We’re so grateful to call the Twin Cities our home, and with the severe impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, we know a lot of you are either in need of financial support or are looking to give back.
This guide is for everyone, whether you received a stimulus check that you don’t really need or have lost your source of income and are currently (hopefully) receiving unemployment.
Or maybe you fall somewhere in between, or around the edges?
We’re highlighting local nonprofits who are taking care of the people in our community who’ve been the most most adversely affected.
And we’re rounding up some amazing opportunities to donate wellness services to people who need it right now.
So if you want to gift a furloughed worker a month of online yoga with their favorite studio, you can do that.
If you want to donate a mental health session to a frontline worker, you can do that too.
We know you want to help, and you want your donation to make a difference.
Got more time than money right now? Check out these opportunities to volunteer (in person or virtually).
Supporting Frontline Workers
Want to express your gratitude to this group and show your support? Here are a few initiatives to check out:
FEED A NURSE – Two moms started this GoFundMe campaign in support of their daughter and future daughter-in-law (how sweet is that?). They’re supporting local restaurants and have provided meals to every department at United Hospital. They’re still going, so you can keep donating!
ALL HANDS MN – Help provide hand sanitizer to frontline workers and organizations that need it most right now (bonus, you’re supporting local distilleries!)
MEALS FOR MEDICS – This fundraiser pays for meals from local businesses at Midtown Global Market to feed Allina doctors, nurses, and support teams who are working hard and putting themselves at greater risk each day.
YESS YOGA has a FREE weekly yoga class available for healthcare workers on Tuesday mornings and Saturday afternoons. Check their schedule for availability.
BLOOMA YOGA is offering a $10 drop in rate for healthcare workers right now, for all classes. Email info@blooma.com to get set up.
MN HERO SNACK PACK – Buy a pack of snacks and double your impact! Support smaller local food brands AND show your support to medical workers on the front lines.
Fight Hunger Locally
OPEN ARMS OF MINNESOTA – They cook and deliver healthy meals to people with life threatening illnesses. They believe that food is medicine, and we couldn’t agree more.
SECOND HARVEST HEARTLAND – Food shelves are reporting a huge increase in local need, and many are asking for assistance for the first time in their lives. Whether you’re in need or want to give back, check out Second Harvest Heartland for your next step.
MN TABLE + APPETITE FOR CHANGE – These organizations have partnered to deliver healthy meals to people in need within our community. Donate a meal starting at $15.
LOAVES & FISHES – They’ve made the move from dine-in to take out, and they’re serving more meals per day than they did a month ago. Find details to donate or volunteer here.
Supporting Kids + Families
AVENUES – Supporting youth experiencing homelessness in Hennepin County. You can donate (gifts will be matched up to $45,000) or buy supplies they’ve requested through their Amazon wishlist.
THE SHERIDAN STORY – With schools closed through the end of the school year, more children are going without those school-provided meals. Donate now to help them get food bags distributed across 31 school districts in Minnesota and western Wisconsin.
TUBMAN – Providing a variety of services to support people in crisis situations, including domestic abuse. With the increase in domestic abuse during the pandemic, this is a great resource if you’re seeking support or looking to give back.
Other Nonprofits We Love
HOPE ROOTED – Functional medicine can be a game changer for kids with chronic illness, but it’s not usually covered by insurance, and ongoing treatment can be expensive. Hope Rooted provides financial grants to kids in need of services, and you can read about the impact they’ve made here.
STILL KICKIN – Providing monthly heros with unrestricted financial grants to get through tough things in life. Grief and tragedy doesn’t stop during a pandemic, so let’s help them continue to support people. Buy some of their cute merch, take an e-course, or make a donation.
Donate Wellness Services
Kim Lovejoy, LICSW, is offering a donation pool to sponsor mental health support to those who need it and can’t afford it right now. Donate here, and contact her if you’re in need of services.
Rachel Jensen, LAc has made donations available in any amount. She draws on a variety of tools in her embodiment sessions, where clients can tend to anxiety and stress. If you’re interested in receiving a donated service, you can contact her (acupuncturewithrachel@gmail.com) to get started.
Rose Hale is offering mindfulness coaching for someone in need, which is especially helpful in building resilience. You can purchase a coaching package here. If you’d like to receive donated services, you can contact her at rosehalewellness@gmail.com.
You can gift someone a month of yoga at Yess Yoga by purchasing a donation pass for $80. They’ll make sure it gets into the hands of someone who needs it, and if you’d like to receive a donated pass, keep an eye on their Instagram to request one when it’s available.
For the month of May, Healing Elements is also donating a month of virtual membership to someone in need for every month of virtual membership purchased. So for $35/month, you have access to their library recorded classes, and you gift that to someone in need. Win/win!
Yoke Fitness has courage packs available to donate to someone in need. You can donate starting at $5, or gift 6 classes for $75. If you’d like to receive these donated services, you can contact the studio here.
Sydney Ward of Lake Anama Wellness has donation services available. Choose a specific service to gift, or gift an amount to cover wherever there’s a need. If you’d like to receive these karma services, you can request those here.
Buy a 6-pack of community acupuncture for someone in need through NE Wellness. If you’d like to receive a donated 6-pack of community acupuncture, you can request that here.
Buy a distance reiki session for someone in need – you can gift it to a specific person, or it can be donated anonymously. Contact Tacy from Sapphire Healing if you’d like to receive donated services.
Want to help frontline workers experiencing pain? We’re especially thinking about nurses, delivery drivers, grocery stockers, and other people in the supply chain getting us our essential goods. Anna Forlitti of Postural Healing is giving you the opportunity to donate three postural healing sessions to people in need. If you’re interested in receiving these services, you can email anna@posturalhealing.com.
Science & Magic is an online portal where you can experience science-based learning, yoga, meditation, and other nourishing content. You can gift an annual membership to someone in need for $111. Interested in receiving this? You can apply for the annual scholarship here.
We’ll keep this post updated as more donation opportunities become available, so please reach out to us if you have one we should include. Want to hear about more things like this? Sign up here for updates.