Will Heller

News & Updates from Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid’s Community Clinics: April 2026

Happy spring! Mid Minnesota Legal Aid (MMLA) partners with PUC to host in-person legal clinics at Brian Coyle and Waite House to provide a host of free legal services to low-income and elderly clients.

In this April edition of our report to PUC, check out the change to the services offered on Wednesdays at the Brian Coyle Center, a story and lesson about legal tools to care for loved ones, and the clinic’s statistics from March!

Brian Coyle Center Legal Clinic

Legal Aid’s Legal Clinic at the Brian Coyle Center (420 15th Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55454) offers nearly every legal service that Mid Minnesota Legal Aid offers. Previously Wednesdays at the Brian Coyle Center were devoted to housing issues. Now, it is available for any legal-type. Thursday is still reserved for immigration issues only. Folks with housing issues can now come to the clinic Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday to receive help:

Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday 9 AM – 3 PM (General Civil)

  • Guardianship
  • Divorce
  • Custody
  • Evictions
  • Public Benefits
  • Consumer Issues
  • Criminal Expungement
  • Eviction Expungement
  • Damaged/Unsafe Housing
  • Section 8 Issues
  • Lost Security Deposits

Thursday 9 AM – 3 PM (Immigration)

  • Naturalization
  • Green Cards
  • Derivative Citizenship
  • Adjustment of Status
  • U/T Visa
  • VAWA

Waite House Legal Clinic

MMLA’s immigration legal clinic at Waite House (2323 11th Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55404) provides brief services and advice for immigration matters including: pro se asylum applications, pro se work card applications, and brief advice and consultations. It is open every Monday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Appointments can be made with the front desk staff at Waite House. Walk-ins are welcome, but they are not guaranteed to be seen—appointments are strongly preferred. All staff at the Waite House Legal Clinic speak Spanish and English.

A Story and a Lesson

Earlier this year, a Somali woman came into the Legal Clinic at the Brian Coyle Center. She is the mother and caretaker of her adult daughter who has a developmental disability. She is also the primary caretaker of her daughter’s son, who is 3 years old. She had been taking care of both of them for years, but there were things she could not do to help them without legal help. For instance, she wasn’t allowed to make important medical decisions for her daughter in case of an emergency.

Understandably this woman believed she needed guardianship of her daughter and custody of her grandson. Those options involve long and complicated legal processes. Fortunately, her daughter welcomed her mother’s support. That meant the daughter could sign three important documents: a Power of Attorney (POA) and Healthcare Directive (HCD) for herself and a Delegation of Parenting Authority (DOPA) for her son.

Now the daughter’s wishes to be taken care of and have her mom take care of her son are being met! This was all possible without complicated and time-intensive court processes.

It is good to know that guardianship is only for extreme situations. Less intrusive options (like powers of attorney and healthcare directives) are often enough to provide care for someone who needs extra support. To learn more about guardianships and the less intense alternatives check out these websites:

You can also schedule an appointment at the Brian Coyle Clinic!

A Look at the Numbers

In March the Brian Coyle Center Legal Clinic opened 35 new cases and closed 18 cases. During that same time, Waite House opened 9 new cases and closed 6 cases. It is normal for the Brian Coyle Clinic to have more cases each month because it is open more days a week.

Here are some graphs with each clinic’s monthly new and closed cases. New cases opened in the month are in blue. Cases closed in the month are in orange.

Will Heller

North Market Community Share Back Webinar: Learn More About the North Market 2.0 Transition

Weren’t able to make it to our Community Share Back last month?

No problem! Join us for a Community Share Back Webinar, where we will be providing results from the community survey and updates on the North Market 2.0 transition, driven by your input and feedback from the workshops, meetings, and conversations – both formal and informal – that we have had over the last few months.

Event Details:
📅 Wednesday, April 29, 2026
⏰ 7:00 – 8:00 PM
🌐 https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_fvO2MX01SiuxpFQpdh2wqQ

We hope to see you there!

