To the Greater Edina Community,

As one year concludes and another is about to begin, I'd like to reflect and give thanks. The year 2023 has been one of transition and growth for both ECF and me personally. Long-time director Dick Crockett retired to focus on writing, travel, and time with his wonderful family. I am honored to take the helm as the new director. I look forward to continuing to build on the amazing organization that Dick spent more than 20 years nurturing.

I was born in Edina and chose to raise my family here. I am invested in our community and want to ensure that those who live here love it as much as I do. ECF is special; though it may not be the largest nonprofit, it is the only one that is micro-focused on Edina. Its local nature allows for programs that make a big difference in our backyards—a difference that is personal and visible.

In 2023, we added two programs that connect neighbors to the community. We aim to have all citizens feel invited, included, and supported. Our new Edina Reads neighborhood book clubs brought together readers of different backgrounds. Members (many new to the community) reported feeling joy in knowing more neighbors. Another newly launched program is Meal with a Mentor. Youth meet over a meal with an adult community member in the young person's field of interest. Edina Morningside Rotary lead the way by hosting the first breakfast event with Edina High School students. We anticipate launching a multigenerational reading program pairing seniors and Pre-K children in 2024!

Our annual Connecting with Kids Leadership Breakfast was a big success. We honored six youths and one special adult in the community who uplifted children in 2022. This event helped raise funds for our Connect Card, a program that helped 200 children participate in sports and activities they may not have been able to afford without financial support. 

I am thankful for local businesses, community members, board members, and volunteers who have donated their precious time and resources to ECF. Donations are vital to ECF’s ability to grow our programs and impact our city. 

If you would like to make a fiscal gift to the Edina Community Foundation, please click here. 

Thank you for a wonderful year!

Alison Briggs

Director, Edina Community Foundation 

2024 Connecting with Kids Leadership Awards

Save the date for the 2024 Connecting with Kids Leadership Breakfast on Friday, March 8.

Do you know an adult or teen who deserves recognition for their work with kids or teens? Nominations are now open for the 2024 awards. Last year, we honored an Edina High School Assistant Football Coach, the team of teenagers who planned TedxYouth-Edina, and other deserving high school students for their volunteerism.

Edina Reads Writing Contest Returns in January 2024

The popular Edina Reads Writing Contest will return for its fourth year. The contest will open on January 15 and close for submissions on March 18. The reading event for winning submissions will be held on April 15th.

Writers may submit poetry or prose, and age categories range from Kindergarten through adult.

Edina Neighborhood Reads Launched From Interest in Community Connections Through Literature

Last February, a casual post about book clubs in the Edina Moms Facebook group attracted nearly 150 replies in 24 hours. Seeing it as a natural extension of Edina Reads, the Foundation offered to harness the enthusiasm by creating Edina Neighborhood Reads.

The Foundation posted a signup form for registrants and sorted them into neighborhood-based groups. Each book club operates autonomously, but the Foundation will plan two events annually that will bring participants together city-wide.

Neighborhood groups of ten to twelve members decide on the books they read, how frequently they meet, and if they meet in a member’s home, a meeting room, or a restaurant. While literature was the original draw, participants cite connections with neighbors as their favorite part of Edina Neighborhood Reads.

Look for a story about the program in January's Edina Magazine.