OneMPLS Grants Expand Aid for Families Affected by ICE
The Minneapolis Foundation today announced an additional $945,000 in OneMPLS grants to seven local organizations addressing basic needs of Minnesotans affected by Operation Metro Surge.
With an initial round of funding distributed earlier this month, the OneMPLS Fund has now awarded nearly $1.8 million this year to 14 nonprofit organizations providing food, housing assistance, and other essential support to local families.
“Minnesotans continue to face significant fear and hardship as a result of heightened ICE presence in our communities,” said R.T. Rybak, President and CEO of the Minneapolis Foundation. “These grants provide flexible funding to trusted local partners so they can keep people housed, fed, and supported during this critical time.”
Funded partners were selected for their deep ties in the communities most affected by the ICE surge, their experience providing multiple services including rental and food assistance, and their ability to reach households that have difficulty accessing public services.
“Minnesota is fortunate to have trusted multi-service nonprofits and faith-based organizations with a track record of addressing basic needs and providing rental and housing assistance,” said Patrice Relerford, the Foundation’s Vice President of Collective Impact and Giving. “These groups have been able to scale up quickly to meet community needs.”
Volunteers Enlisted to Assisted People (VEAP) is among the organizations providing rental assistance to Twin Cities families with OneMPLS funding. “With this support, more families can stay safely housed despite disruptions to daily life,” said Kari Thompson, the organization’s CEO. “Together, we are helping more neighbors remain stable and hopeful.”
Another grant will support Comunidades Latinas Unidas En Servicio (CLUES). “This OneMPLS Fund grant comes at a critical moment for the families we serve,” said Liliana Letrán-García, President and CEO of CLUES. “It strengthens our ability to respond swiftly to urgent needs—from food and housing support to emergency assistance—ensuring our community members have the stability, dignity, and care they deserve during times of uncertainty.”
Photos courtesy of CLUES and VEAP
Here’s the complete list of our latest OneMPLS grants:
- Agate Housing and Services – $100,000 to provide emergency rental assistance for 30 to 40 households over the next two months, helping families remain safely housed.
- Church of the Incarnation Minneapolis – $80,000 to expand a rental assistance program in partnership with Sagrado Corazon de Jesus Catholic Church and Southwest Alliance for Equity, providing rent payments for local families.
- Comunidades Latinas Unidas En Servicio (CLUES) – $185,000 to deliver culturally responsive food, rental assistance, eviction prevention, and case management, and to relaunch a bilingual rapid response hotline for families seeking urgent support.
- NorthPoint Health and Wellness Center – $200,000 to provide rental and utility assistance for 50 to 75 households in North Minneapolis and expand the availability of hygiene products through its food shelf.
- Sabathani Community Center – $130,000 to support staffing and food costs for its South Minneapolis food shelf, including home delivery for residents who feel unsafe leaving their homes.
- Southern Anoka Community Assistance (SACA) – $100,000 to expand food shelf capacity, purchase culturally relevant foods, and support staffing and volunteer coordination as the organization serves households disrupted by ICE.
- Volunteers Enlisted to Assist People (VEAP) – $150,000 to prevent eviction and homelessness by providing rental assistance for 60 to 70 families in Minneapolis and surrounding suburbs.
The OneMPLS Fund provides a pathway for generous people to pool their contributions in response to emerging local needs. These grants were made possible by gifts from donors in Minnesota and around the world, including dozens of people and businesses with Donor Advised Funds at the Minneapolis Foundation.
