In This Issue
St. Anthony 
Park Neighborhood News
December 2017 

Year-end newsletter
Winter Celebration at Seal Hi Rise

Seal Hi Rise residents welcomed community members from the St. Anthony Park Community Council (SAPCC) food access project to celebrate the end of another growing season. Residents organized with Hampden Park Co-op to generously provide food, Lydia Place, and SAPCC staff and board/committee members to bring our partners together in community and celebration. 

Seal Hi Rise is a 144-unit building of the St. Paul Public Housing Authority in South St. Anthony Park, whose residents made the community council aware of many challenges they experience from transportation to lack of access to healthy food. The Food access program was part of SAPCC's response to this call to action which has grown again this year. In 2017, volunteers from the community garden
donated 1,128 pounds of produce from 2 plots in the garden dedicated to Seal HiRise and additional donations, food which now stays in St. Anthony Park to feed our own community.  The Bugle highlighted this program  in its newspaper last year. 

Thank you to Scott Simmons and the team at Lydia Place for connecting communities through your work. Christina Nicholson at  Hampden Park Co-op generously provided food from their catering services, and has collaborated on  ways for the Co-op to be more accessible to low-income neighbors, including accepting EBT, supporting community meals, and providing generous donations to community events. Thank you to the leadership at the St. Anthony Park Community Garden for growing and harvesting produce to donate, including donations from private gardens like Lois Braun. Thank you to massage therapist JooHee Pomplun for donating your healing bodywork services to residents at this event.   

Massage therapist JooHee Pomplun donated services to the celebration.
Board member John Mark Lucas applied donated Brilliant Reflective strips to improve visibility of wheelchairs to drivers
Hampden Park Co-op Manager Christina Nicholson arranged hundreds of sandwiches, soup, desserts and other foods to enjoy.
Addressing Homelessness in St. Anthony Park

As part of the crisis in affordable housing, homelessness in Minnesota climbed 4.5 percent in 2017 compared to the year before, according to a recent study from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) reported in the StarTribune last week. Many of our neighbors may be one paycheck, one illness, or one stroke  of misfortune away from unstable housing. Every community struggles with homelessness, including St. Anthony Park.  A number of organizations that work with homelessness are based in St. Anthony Park and have shared ways for neighbors to understand homelessness and get involved in solutions. 

The issues surrounding each individual's homelessness are often very complex and require a community effort to navigate and find solutions for. People Inc. Outreach is the Ramsey County 'street outreach' team, and can visit and provide support to homeless neighbors. You can call them at 651-226-8963 if you are concerned about neighbors or looking for help. St. Stephen's provides street outreach in Hennepin County and publishes the Handbook of the Streets, a pocket guide to shelters, support services, food, and other local resources somebody may need if they are homeless or in extreme poverty. With cold weather upon us, it is dangerous for people to live outside. Street outreach teams develop relationships of trust with people in crises, learning their names and checking back on them frequently to offer services and support in obtaining dignified housing. 

Residents can learn more about the issues and become an advocate for solutions to homelessness. One way to gain understanding and build stronger community is to volunteer in a shelter, including serving and sharing meals as a group, and facilitating discussions about homelessness. St. Stephens also hosts A Day in the Life workshops to share conversations and gain a deeper understanding of challenges and opportunities to engage. Heading Home Ramsey is the homelessness prevention and response planning and governance group for Ramsey County. 

Visit these local organizations to learn more about their work with homeless communities and ways you can get involved: 
As we begin the first night of winter, tonight (12/21) is the 33rd annual Homeless Memorial March and Service at 5:00 pm at the Hennepin County Government Center followed by a program at 6:30 and community meal at 7:30 at Simpson United Methodist Church in Minneapolis. All are welcome to come together in remembrance of those who passed away in 2017 who have experienced homelessness and advocates. Pastor Melissa Pohlman will speak about her work with those coping with housing and economic instability, with music by members of the Minnesota Orchestra and the Ninijanisag Drum Group from Ain Dah Yung Center. 

