community GUIDE: Community organizations

(last revised, 2024-12-20.)

Activities / Information / Meetings / Notices

Several places in the neighborhood are used for posting notices publicizing anything of general interest (rather than using telephone poles, which is unsightly and illegal). For example if you have items for sale or a lost pet, post notices at/in:

1. Pratt Community Center, SE Malcolm @ SE Orlin
2. Luxton Park Community Center, 112 SE Williams
3. Prospect Park United Methodist Church, SE Malcolm Ave @ SE Orlin Ave

Block Clubs (PPA Neighborhood)

A system of block clubs was begun in the late 1970’s and renewed in the mid-1990’s with PPERRIA NRP activity for the primary purpose of crime prevention. Block clubs consist of a leader and neighbors in a small area of part of one street or several adjacent streets. Not all areas of the neighborhood have block clubs. Contact 2nd Precinct Community Crime Prevention of the Minneapolis Police Department for the Block Club nearest you (there are about 30): Every 1st Tuesday in August block clubs participate in National Night Out events to help neighbors meet one another. The Minneapolis Police Community Crime Prevention (CCP) program stays in touch with block-club leaders.

Community Choir

The Prospect Park Community Choir is a fun, non-audition group that practices weekly (Tuesday nights 7-9 p.m.) and gives 2-3 concerts a year including a Winter Holiday Concert in mid-December. Many of the singers are from the immediate neighborhood but there are several who come from other places and just like to sing. Our director Curt Oliver is a very accomplished musician and composer and besides teaching us a lot about the music, he is funny, encouraging, and positive. We sing because we like music and because Curt helps us enjoy singing it. The music can include classical, popular, Broadway tunes, Stephen Foster--a nice balance. Our schedule follows the academic year, so we sing from September through May with a break for holidays.

E-Lists for the Neighborhood

Prospect Park E-list

PPE-list was begun in the late 1990s by a group of volunteer neighbors led by Lois Willand. You can receive neighborhood news daily in your inbox. Notices of neighborhood events, business recommendations, what's for sale, lost pets, crime and safety statistics and more. To subscribe, send a message to ppelist@gmail.com. Approximately 1500 subscribers. Because Prospect Park was one of the first neighborhoods in the country to have a neighborhood E-list and PPE-list has gained wide acceptance, whereas other national systems such as Nextdoor are not as popular here.

Nextdoor Prospect Park

Since 2015 there has been a Nextdoor Prospect Park E-list that is part of a national system. Notices consist of service provider recommendations, items for sale/free, safety concerns, local events and much more. Members are able to view communications in adjacent neighborhoods to see if issues are similar and/or relevant.

Garden Club and Community Gardens

Prospect Park Garden Club, Contact: Del Hampton.
A group of horticulturally minded neighbors who tend to personal gardens and the gardening of Prospect Park triangles and other public green spaces. Organizes annual Prospect Park Garden Walk in June. Meets 4th Weds at 6:30 for potluck and discussion.

Prospect Park Community Gardens, Contact: Farmer Del.
We provide a safe and peaceful environment where home owners and renters can apply their gardening skills and take pride in growing their own food and flowers. While doing so we will be enhancing the neighborhood visually and environmentally by developing underutilized land into green space. See the PPCG website.

Luxton Community Center

612-370-4925, 112 SE Williams Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55414. Director: Diane Moe. The community Center building in Luxton Park is named after famous Minneapolis Tribune gardening columnist George Luxton, author of the book, Flower Growing in the North. Luxton Park is administered by the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board. Ice skating, softball, basketball, flag football, volleyball, and wading pool available.

Programs for Children include: Eastside Movers and Shakers (learn ABC’s and 123’s), Youth Care (Girl Talk, Arts & Crafts, Field Trips); Kookin’ in the Kitchen (how to prepare after-school snacks); Ceramics (handpaint and glaze Greenware); Crafts Class; Computer Fun (homework and games); Jumpin’ Gym (dodgeball, volleyball, basketball); Dominoes (math skills). Luxton Park Reading Initiative and Lending Library; story sharing during bookmobile hours. Programs for Teens include: Southeast Youth Council (get involved in the park and community); Luxton Football League (flag football for boys and girls); Homework Help (quiet place to study or for computer help); Dominoes (math skills); Teen Night (music room, movies, recreational games); Field Trips (explore the city, Science Museum, Roller Gardens, etc.); Swap Meet (sports card collection); Game Day (spades, dominoes, Connect 4, Uno).

