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The Suburban Ramsey Emergency Coalition has been successful in providing grants for food, housing and mental health/well-being needs related to the COVID-19 pandemic. An unexpected benefit has been enrichment of the 15 participating organizations through this cooperation. We are creating methods to work together for a common goal to help our communities at levels we certainly could not have done alone. I hope that benefit will last beyond the pandemic.
As of the end of October, we raised $130,442, not including projected $20,000 being raised through raffle of the ’73 Mustang convertible. Donations have come from about $53,000 from the organizations; $42,000 from individual donations; $20,000 from the Minnesota Disaster Recovery Fund and $15,000 from the virtual Walk/Run event. Those donations and the volunteer project to sew 200 isolation gowns for Ramsey County Care Center resulted from involvement from hundreds of people throughout our 8 suburban Ramsey County communities.
At this point, 16 grants totaling $97,500 have been awarded for food, housing and mental health programs serving residents of Mounds View and Roseville School Districts. During October, the new grant awards were: $10,000 to Community Partners for Youth to assist with supervised distance learning and youth development for 100-120 children from low-income, diverse backgrounds in New Brighton; $5,000 to Aeon for rental relief for residents of 3 apartment properties with 317 affordable homes in Roseville and Little Canada; $5,000 to Every Meal (formerly Sheridan Story) for food for children and families in Roseville Area School District and $10,000 to Northeast Youth and Family Services to help re-open the NETS day treatment program for youth needing intensive mental health services. Prior grants awarded to organizations we have supported were to: Quincy House, Ralph Reeder Food Shelf, YMCA and Solid Ground.
The Mustang Raffle, in partnership with CLIMB Theater, has added a lot of energy and fun to the Coalition. Huge thanks to the generous, anonymous donor who made this fundraising possible. It will conclude with the drawing at The Mermaid on “Give to the Max Day”, November 19, and will be live-streamed on the Facebook page of CLIMB Theater.
During October, the Coalition is partnering with Visit Roseville on a Bike/Drive of Roseville-in-Bloom, 20 rose statutes painted by local professional artists. The public has been able to get the map for biking or driving, register for prizes and optionally donate to the Coalition through our website. We got a few donations. The drawing for 5 prizes will be on November 2.
The Coalition has become a way for all our member organizations to promote their fundraisers, gaining involvement of members of other clubs and optionally sharing proceeds with our COVID-19 Response Fund. Here are two current fundraisers:
· St Paul North Ramsey 500 Lions Club Flower Power holiday fundraiser gives you the chance to buy flowers on-line and donate to charity. 50% of all proceeds will go to the Coalition and remaining 50% to other worthwhile charities the Lions Club supports annually. To order go to: http://northramseylions.fpfundraising.com/
· Falcon Heights/Lauderdale Lions Christmas Tree Sale, November 27-December 14, Falcon Heights Community Park. High quality trees and wreaths. A portion of the proceeds will go to the Coalition for COVID relief needs.
Finally, the St. Paul and Minnesota Foundation has approved extension of the Suburban Ramsey COVID-19 Response Fund through 2021. We will continue to raise funds and award grants as long as the COVID-10 emergency lasts.
To donate, go to: www.suburbanramseycoalition.org/donate
Helen Keller’s quote continues to be true: “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.”