In addition to those experiencing homelessness, many in our community experience loneliness and other challenges during the holiday season. Our strong senior community in St. Anthony Park is supported by many services provided by St. Anthony Park Area Seniors. Our elderly and disabled neighbors may face particular challenges in getting around in the winter, and social isolation can contribute to community health problems. Lavender Magazine recently featured other organizations that provide support specifically to senior LGBT communities, who are twice as likely to live alone and may find themselves more vulnerable, including Little Brothers-Friends of the Elderly and Primer Timers MSP

SAPCC looks forward to supporting a strong and healthy community for all in partnership with our neighbors.  As we go into the winter season, be sure to reach out if you or someone you know needs help, or consider ways if you are able to give your time, effort, or donations to learn more and provide warmth and compassion to one another in our community. 

Neighborhood Honor Roll and Community Spotlight

The St. Anthony Park Community Council (SAPCC) would like to recognize a few of our standout community leaders out of many nominations received from our community and thank the members of our community who give so much time and energy to impact issues that affect us all.

Each year St. Paul's 17 District Councils recognize outstanding neighbors and partners from across Saint Paul at the annual Neighborhood Honor Roll event. From District 12, the 2017 Neighborhood Honor Roll will recognize:  Janet Lawson, for developing Shakespeare in the Park; Shadaria Brown, for her leadership with homeless youth at Elpis Enterprises; and Anton Jerve for his exceptional collaboration with the City of St. Paul.  The Neighborhood Honor Roll event will be held Friday, January 26, 2018 from 5:30-7:30 pm at the University of St. Thomas Woulfe Alumni Hall. 

We are fortunate to have many more incredible volunteers and community leaders than we are able to recognize through this one event. The SAPCC Community Spotlight would like to thank other leaders who have been influential to the St. Anthony Park Community Council: Mary Wiley, for building community at Seal Hi Rise and increasing access to food and transportation; Melissa Williams, for implementing ambitious new community outreach for SAPCC's planning process; and Lydia Place, for building new community partnerships and serve as the anchor for SAPCC's food equity program. 

You can read more about these leaders at sapcc.org/neighborhood-honor-roll, view previously recognized community members, share your gratitude, and more stories of community leadership. On behalf of the St. Anthony Park community...

...thank you for your service and leadership!

Impact your community with SAPCC!

The St. Anthony Park Community Council facilitated two community forums in Novembers with more than 70 community members attending to view drafts of our 10-year planning goals and contribute feedback to our community vision for the future development of St. Anthony Park. These forums were held at SPNN in South St. Anthony Park and at Luther Seminary in North St. Anthony Park to hear diverse community perspectives from those who live, work, and play in St. Anthony Park. We invited participants to engage in activities that shared their perspectives, presented community survey results and committee priorities, and collected written comments to the draft goals for improvements our community would like to see in the neighborhood.

SAPCC is busy incorporating ideas we heard from our community into our draft 10-year plan for City review. You can find forum materials, draft plans, and more information about this process online at sapcc.org/planning. Be sure to share more feedback and other ideas you have for the neighborhood to info@sapcc.org. We look forward to sharing the final draft with community members in the spring of 2018! 

This community vision is also used to shape our annual work priorities. SAPCC committees and Board leaders are busy developing SAPCC's goals for 2018. We are looking for more community members to join us and have an impact on improving our wonderful neighborhood! Whether you're interested in housing, economic development, transit accessibility, environment, food access, community building, or have other ideas, join us to make your ideas a reality for all who live, work, play, pray, study, and shop in St. Anthony Park! Visit www.sapcc.org, email or call us at 651-649-5992 to learn about ways to get involved in a committee or project.