Pratt Community Education Center

612-668-1122, 66 SE Malcolm Ave, Mpls. MN 55414.
Director: Jan Thurn. Hours: M-F 8am-9pm. Pratt Community Center was created in 1982 when Pratt Elementary School (built in 1898) was closed. The Center hosts a burgeoning Community Education Program of classes (as part of Minneapolis Public Schools Community Education) on diverse topics such as personal finance, art, computer workshops, cooking, VCR Repair, bike repair, exercise, ballet and belly dancing. Pratt Community Center also hosts programs in Adult Basic Education (GED), Early Childhood Family Education, English as a Second Language (ESL).
Community Programs housed here include: Toddler Playtime, Girl Power, Sidney’s Place for Youngsters, Youth in Minneapolis After-school Program (Y-MAP) and Neighbors Educating Themselves (NET) also have activities scheduled. A new computer center is hooked to the Internet. Annual events are the weekly summer Farmer’s Market on Tuesday afternoons, Summer Splash (sports, arts, outings for 6-12 year-olds), and the Neighborhood Ice Cream Social (first Friday after Memorial Day).

Prospect Park Association - PPA

612-767-6531, 2828 University Ave Se, Suite 200, Minneapolis, MN 55414.
Web Site: www.prospectparkmpls.org/ppa
Organized in 1901, PPA (formerly PPERRIA) is the Neighborhood organization, with all residents eligible to join. The group actively addresses local issues directly affecting our neighborhood. Topics of discussion address these areas: Housing; Transportation; Environment; Education and Human Services; Safety and Security; Livability; Business, Jobs and Employment; Parks, Arts, Recreation and Culture. Issues include: block club organizing; zoning and land use changes; taxes; traffic changes; playground equipment; housing rehabilitation; historic preservation; and landscaping of public areas. Meetings are held in the lower level of the Prospect Park United Methodist Church, SE Malcolm & SE Orlin Ave, 4th Monday of each month, 6:30-9:00pm. Subscribe to the monthly newletter.

Prospect Park Co-Op Legacy Fund (PPCLF)

(PPCLF), a 501(c3) group, was formed as an outgrowth of the historic Prospect Park Co-op, a grocery co-op that formed in the 1930’s. When the Prospect Park Co-op disbanded, its funds were invested and the interest is used to provide small grants to support a variety of community and social services by non-profit groups in Southeast Minneapolis. The organization was called Consumer Association for Community Action (CACA). In 2014, the organization changed its name to Prospect Park Co-op Legacy Fund (PPCLF). Interested community people can participate by becoming members of the association and paying annual dues of $10.00. Greg Bernstein is the current chair.

Textile Center: A National Center for Fiber Art

612-436-0464, 3000 SE University Ave
Textile Center is unique as America's national center for fiber art, with a mission to honor textile traditions, promote excellence and innovation, and inspire widespread participation in fiber arts. The Center's resources include exceptional, rotating fiber art exhibitions, an artisan shop, a professional-grade dye lab, A Garden to Dye For natural dye plant garden, and one of the nation's largest circulating textile libraries open to the public. Textile Center produces more than 200 classes a year for all ages and skill levels both onsite and off, and the Youth Fiber Art Guild. A dynamic hub of fiber activity for 24 years, Textile Center brings people together in community to learn, create, share, and be inspired by fiber art.

-A Common Thread member exhibition: opens each year in early January
-Textile Summer Camps: July through August each year
-Holiday Gallery Shop: opens each year in early November
-The World's Largest Textile Center Garage Sale: typically the second weekend in April offsite at the U of M ReUse Center

Resilient Cities & Communities

Resources for "Vibrant Places, Regenerative Futures and Visionary People". Enabling resilient cities and other communities with the ability to not just adapt to change but also to thrive in times of turmoil or chronic stress. Our mission is to support, empower and connect citizen groups and local governments to promote sustainability, with the overarching goal of making communities more resilient to harmful shocks and chronic stresses. RCC advocates for innovative, systemic solutions that promote environmental wellbeing and economic, racial and gender equity. 612-250-0389, 2801 21st Ave S. Suite 100 Minneapolis MN 55407.