Erika is a community member in North Minneapolis who has been organizing her neighbors to create a safer, more connected community using a community garden. She needs help to get caught up on her past due rent after losing her job so that she can continue her impactful community organizing work.

Erika's area has a history of gun violence and drug trafficking. A June 2025 article from the Minnesota Attorney General's office stated that in 2024, there were four times as many shooting victims within a one block radius of her corner than the previous three-year average (which was already concerningly high). She had six bullets come through their apartment wall in the last year from gun violence outside the building, leaving her family sleeping in the living room out of fear of being shot in their sleep.

But, in the last year, Erika partnered with another community member to create a community garden on her corner, and they are seeing tangible positive effects on their community's sense of connection and safety.

Here is what Erika says about it:

I have noticed a change in our area since I started working daily in our community garden and using it as a tool to establish rapport and relationships with the very people I used to be afraid of. We are growing organic produce for community members, educating adults and kids on the benefits of healthy eating and how to cook the food that we grow, and creating a sense of respect for the space, for our neighbors, and for nature that was missing.

Community members have grown invested in caring for the space and are even protective of the space. The men who do business deals on our corner are now eager to learn about gardening, and they often help with weeding, mulching, and carrying water (we don't have an on-site water source, so we water by making several tips with gallon jugs of water). They have become dedicated advocates of our space, insisting that people not litter and that they treat the garden plants with respect, taking only what they need.

I also engage children and families in the garden. I have created fun activities (like water gun watering of the plants) that get kids engaged and teach them how to care for our garden.

Our garden has created a significant reduction in violence in our area. It is connecting neighbors in new ways, creating a stronger and healthier community.

The only downside to this work is that it is all unpaid. Any financial support you can offer is much appreciated so I can continue to invest in our community organizing through the garden. I have found a donor to cover my monthly expenses from August through December this year while I look for grants to finance this work in the future. I just need help getting caught up on my rent from the last few months when I was job searching so that I can stay in my neighborhood and continue to grow produce and community.