In the past year, our community partnerships have enabled us to:
  • Engage hundreds of residents, organizations, and neighbors to design a community vision for the future of St. Anthony Park;
  • Secure transportation improvements, including ADA accessibility, Stop for Me campaign, bike connections to the Grand Round, and sharing our success in the National Walk Summit;
  • Collaborate with the City of St. Paul to purchase a new 2-acre public park in South St. Anthony Park surrounded by new housing integrated into the neighborhood;
  • Expand food access by delivering over one thousand pounds of produce from our community garden to local low-income housing and securing weekly stops from the Wilder Mobile Market;
  • Partner with public environmental agencies to monitor air and water quality and improve our shared natural resources in St. Anthony Park.
Thank you to all of our community members who have come together to make the achievements of the St. Anthony Park Community Council possible in 2017. Between our incredible board and committee members, generous donors, hundreds of volunteers, partners, and engaged community members, we have had an incredible year together. 


Keeping sidewalks safe

With winter fully upon us, we are now carefully treading on snow and ice on our roads and sidewalks. The City of  St. Paul requires residents and business owners to clear sidewalks within 24 hours of snowfall. In the latest Met Council news, Metro Mobility emphasized the importance of shoveling sidewalks to enable people with disabilities to get around safely. Slippery paths are particularly dangerous for seniors and in highly trafficked areas, as we see in much of St. Anthony Park. 

snow-shovel.jpg
The Capitol Region Watershed District shares tips for snow removal to protect water quality while keeping sidewalks clear of ice and snow. Salt and sand from our roads pollute the Mississippi River, and salt can injure pets as well. Residents and business owners can do their part to keep walkways safe and protect clean water with a few easy ideas:
  • Shovel early and often, even small amounts of snow can pack into slippery surfaces.
  • Look for eco-friendly alternatives to salt, for example you can use sand for traction or other de-icing solutions.
  • Don't use salt below 15 degrees, as it's too cold to be effective.
  • Don't use too much salt: one pound of salt (about the size of a coffee mug) is more than enough for the area of one parking space.
  • Sweep up extra sand and salt to reuse it, before it washes into the river.
Shoveling services are regularly advertised on the community yahoo listserv and Nextdoor website. Seniors can also contact SAPAS for shoveling and other home support.

Fundraising update

Our 2017 fundraising garnered over $6,000, and counting, to support the work of the St. Anthony Park Community Council (SAPCC). Thank you to the generosity of more than 70 donors giving financial contributions small and large, and to hundreds of community volunteers who support the leadership and programming at SAPCC. 

You can still donate to SAPCC with a payment to PayPal, or send a check to: 
St. Anthony Park Community Council
2395 University Ave W. Suite 300E
St. Paul, MN 55114

We received a special donation from SRF Consulting Group, who organized their annual office gift to SAPCC's food access program: 

"With the approaching holidays, the team at SRF Consulting Group's St. Paul office made a conscious effort to give back to the community in which they work. SRF, a Twin Cities-based engineering, planning, and design firm works with a mission: help create vibrant, livable communities. The company strives through their professional work and personal initiatives to help others in the communities in which they work and live.

SRF contacted SAPCC and Lydia's Place to learn more about their neighbors in need and were inspired by the work already completed by local change makers in the area of food justice. The office was inspired to donate food to their neighbors at Seal Hi-Rise, delivering the food on December 15th. In total, the office gathered more than 100 pounds of food and $300 donated to SAPCC to support future food justice work." 

Photo courtesy of SRF Consulting Group.

Goodbye Emilee!

Many thanks to Emilee Roschen for her hard work at SAPCC over the last semester. A senior at Augsburg College, Emilee has been an invaluable team member helping to promote and analyze our community surveys for the 10-year plan, helping to discover priorities and trends among the St. Anthony Park community. She worked with our Board and committees to help draft plans that reflected the values of those who live, work and play in St. Anthony Park.

Emilee designed a special project around building a community meal program, meeting with organizations that recover food and distribute meals throughout local communities. She supported SAPCC in our community meal with our food equity partners, and recommended ways to build out seasonal meals for more opportunities to bring community together. 

