COMMUNITYpartners
Twin Cities communities are fortunate to have access to a wealth of local, issue-based organizations who are working on concerns that range from transit and education to housing and environmental concerns. From time to time, we profile an organization that transcends neighborhood boundaries and can serve as a resource for communities as they tackle current issues.
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Minnesotans note with pride that the state had the nation’s highest voter turnout for the 2004 presidential election. The future may not be as bright. In the same election, nearly 200,000 Minnesotans between the ages of 18 and 24 did not vote, despite near-constant exposure to candidates, news coverage and debates resulting from Minnesota’s status as a "swing state." The future of our community lies in the hands of the next generation of voters. It is imperative that we prepare them to accept this responsibility and embrace the opportunities civic involvement offers. The nonprofit, nonpartisan Kids Voting USA program strives to get young people involved in learning about democracy and how it works and has been doing so successfully for over a decade. First through classroom lessons and activities and then by getting students to the polls to cast a practice ballot. Kids Voting Minneapolis began that process in 2004 when more than 30,000 Minneapolis K-12 students learned about their power to shape the future and their right to vote through the introduction of the Kids Voting nonpartisan civic leadership curriculum in Minneapolis public schools. As a fitting conclusion, more than 7,600 of these students went to their neighborhood polling places in November and cast their ballots in the hotly contested presidential election. While these votes didn’t impact the election’s outcome, the simple act was an important step towards a future of political involvement. In 2005 Kids Voting Minneapolis hopes to reach every student in every school in Minneapolis - whether public, private, charter or home school - -and to be present at all 130 polling places for local elections on November 8. To succeed, we need 800 energetic, outgoing, organized volunteers who are willing to work a shift at a Minneapolis polling place shift on November 8 to help students cast their ballot. Elect to get involved. For more information, to volunteer or to make a financial contribution contact us at 612-288-2899, KVMpls@gmail.com, or go to the Kids Voting Minneapolis website. For information on Kids Voting activities in St. Paul, contact Bobbi Megard at rmegard@visi.com. |
Previously-highlighted organizationsFriends of the Mississippi River Friends of the Mississippi River (FMR) is a leading citizen organization working to protect and enhance the Mississippi River in the Twin Cities metropolitan area. Their three-fold approach embraces the goals of improving water quality, protecting riverfront land, and cultivating a "Sense of Place" by introducing people to the river through a variety of educational, recreational, and volunteer events. In 2001, their river stewardship programs engaged over 3,000 volunteers in hands-on activities that improve the health of the Mississippi River. Visit their website. * * * * * Learn more about the organizations that were highlighted during the State of the Neighborhoods Address for their innovative models of community engagement (our thanks go out to them for helping make the event a success!) Latino Economic Development Center Longfellow Community Council (Environment and River Gorge Issues) CCNP Restorative Justice Program University UNITED / Midway TMO
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