Will Heller

Pillsbury Creative Commons Named Commercial Development of the Year in Minneapolis

Pillsbury Creative Commons has been named Commercial Development of the Year in Minneapolis, recognized for its impact on arts, community, and economic development in South Minneapolis. From KRSM Radio to artist housing, performance space, and workforce training, PCC is built as a true community hub that supports creativity, connection, and opportunity.

Check out the Impact Awards feature here: https://www.costar.com/article/906072830/pillsbury-creative-commons-takes-on-multiple-roles-to-strengthen-south-minneapolis

Photo Credit: Jasper Lazor

Will Heller

Stilt Walking Summer Program Registration Opens at PH+T!

Youth ages 8–12 are invited to step into the air this summer with Stilt Walking, a joyful performing arts program led by the Resident Teaching Artists from Pillsbury House + Theatre.

Over nine weekday sessions, participants will learn the fundamentals of walking and dancing on stilts while exploring creativity through movement, choreography, and lantern-making. The program culminates in a magical community moment: youth will perform on stilts in the 2026 Peace Lantern Ceremony at Powderhorn Park, held at dusk on July 30.

Program Details

  • Dates: July 20 – July 30, 2026
  • Schedule: Weekdays, 9:30 AM – 12:00 PM
  • Location: Powderhorn Park
  • Ages: 8–12
  • Sessions: 9 total

Minneapolis residents can receive full discounts on youth activity fees at checkout — no code required.

Registration is open now through Minneapolis Parks & Recreation.

Learn More and Register

Will Heller

2026 Women’s Night Out, Hosted by the Immigrant Women’s Advocacy Project

Mark your Calendars for the 2026 Immigrant Women’s Advocacy Project Women’s Night Out!

Join us for an evening of good food, traditional dancing, and more as we celebrate women’s health & wellness!

  • Massages
  • Awards Ceremony for the Sewing Class
  • Activities for Kids!

Saturday, May 2nd, 2026
5pm – 7pm
Doors open at 4:30pm

Brian Coyle Center
20 15th Ave. S,
Minneapolis, MN 55454

Click Here to RSVP

Will Heller

Waite House Now Offers Legal Aid Services Over the Phone

Provided by Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid at Waite House, appointments are available in person and over the phone.

Who can get Legal Aid?

  • Low income people who live in Central Minnesota
  • Anyone aged 60+

Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid’s services are completely confidential. We do not report the immigration status of people who contact us for advice or services.

For more information, call the Waite House front desk: 621-721-1681
Monday – Thursday, 9am – 4pm

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Ofrecido por Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid, las citas están disponibles en persona y por teléfono.

¿Quiénes pueden recibir asistencia legal?

  • Personas de bajos ingresos que viven en el centro de Minnesota
  • Cualquier persona mayor de 60 años

Los servicios de Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid son completamente confidenciales. No divulgamos el estatus migratorio de las personas que nos contactan para solicitar asesoría o servicios.

Para más información, llame a la recepción: 621-721-1681
Lunes a Jueves, 9am – 4pm

Will Heller

News & Updates from Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid’s Community Clinics: March 2026

A graphic with the text that says "Community Clinic Updates, March 2026." The background is a stylized collage that depict Waite House and Brian Coyle Center. The Pillsbury United Communities and Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid Logos are included on the bottom of the graphic.

This is the first monthly letter coming out of the Pillsbury United Communities (PUC) supported legal clinics! Mid Minnesota Legal Aid (MMLA) partners with the Brian Coyle Center and Waite House to provide a host of free legal services to low-income and elderly clients. Each month we will share the work we are doing, some numbers, and helpful resources for the community.

Brian Coyle Center Legal Clinic

Legal Aid’s Legal Clinic at the Brian Coyle Center (420 15th Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55454) has grown to offer nearly every service that Legal Aid has to offer. Here is how that breaks down every week:

Monday and Tuesday 9 AM – 3 PM (General)

  • Guardianship
  • Divorce
  • Custody
  • Public Benefits
  • Consumer Issues
  • Criminal Expungement
  • Landlord / Tenant
  • And More!

