Photo documentary to benefit Tree Trust

Two Twin Cities organizations, EDIT and Bolder Options, have partnered on a project to document the damage in North Minneapolis from the May 22nd, 2011 tornado.

The mission of EDIT is to empower youth and communities to expand their awareness of diversity issues, embrace a journey toward greater understanding and acceptance, and become committed to social action in order to create a more inclusive society. The mission of Bolder Options is Teaching Youth to Succeed in ALL of Life's Races. Both organizations work to involve youth in a number of different programs.

This particular project involves 15 youth, ages 10-14. Youth wanted to show the struggle, hope, and need that resulted from the tornado through a photo documentary project. Participants went into the North Minneapolis community where each youth took photos of the people, places, landscape, and anything else that inspired them. Their photos will be displayed at the Urban Research and Outreach-Engagement Center (UROC). The gallery opening will be Thursday, January 12th from 5-7 PM.

This event will be a fundraiser for organizations that have worked in North Minneapolis on the recovery and rebuilding effort. Tree Trust and Urban Homeworks are the two organizations that the participants selected as beneficiaries.

For more details on Tree Trust's tornado recovery efforts, please check our News and Stories page tomorrow, December 30th.

Winter Program Highlights

To an outsider, it appears that the slowest time of year at Tree Trust is the winter. Our Community Forestry department holds planting events in the spring and fall in order to work in ideal weather conditions for young trees, and our Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) works with participants in the summer since they are in school for the rest of the year. 

We may not have as many program participants and volunteers in the winter, but that does not mean that winter is slow for our staff. Those programs involve a lot of planning and evaluation throughout the rest of the year in order to improve them and provide participants and volunteers with the best possible experience.

Additionally, Tree Trust has many other programs that involve participants year-round. Highlights from some of those programs follow:

Young Adult Conservation Corps (YACC)

• YACC's graduation ceremony was held on December 2nd; 13 young adults graduated from the program
• A new YACC cohort began on December 6th and will involve 16 young adults in on-the-job training in landscape and construction, as well as employment soft skills
• A new crew leader has also been hired, but has not yet begun work with Tree Trust

Youth Development Services (YDS)

• YDS has a new case manager; Sally Murphy started on November 14th
• Sally will be working with youth in Eden Prairie and Brooklyn Center High Schools to help youth with education, employment, and life skills

YouthBuild

• YouthBuild youth participants have been busy restoring and rehabbing homes and apartment buildings in North Minneapolis
• Participants are currently working to replace the roof of a home that was affected by the May 22nd tornado

All of our programs provide meaningful experiences for youth and adults, whether they are program participants or volunteers. No matter the season, there is never a dull day at Tree Trust. If you would like further information about any of our programs, please visit our website. For regular updates, follow us on Twitter or like us on Facebook.

Tornado anniversary

Thanksgiving is a bittersweet holiday this year for many of our neighbors in North Minneapolis. Yesterday was the 6-month anniversary of the tornado that devastated a large swath of the city that was already battling poverty and related problems. Six months have passed and many homes still have tarps on roofs and windows to keep out the cold and snow.

A lot of great organizations, government agencies, and individuals have been on the ground providing assistance, but there is much more to be done. As we give thanks this year for all that we have, please don't forget those who are less fortunate. Consider making a donation to help our neighbors this Thanksgiving. The Minnesota Helps - North Minneapolis Recovery Fund supports many organizations in recovery efforts, and there are also many other opportunities to help that may fit your interests.

Tree Trust continues to partner with the City of Minneapolis and others to aid in recovery efforts. Our YouthBuild program has worked to rehab and rebuild homes and apartment buildings in tornado damaged neighborhoods. Our Community Forestry Department has distributed 202 trees so far to residents of North Minneapolis who had their tree canopy devastated by the tornado. YouthBuild and Community Forestry will continue working in the area in the coming year. Visit Tree Trust's website to make a donation or for more information.

If you are a resident of North Minneapolis who was affected by the tornado, the City of Minneapolis established a tornado assistance fund to help homeowners rebuild. If you think you may qualify, visit the tornado recovery page of the City of Minneapolis website for more information on available resources.