In late 2023, the Highrise Health Alliance (HHA) was awarded a $100,000 grant to help fund MPHA resident-focused healthcare and quality of life initiatives. Following a year of planning by the cross-sector partnership between MPHA and the City of Minneapolis Health Department, HHA began soliciting and awarding applications for a new mini grant program aimed at strengthening social connection between residents.

Earlier this summer, MPHA high-rise residents across the city began tapping grant funding to plan and carry out community building projects and events.  All told, the mini grant program supported more than 25 community building events in 2025.

With the grant-funded initiative nearing its end, HHA staff, residents, and partners gathered last month to celebrate the program’s success and brainstorm ways to continue its momentum into the future. Residents reflected on the effectiveness and challenges of coordinating the projects for their building, discussed the positive impacts the events had on the community, shared a meal together, and heard from local partners about a variety of health resources available to MPHA high-rise residents.

Throughout the gathering, residents and partners repeatedly remarked about the positive outcomes of the mini grant-funded community building events. Examples of successful projects and events funded by the mini grants include weekly community meals, monthly movie nights, bingo nights, garden clubs and one-time gatherings.

Weekly Sunday Meals at Oliver Manor
At Oliver Manor, residents opted to use their mini grant for pots and pans to support a weekly meal that is shared. With a growing number of attendees, the community is seeing the value of the weekly connection opportunity. These shared meals have been a bridge for neighbors to connect.

“We used the grant to buy pots and pans for our building,” said Shelley Brown, Minneapolis Public Housing Authority resident. “We saw people isolated and it wasn’t right. So every Sunday, we cook for the building. From my heart, I really appreciate everything this program has given us and supported us with.”

Game Nights at Alice M. Geronsin Apartments
At the Alice M. Geronsin Apartments, residents organized Saturday game nights. They purchased games from thrift stores and collected prizes for the events. Residents began inviting their families and grandchildren to join in on the fun, expanding the impact of the event even further. These light-hearted events are a bright spot for the residents week after week.

“People that had never participated in previous events came to these events,” said Carolyn Dwyer, Minneapolis Public Housing Authority resident. “It really brought the neighbors together. And people got so involved in the activities. They were able to forget they weren’t young. They forgot they were in pain.”

These resident-led events encouraged connection and sparked joy among the community. And although the mini grants funding has ended, residents and partners gathered at last month’s meeting committed to continuing the momentum into the coming years. Specifically, Minneapolis Highrise Representative Council will take up the mantle of this successful program, helping fund and facilitate these type of community building activities in the years to come.