WHAT WE ACCOMPLISHED IN 2021

Greetings and well wishes from the Whittier Alliance Neighborhood Organization, an independent non-profit supporting residents, businesses, and property owners in our much beloved neighborhood. This year brought new challenges and opportunities to our work in the neighborhood, and we are reaching out to share some highlights and ask for your support. With your help, we can continue providing critical resources, meaningful community building opportunities, and grassroots organizing as we head into the new year. Read on to learn more about our work in 2021.

​2116 Nicollet Avenue
This year we purchased 2116 Nicollet Avenue, the last remaining vacant lot on Whittier’s stretch of this important commercial corridor. It brings an opportunity for an inclusive, community-led, innovative real estate development which could have a resounding impact on the neighborhood for years to come. In October, the Board of Directors convened a project steering committee to guide the process, develop an RFP (Request for Proposals), and identify a development partner for us to bring it to life.

Eat Street Fall Arts Fest
Whittier Alliance brought community together at 2116 Nicollet Ave for the Eat Street Fall Arts Fest. Hundreds of neighbors enjoyed a local artists and makers market, live music and dance performances, mural painting with Juxtaposition Arts, and activities from Children’s Theatre Company, Minneapolis College of Art and Design, and Mia on a beautiful fall afternoon.

Tenant Support & Outreach
This year we brought on a full-time AmeriCorps VISTA Tenant Organizer in collaboration with HOME Line to combat displacement and jumpstart our volunteer engagement. We worked closely with tenants to help them navigate assistance programs such as the Energy Assistance Program, RentHelpMN, Zero Balance Project, and more. Our staff has also been working to help immigrant and refugee families navigate the rental housing process and find new homes in the neighborhood that meet their needs.

Lake Street Rebuild and Nicollet Ave
Whittier Alliance supported the Cultural Wellness Center and neighboring organizations to open community engagement on the future of the Wells Fargo site at Blaisdell and 31st. This partnership has grown to set the stage for a broader process backed by the Mc-Knight Foundation to re-imagine and rebuild Lake Street with racial, economic and environmental justice at its core. Teams of organizations led by Cultural Wellness Center are providing a framework and support for a 6 month process focused on centering the voices of historically marginalized people and communities; creating an aligned vision for the future of Lake Street; rallying and coordinating local and national financial support to help ensure there are resources to implement the community’s aligned vision. Whittier Alliance’s team is serving on the Project Team for Lake & Nicollet, one of four identified nodes in the corridor.

Voter Engagement
Whittier Alliance promoted voter education efforts, including assistance with first-time registrations, polling place research, compiling information on our digital election guide, and other key pieces to getting out the vote. We organized a Ward 10 City Council candidate forum in partnership with Pueblos de Lucha y Esperanza and Latino Media in addition to co-hosting a mayoral candidate forum with other neighborhoods. We hosted speakers on the public safety and rent stabilization ballot measures at our committee meetings and made space for neighbors to ask questions of their current elected officials.
​With your help, we can continue to advocate for our neighbors and small businesses, creating opportunity for our community to grow and flourish. You and your tax-deductible contribution of any amount are essential to our work! Donate via PayPal or read on below for other ways to give. We hope to count you in as a donor, as well as a community volunteer; fill out the form here to let us know how you’d like to get involved in 2022 and beyond! Thank you for making the choice to invest in your community and the many people who make Whittier the wonderful place that it is.
Contact Whittier Neighborhood Alliance at info@whittieralliance.org.