Thank you for all your hard work and incredible presence during the fall semester! Good luck to Emilee in your future success supporting local communities.
Upcoming Community Events

  • Volunteer at St. Paul Tool Library Open Shop. Meet great people, help the St. Paul Tool Library
    barcode its tools, and get a good look at the lending collection. Shifts: Friday December 29 from 5-8pm or Saturday December 30 from 10-1 or 1-4pm. 
  • The St. Paul Police Department is hosting a Women in Uniform Event on January 6th from 10am-12pm. Learn about working with your community, the variety of jobs at SPPD, and how to be the change you want to see in law enforcement at this event for women 14 and above, held at the SPPD Training Facility at 600 Lafayette Rd. 
  • Luther Seminary will host the Martin Luther King Jr. Day public event "Not a Myth but a Man" featuring Rev. Kenneth Wheeler on Monday January 15 at Luther Seminary Olson Campus Center. For more details visit www.luthersem.edu/mlk
  • Join the Creative Small Business Resource Workshop on Wednesday, January 17 from 4:30-6:00pm at the Gremlin Theatre, 550 Vandalia, St. Paul 55114. Learn about the many tools and resources for small businesses and entrepreneurs through the City of St. Paul, including the benefits of being a certified small, women-owned, or minority-owned business. For more details visit the CEZ website.
  • The Alliance will host a Community Gathering on Actualizing Equity featuring Dr. Michael McAfee from PolicyLink. Connect with neighbors and allies working to advance equity across issue areas at this event on Thursday, January 18 from 3pm-6pm at the Humphrey School Cowles Auditorium.
  • The Metro Regional Arts Council will host an opening reception for Qhia Dab Neeg ("Storytelling") on  January 18 from 5-7pm an exhibition of Hmong artists on display through February 2018. 
  • WomenWinning will host its first Power Happy Hour of 2018 at Urban Growler on Wednesday, January 24 from 5:30-7:30pm.
  • Join an All-ages Build your own Birdhouse workshop with Elpis Enterprises, held Friday, January 26 from noon-2pm at the St. Anthony Park Library.

Job Opportunities

business_people3.jpg
Minnesota Alliance With Youth

Think Small

Avenues for Homeless Youth

International Institute of Minnesota

CTUL (Centro de Trabajadores Unidos en la Lucha)

Volunteer Lawyers Network

MN350

MN Pollution Control Agency

Restorative Justice Community Action

White Bear Area Emergency Food Shelf

MN Coalition Against Sexual Assault

Metropolitan Alliance of Connected Communities

Hamline University

Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota

University of Minnesota

City of St. Paul

Ramsey County

State of Minnesota

St. Anthony Park is proudly home to many great businesses and nonprofits. Send job tips to info@sapcc.org

News, tips, or other feedback to share?

SAPCC is here to serve our community! Please send us a note if you have news to share, jobs to include in our newsletter, feedback on our programs, and other ideas to support all in our community. 
Get Involved
Visit or join a Community Council committee! All are open to the community and new members. For more information, upcoming agendas, or minutes, visit our website.

Land Use--First Thursday of the month 7-9pm
(Held at Jennings. 2455 University Ave. W.)

Transportation--First Monday of the month 6:30-8pm
(Held at SAPCC office 2395 University Ave. W. Suite 300E)
Environment--Fourth Wednesday of the month, 7-9pm
(Held at SAPCC office 2395 University Ave. W. Suite 300E)

Equity-- First Friday of the month, 8-9:30am
(Held at SAPCC office 2395 University Ave. W. Suite 300E)


 
About Us
The St. Anthony Park Community Council is a non-profit citizen's organization of residents working together to maintain and enhance the quality of life, residential character, economic vitality, and physical development of St. Anthony Park. The Board meets monthly as do our four committees: Land Use, Transportation, Equity, and Environment. Any resident may join the committees. The Board is elected with five delegates and two alternates each from North St. Anthony, South St. Anthony, and Business.
 
Newsletter written by Sarah Goodspeed. Questions, comments, or suggestions? Email sarah@sapcc.org.