Blog Posts

Redeemer Chosen for ArtPlace Grant

12/5/2017

Exciting news! RedeemerCenter for Life has been selected from nearly one thousand applicants to receive funding through ArtPlace America’s 2017 National Creative PlacemakingFund – one of only 23 projects that will receive funding this year. A highly-competitive nationwide program, ArtPlace’s National Creative Placemaking Fund invests money in community development projects where artists, arts organizations and arts and culture activity work to strengthen communities across 10 sectors of community planning and development. “This year’s investments highlight critical dimensions of creative placemaking strategy that can provide great inspiration to communities across the country.” said F. Javier Torres, Director of National Grantmaking at ArtPlace. “We are deeply excited to announce these 23 new investments as our seventh cohort of funded projects through the National Creative Placemaking Fund.” Redeemer Center for Life, founded by Redeemer Lutheran Church in 1999, will leverage its ArtPlace award to set up a housing security pipeline to support Harrison neighborhood residents interested in transitioning to home ownership or a more secure lease in North Minneapolis. In collaboration with local artist organizers and neighbors, Redeemer will deploy theatre arts interventions to erode neighborhood stratification and establish new relationships. We look forward to partnering with the Center for Urban and Regional Affairs, City of Lakes Community Land Trust, Harrison Neighborhood Association, Urban Homeworks and artist organizer Denetrick Powers, and hope this work over the next 2.5 years will translate into – 1. Retention of long-term Northside residents. Interested Northside residents will transition to a lease for a next stage of life (e.g., a 2-bedroom instead of a studio) or homeownership to maintain their tenures in North Minneapolis – possibly through a City of Lakes Community Land Trust program to maintain perpetual affordability.
2. Recycled affordable rental opportunities. Tenants exiting Redeemer housing to secure a next lease or homeownership will leave vacancies on Redeemer’s campus for renters seeking highly-affordable and -accessible leases.
3. Resilient social networks. Cohorts – 2 over 2 years – will illuminate neighborhood histories & resident stories, introduce neighbors to each other via serial, non-superficial encounters, inspire investment in Harrison’s social fabric & invite residents to imagine living in a neighborhood known nationally as a model for other communities aspiring to both diversity & cohesion. -Check out a 3-minute video introducing Redeemer Center for Life’s ArtPlace project. -Connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.

Redeemer Women's Retreat: JustUs Women

11/9/2017

The Women of Redeemer embarked on their annual retreat at Bay Lake Camp in beautiful Bay Lake, Minnesota last weekend (Nov. 3rd-5th). I think it is safe to say that everyone who attended the retreat was immensely grateful for the opportunity to spend the weekend with the wonderful and wise women of Redeemer. The theme of this year’s retreat was “JustUs Women: Being Women of Justice.” Each woman had a different story and insight to share with the group which resulted in very fruitful conversations throughout the entire weekend. We shared and listened and became closer to one another in ways that can’t happen all the time in our busy day-to-day routines. Pastor Babette stressed the importance of taking time away to just be and refocus, and at the end of the weekend, it was evident, that doing just that can make a world of a difference. The women of Redeemer who couldn’t attend were greatly missed and plans were put into motion to find ways to meet more often and more intentionally throughout the course of the upcoming year. It was a beautiful and inspiring weekend.

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