At Mindsailing, we’re proud to partner with clients who tirelessly serve the community through their work and their generosity. We believe good is good for business, and that today’s consumers demand to interact with organizations that contribute positively to the world. That’s why, in honor of Give to the Max Day, our team recently spent a morning at the Interfaith Outreach Resale Select thrift store to volunteer and learn more about how social issues such as hunger, housing and employment affect our community in Minnesota.
Interfaith Outreach in Plymouth is home to an innovative facility featuring a food pantry designed like a traditional supermarket, and a thrift store where all the proceeds fund outreach initiatives including education, transportation, employment and more. Our team worked in the back room of the thrift store, organizing inventory for the floor.
Sorting Clothes
Tagging Clothes
While working at the store, we learned several eye-opening facts about the struggles that families are facing in our state, including that 1 in 11 households are affected by hunger and that statewide rates of homelessness increased 10 percent between 2015 and 2018 alone. But, thankfully, there are many dedicated organizations across the state striving to address these systemic problems.
If you’d like to get personally involved, IOCP is hosting its annual Sleep Out campaign. For the last 23 years, thousands of people have slept outside to raise awareness and funds to prevent homelessness and help local families in times of crisis. The funds help nearly 2,000 local families each year stabilize, strengthen and thrive.
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In addition to our work with clients in the community sector, Mindsailing also partners with businesses in agriculture, energy and health. To celebrate Give to the Max Day 2019, we wanted to highlight some local groups who continue to do good in these spaces.
Agriculture: Second Harvest Heartland
Second Harvest Heartland works to end hunger through community partnerships. It leverages its unique place in the emergency food chain to directly obtain food from manufacturers, farmers, hotels, restaurants, food drives and more. Then, it delivers the food to food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters and after-school programs. This innovative approach to fighting hunger creates a more sustainable food system for all.
Health: Washburn Center for Children
One out of five Minnesota children will experience mental health challenges, yet only 20 percent will get the help they need. That’s why the Washburn Center for Children offers compassionate and nurturing therapy to help children achieve their full potential through transformative care.
Energy: Energy CENTS Coalition
Energy CENTS members have worked since 1993 to lower energy costs for low income communities in Minnesota, lobbying lawmakers and changing utility policies. Because of these efforts, approximately 20,000 households benefit from direct bill payment and conservation assistance programs.
Related Content: Explore our community design currencies for ways to energize and activate communities around innovative models.
Want to learn more about our work in community, health, agriculture or energy? Reach out today.