Wednesday 9 AM – 3 PM (Housing)

  • Evictions
  • Eviction Expungements
  • Damaged or Unsafe Housing
  • Housing subsidy problems
  • Lost security deposits

Thursday 9 AM – 3 PM (Immigration)

  • Naturalization
  • Green Cards
  • Derivative Citizenship
  • Adjustment of Status
  • U/T Visa
  • VAWA

 Waite House Legal Clinic

MMLA’s immigration legal clinic at Waite House (2323 11th Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55404) provides much needed brief services and advice for immigration matters including: pro se asylum applications, pro se work card applications, and brief advice and consultations. It is open every Monday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m, appointments can be made with the front desk staff at Waite House, walk-ins are also welcomed.

A Story and a Lesson

Ahmed was facing a collection action, and sought our help at the Brian Coyle Center. We carefully reviewed his financial situation and saw he was receiving Medical Assistance—a “needs-based” public benefit. Fortunately for Ahmed, Minnesota exempts anyone receiving needs-based assistance from collection. We informed Ahmed of his rights and offered to help assert these exemptions. If you (or someone you know) cannot afford to pay a debt and is facing collection, come into the Brian Coyle Center Legal Clinic to see if your income is protected. You can learn more here: https://www.lawhelpmn.org/

A Look at the Numbers

In February the Brian Coyle Center Legal Clinic opened 22 new cases and closed 25 cases. During that same time, Waite House opened 7 new cases and closed 15 cases. It is normal for the Brian Coyle Clinic to have more cases each month because it is open more days a week.

Here are some graphs with each clinic’s monthly new and closed cases. New cases opened in the month are in blue. Cases closed in the month are in orange.

Will Heller

The Chicago Avenue Project Is Officially Underway at Pillsbury House + Theatre!

Chicago Avenue Project kicked off its season with mentor orientation this past Tuesday. The room was bustling with new connections and reunions as the artists joined together with the shared vision of making something hopeful in the midst of hardship. They have said yes to uplifting the creativity of our youth, to creating a space of play, vision, and community for the young artists at Folwell Elementary School. CAP would not be possible without the generosity of artists in the Twin Cities and the volunteers on Tuesday joined the 30 years of this legacy of giving. There are many worthy places where they could share their time and talents, and they chose to share them with us. We are deeply grateful.

Come check out the show they will create with the young folks: “Uña y Mugre – Joined at the Hip” May 8th and 9th at Pillsbury House + Theatre!

Will Heller

PUC Interns Participate in Youth Day at the Capitol

On March 3rd, 2026, the Minnesota State Capitol was abuzz with activity as over 600 youth from across the state of Minnesota gathered for the annual “Youth Day at the Capitol” (YDAC).

Interns heard from political advocates at various points in their journey – from a high school board representative to Minnesota’s Secretary of State Steve Simon.

Interns had the opportunity to meet with Sen. Bobby Joe Champion and Legislative Aide Saynab Jama. North News interns asked Champion questions that pertain to their reporting for the April print edition and Brian Coyle youth heard from Saynab about her work in the White House under President Biden and her role serving on the Health Committee at the MN State Legislature.

This event marked the first time many youth visited the State capitol.

Will Heller

Art In Commons Residency Begins at Pillsbury House + Theatre

Pillsbury House Theatre seeks artists from our surrounding neighborhoods (Central, Powderhorn Park, Bancroft, Bryant) to participate in Art In Commons (AIC). Through AIC, PH+T will be providing individual artist’s 24 hour access to free 110 sq. ft. studio space in the lobby of our neighborhood center at no cost.

AIC offers small scale opportunities to:

  • Embed neighborhood artists from a variety of artistic discipline and cultural production in our community center as resident artists for 4- 8 weeks.
  • Increase understanding and expand the value of the work of artists for the 24,000 people that enter our building each year.
  • Explore how we can better support neighborhood artists through access to a FREE temporary studio, and the possibility of exhibiting or marketing their art to neighborhood residents.
  • Provide artists opportunities to invite public participation in reciprocal art activities.

We are looking to have artists activate the studio space year round. If you are interested in being an AIC Artist, please contact Mike Hoyt at 612-787-3655, or email [email protected].

*Given this is a commons area, some materials restrictions apply.

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].

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