Although our challenges are daunting, we must remember that we still have power. Your voice and generosity matter and have helped our community weather challenging times. We are resilient because we act.
Download the '25 Ways to Support Your Community' calendar
You can spark resilience with 25 simple acts:
1. Support emergency housing services
The biggest impact you can make today is to support the PPL Resilience Fund for emergency housing services. Over 3,500 residents are counting on us to keep them safely housed during the crisis, but we need your help.
2. Respond to the 2020 Census to ensure fair representation
The census is key to ensuring equity and inclusion in our community. By completing your census, you preserve fair representation, fair distribution of resources, and accurate data to make smart decisions for our community.
3. Inspire generosity by hosting a Facebook fundraiser
Raise awareness for emergency housing services in our community by hosting a Facebook fundraiser for PPL. Donations immediately support PPL residents facing instability due to lost wages.
How do I host a Facebook fundraiser?
4. Add Jim Crow of the North to your quarantine watch list
If stuck at home, learn more about our community's history of housing segregation, aka 'redlining'. Jim Crow of the North, a TPT original film, explores Minneapolis' racially motivated housing policies and its impact on today's affordable housing crisis.
5. Share an act of kindness with PPL residents
Connect across social isolation by donating learning and engagement activities for our young residents like puzzles, coloring books, and play-doh. We are also collecting donations of hygiene items for residents who cannot leave their homes.
Donate learning activities Donate hygiene items
6. Call three friends and tell them about PPL
Next time you're Facetiming with friends and family, encourage them to learn more about PPL and our proven housing + jobs model for long-term stability. We all benefit from understanding the importance of affordable homes and stable jobs in our community.
7. Celebrate your birthday by asking friends and family to give a gift to PPL in your honor
Special occasions look a little different these days, including birthdays. Consider asking for gifts in support of PPL through a Facebook Fundraiser or in your honor, directly on our website.
8. Take a break from the news and follow PPL for stories of community resilience
Follow all four of our social media accounts and share our stories of resilience to inspire your friends and family.
Facebook Twitter Instagram LinkedIn
9. Get inspiration and community news delivered directly to your inbox
Subscribe to PPL's e-newsletter to see the critical affordable housing and career training work happening in our community. Plus read the stories of pride that you make possible as a PPL supporter!
Subscribe to PPL's e-newsletter
10. Challenge yourself to set aside time each day for self-care
You can’t take care of others unless you take care of yourself! Get outside if you are able, call a friend, bake cookies, doodle - anything to bring you peace and calm in this stressful time.
drawing activity from PPL's Volunteer Team
11. Not leaving home as much? Donate your spending money to PPL
Think about the many ways you might be saving money right now: gas, morning coffees, dining out, other social activities. Considering donating that amount to PPL this week! Gifts of all sizes - $10, $25, $50 – truly make a difference!
Invest in people. Invest in PPL.
12. Support local businesses by purchasing gift cards to use at a later date
We might not be able to get out now, but someday we will! Support local businesses by purchasing gift cards to use at a later date. Our small business community will thank you for it!
13. Connect through PPL participant stories
Each year, PPL acknowledges participants, residents, and youth who have gone above and beyond in demonstrating resilience and pride at the Achievement Awards. Watch our 2019 event recap video to hear passionate stories of determination.
14. Do you know who represents you?
State legislators have the power to decide who gets emergency support during this crisis, and how much. Take 2 minutes and find out - calls and emails of support for emergency housing funding is critical to keeping people safely housed.
15. Sharpen your professional skills while at home
PPL's Career Training program is adapting services so you can still learn from home, including virtual resume help and mock interview coaching. Attend our new virtual Info Sessions every Monday at 10:00am to learn more.
Email Rachel to RegisteR for the info session
16. Discover a new podcast - we'd recommend UnSheltered
To best serve people experiencing homelessness, we need to understand the institutional barriers that lead to homelessness. In UnSheltered, hear the unique perspectives of people experiencing homelessness and how we can have the greatest impact.
17. Double your gift to PPL with this simple step
Many Twin Cities employers like 3M, Target, Thrivent, US Bank, and countless others will match your donation dollar-for-dollar. Connect with someone in your community engagement department to see if matching gift opportunities are available to you.
18. Order online using AmazonSmile
Ordering items online? By using AmazonSmile, a portion of your order total is donated to PPL.
19. Learn about the state of homelessness in Minnesota
Did you know that the lack of housing is the primary barrier for getting out of homelessness? Learn key findings about Minnesota's homeless residents, along with factors that influence the state of housing, by reading the 2018 Wilder Report on Homelessness in Minnesota.
20. Give the gift of stability year-round
Sustaining gifts are the most convenient and cost-effective way to support PPL. This option provides PPL with reliable, sustainable support year-round.
I want to be a sustaining donor
21. Learn about PPL partner organizations
Get to know PPL partner organizations that are also providing critical community services in this time of need. The Ain Dah Yung Center supports Native American youth experiencing homelessness; YouthLink supports young people, ages 18 - 24, experiencing homelessness, and Clare Housing provides housing to people living with HIV, AIDS.
Ain Dah Yung Center YouthLink Clare Housing
22. Learn about the cycle of homelessness and criminal backgrounds
We know that systemic barriers and the challenges of homelessness increase someone's chances of reoffending, but how as housing providers can we disrupt this cycle and make housing more inclusive? We formed a research collaborative with Aeon, Beacon Interfaith Housing Collaborative, CommonBond Communities, and Wilder Research to find out.
Does a criminal background impact housing success?
23. Support local restaurants and restaurant workers by ordering food to-go
We love our South Minneapolis neighbors at Midtown Global Market and our Franklin Ave. neighbor, Pow Wow Grounds! Both are still open for take-out orders only. We recommend Pow Wow Grounds' delicious homemade fry bread tacos!
Midtown Global Market Pow Wow Grounds
24. Add Evicted by Matthew Desmond to your quarantine reading list
New York Times bestseller, Evicted, follows eight families living in poverty and their incredible struggles to maintain housing. Learn more about the systemic barriers people living with lower incomes experience, and how it impacts the ability to keep and maintain a basic necessity, housing.
25. Share your moments of resiliency with the community
As we continue to move through this, our community is coming together in resiliency. Share your moments of resiliency and joy with us, and we'll share them out to the community! Tag us at @PPLTwinCities on either Twitter or Instagram!