When I took over this role, I promised to lead ‘change at the speed of community.’ Today, I leave an organization that is fiscally healthy and even more committed to dismantling systems of oppression,” said Mosley. “I am so proud of all that we have accomplished together. I look forward to my next chapter galvanizing policy makers, philanthropy, and corporate partners in pursuit of community’s agenda, and I look forward to doing it in ongoing relationship with Pillsbury United.”

“Thanks to Adair and his leadership team, the tireless staff, extraordinarily generous donors and supporters, PUC is in an exceptionally strong position,” said Heath Rudduck, chair of the board of directors. “We’ll miss Adair tremendously, but he has helped prepare us for the next chapter of the organization’s growth and its steadfast commitment to the prosperity of the communities, people and places we serve.”

The board of directors is in the process of initiating a national search for the agency’s next leader. In the interim, Brenna Brelie, head of operations, will serve as CEO. Brelie has been with the agency for eight years and played a key role in the leadership transition between Mosley and his predecessor, Chanda Smith Baker.

“I’m grateful to have worked alongside Adair for the past eight years. His visionary leadership has changed the trajectory of this organization, and he will definitely be missed,” said Brelie. “However, I am confident our board of directors will find the next passionate leader to continue this legacy at Pillsbury United Communities.”

About Pillsbury United Communities

Pillsbury United Communities is one of Minnesota’s most well-established organizations with 140+ years of service to diverse communities across the Twin Cities and beyond. Pillsbury United Communities has an annual operating budget of $16M (including affiliates) and 150 change agents. We are community builders co-creating enduring change toward a just society where every person has personal, social, and economic power. Our united system of programs, neighborhood centers, social enterprises, and partnerships connects individuals and their families across the region. More information about Pillsbury United Communities is available at www.pillsburyunited.org

Elizabeth Brisbin

Our impact in 2020

2020 was not normal. Two pandemics bore down on our community, bringing hardship we could hardly have imagined. One was a virus that isolated, sickened, and killed. The other was the plague of systemic racism, embodied in the horrendous murder of George Floyd and the anguished fury it unleashed.

These tragedies shook our community to its core and hit many of us painfully close to home. Some lost livelihoods. Some lost loved ones. Others lost trust in institutions that were supposed to protect them. Many were retraumatized by continued examples of systemic racism.

The pain continues to reverberate. We will be picking up the pieces for years.

Although no one saw the trials of 2020 coming, Pillsbury United was prepared to rise to the moment. Across our agency, staff moved quickly and fearlessly to ease suffering, rebuild, and respond to the crisis with compassion, imagination, and hope.

In 2020, we…

  • Distributed over one million pounds of food and household essentials via our Brian Coyle Center and Waite House food shelves.
  • Disbursed $540,828 in housing relief to neighbors impacted by COVID-19.
  • Provided 121 young people with paid, virtual internships at our neighborhood centers and social enterprises.
  • Supported 160 immigrant women with advocacy services via the Immigrant Women’s Advocacy Program.
  • Connected 341 unhoused young people with housing, employment, and other services via Full Cycle.

And that’s only a snapshot of the work we accomplished last year. Out of a crisis, a more just society can emerge. This is what justice looks like.

Learn more about the magnitude of our impact in 2020—and the broad community support that made it possible—by viewing our 2020 annual report.

X