A Giving Circle
Takes Action on Immigration
“Everyone’s got to pick an issue these days, and immigration is mine!”
A fired-up fundholder at the Minneapolis Foundation shared that perspective this spring as we kicked off our latest pop-up giving circle, which focused on immigration in Minnesota. This in-person event drew a diverse group of participants representing the WCA Foundation, Fourth Generation, the BMPP Giving Circle, and our fundholder community.
What united this diverse group? A shared desire to learn, connect, and act on one of our community’s most pressing issues: Immigration.
For many participants, it’s a deeply personal topic. Some were immigrants themselves or are the children of immigrants. Others had adopted children from overseas or volunteered to help newcomers. Nearly 17% of Minnesotans are foreign-born, so it’s not surprising that this topic resonates with so many people.
What we learned together was both sobering and galvanizing. Two experts—Michele Garnett McKenzie, Interim Co-Executive Director of The Advocates for Human Rights, and Mukhtar Ibrahim, founder of Sahan Journal—provided their candid assessments of how immigrants’ rights and opportunities are being threatened in Minnesota and beyond.
But we didn’t just gather and learn. We also gave, and generously. After considering several great local organizations, the giving circle pooled its resources to make a grant to the Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota. Together, more than a dozen participants made gifts ranging from $50 to $10,000. Their combined grant of $15,000 will support the Center’s law clinics, legal education, and legal representation to newcomers throughout the state.
“This event was educational, inspiring, and so concerning, all at once. ”
If you’re looking for a way to engage with some of the most critical issues facing our community—and to connect with other generous people who want to make a difference—we hope you’ll join us at a future pop-up giving circle. These one-time, two-hour gatherings offer a chance to learn from local experts, connect with others, and pool your resources with others to make a collective grant. You’ll walk away with a deeper understanding of the issue at hand and a firsthand experience of how giving circles are helping shape a more just and vibrant Minnesota.
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Many thanks to our partners at Philanthropy Together, which inspired the format of this event. You can learn more about the Minneapolis Foundation’s work on collective giving here.
