The end of the year is often filled with reflection, gratitude, and a desire to give back as a way to make a real impact in the lives of others. With the holidays fast approaching, following significant Federal Funding Disruptions and detrimental pauses to SNAP benefits, there will be no shortage of opportunities to show up for community this season. 

At PPNA, we believe that the solution lies in the community coming together to empower itself. The only way forward is together. So this year, in collaboration with Sabathani Community Center, we’ve cultivated an Empower Community Checklist that gives you 5 simple and direct ways to give back to community this season (without breaking the bank). 

1. Donate to Our Give MN Page (Even $1 Makes a Difference) 

Overall Fundraising Goal | $6500 

By Monday, January 19th, 2026

Our fundraising goal this year is $6500 by MLK Day, January 19th. If we reach our goal, we will donate 15% ($1000) to Sabathani’s Critical Services Programs. Their Critical Services Programs include their Food Distribution Center and Clothing Closet, where community members can receive free food and clothes that they need. 

At PPNA, your donations will help fuel the following work: 

1. General Operations & Events: Supports our ability to host beloved events like the Powderhorn Art Fair and Powderhorn Porchfest music festival, share relevant information with the community, and manage the daily operational needs of the association.

2. Renter Support Fund: Enables the association to provide direct cash assistance to cost-burdened renters in Minneapolis who complete a low-barrier application, where recipients are selected through a random drawing.

3. One South Initiative: A Project of Southside United Neighborhoods (SUN) aims to spark new forms of collaboration among neighborhood organizations in South Minneapolis that increase efficiency, effectiveness, and sustainability.

If we reach our goal, we will donate 15% ($1000) to Sabathani’s Critical Services Programs. 

Contributor Goal | 35 Recurring Donors  

By Monday, January 19th, 2026

If you have the means, please consider becoming a recurring donor. While every donation, at any amount, is deeply appreciated, recurring donations amplify your impact over time. 

For small nonprofits like PPNA, recurring donations provide a steady and reliable source of income that helps us thrive and continue our work. 

If you are passionate about the work that PPNA does, we invite you to join our community of dedicated supporters who believe in the sustainability and necessity of our work. We are sincerely grateful to those who are invested in the journey and mission of our organization. Here are just a few examples of how your recurring contributions can help fiscally support PPNA over the course of a year. 

10 recurring donors at $10 over 12 months = $1,200 

10 recurring donors at $25 over 12 months = $3,000 

10 recurring donors at $50 over 12 months = $6,000 

2. Donate Food, Supplies, and Gently Used Clothes at Sabathani Community Center (SCC)

Don’t have the spare funds to donate? We invite you to go through your wardrobe (please wash first!) and donate your unused clothes to our neighbors in need. The same goes for your nonperishables and unused canned foods collecting dust in your cupboards. These are direct and simple ways to keep our neighbors warm and nourished this winter. 

You can drop off your donations at:

Sabathani Community Center 

310 East 38th Street

Minneapolis MN 55409

Food Distribution Center

Sabathani Community Center (SCC) has been providing emergency food resources for South Minneapolis residents since 1975. Today, their Food Distribution Center continues to make a big impact, distributing an average of 47,000 pounds of food each month to those in need. Here are some ways you can help: 

Volunteer 

SCC appreciates your willingness to help! We need volunteers to assist with sorting food, unloading trucks, and assisting clients. 

Donate Food & Supplies

SCC accepts nonperishable food items, fresh vegetables from gardens, and essential cleaning products like Clorox wipes. Drop off your food donation on the lower level, in the area of the Clothing Closet, between 10 am and 2 pm, Monday through Thursday. 

Make a Monetary Gift

Your generous donation, whether one-time or recurring, enables us to provide nourishing food to our community. Click here to explore giving options and make a difference.

Clothing Closet 

Everyone deserves access to free clothing and shoes. Whether you’re in need of essential garments or have gently used items to contribute, we invite you to be a part of this community initiative.

Our shelves are stocked with a wide array of clothing options for individuals and families of all ages and sizes. From everyday essentials to special occasion outfits, you’ll find a selection that caters to various styles and preferences. Here are some ways you can support the Sabathani Clothing Closet: 

Donate Your Gently Used Clothing and Shoes

SCC welcomes donations of clean, gently used clothing or shoes, children’s to adult sizes. Please wash clothes before donating.

Drop off your donation on the lower level, in the area of the Clothing Closet, between 10 am and 2 pm, Monday through Thursday. If you have a very large donation, please connect with security to use the loading dock for drop-off.  

Volunteer

SCC volunteers are needed to help sort clothing donations and assist clients. 

3. Sign up to Volunteer with PPNA! 

Another great way to show up for community is by volunteering at our events! The Powderhorn Art Fair and Powderhorn Porchfest are great opportunities for you and your family to join the fun while also giving back. Our small but mighty team (usually 3-4 full-time staff) relies on our kind and generous volunteers to help set up/take down our larger events that garner about 25,000 attendees a year. 

Volunteering has also been proven to have health benefits and is a great activity to do as a family! By volunteering at our events, your whole family will have the opportunity to meet your neighbors, learn valuable skills, and experience community connection like never before. Join our celebrations and spend your year in community by signing up to volunteer for one of our events today! 

4. Sign our 97 Strong in support of Equity & Justice!

Every year, we ask our beloved community to sign our Strong campaign to stand united and show our shared commitment to the life and legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who has positively impacted the world we live in for 97 years by inspiring millions of people to advocate for a more just world. We are inviting those who share his vision of equity and justice to sign on early to our 97 Strong campaign. This is a free, quick step you can take to root your year in advocacy. 

​You can sign on as an individual, or on behalf of a group, organization, institution, or business. We will then highlight your support in a variety of ways leading up to our celebration on Monday, January 19th, 2026.

5. Save the Date & Join Us for Our 28th Annual MLK Celebration! 

Finally, we’re excited to officially invite you to our 28th Annual MLK celebration taking place on Monday, January 19th, 2026, at the Powderhorn Park Recreation Center from 10 am - 1:30 pm. 

Our MLK celebration will feature several performing artists, community partners driving equity-based change, a complimentary lunch, a fun-filled gift station for kids, and an overall experience founded on the principles and beliefs upheld by Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.  

Jayanthi Rajasa-Kyle

Jayanthi Rajasa-Kyle will begin our celebration with the Gospel of African American heritage, including spirituals, work songs, world, blues, and Americana. Rajasa-Kyle is an archivist songstress collecting songs that speak to her struggle and empowerment and ability to be, change, and move forward while honoring the unremembered changers and movers of yore. She continues to work with the Million Artist Movement to dismantle racism and injustice towards people of color and dream collectively to produce actions for change and Black Liberation.  

Tish Jones

Tish Jones will follow up with spoken word poetry grounded in the deep and resounding love for Black people. Her work explores themes of Black love, liberation, politics, and Afro-Futurism. Jones has exhibited her work throughout the United States and abroad as a public performance artist for over two decades. Her writing can be found in We Are Meant to Rise (University of Minnesota Press), A Moment of Silence (Tru Ruts and The Playwrights Center), the Minnesota Humanities Center’s anthology entitled Blues Vision: African American Writing from Minnesota (Minnesota Historical Society Press), and more.

TKO Drumline & Knockout Dance Team

TKO Drumline & Knockout Dance Team will close the celebration with a high-energy drum and dance. The TKO Drumline & Knockout dance team teaches drumming fundamentals and techniques to ages 8-18, while building the community and expanding knowledge through music and performing at celebrations and sporting events across Minnesota. 

This FREE event is committed to uplifting diverse voices for change, cultivating community connections, and modeling the power of intergenerational and multicultural joy. 

A Season of Giving

As the winter season settles in, we often find ourselves in an innate state of rest and reflection as the silent snowfall sheaths the urban forest, roofs, and sidewalks of Powderhorn. We might even ponder how or if we spent our year in alignment with our values and how we might do things differently in the year to come. 

We hope that this list gave you some accessible ideas on how to show up for community this season, whether that be donating spare funds, lightly used clothing items, or canned goods! When everyone pitches in, we have more than enough to keep our neighbors warm and fed this winter, to pay artists and staff, to cultivate collective joy through events, and to keep cost-burdened Minneapolis renters housed in the face of rising costs and unforeseen emergencies. That is the power of community. 

We can’t wait to begin the new year with you and your family at our 28th Annual MLK celebration taking place on Monday, January 19th, 2026, at the Powderhorn Park Recreation Center from 10 am - 1:30 pm!