Powderhorn : Innovation + Job News

Free Geek Twin Cities (FGTC) has a new home.

The Minneapolis-based non-profit, succeeding at its mission to "keep computers off the streets," outgrew its home in Powderhorn Park after about a year, according to a blog post.

Free Geek found a new spot at 2310 Snelling Ave. with the help of Seward Redesign, a community development corporation in the area.

The larger space should work better for FGTC's growing work. With the help of volunteers, the group collects old computers and other electronics, and either builds new computers with the parts or recycles them. (They do suggest a monetary donation along with your old junk…)

Free Geek either gives the computers to volunteers or sells them in their thrift store.

Parallel to this volunteer recycle/rebuild mission is another, related one: to bridge the digital divide and provide access, skills and knowledge about computers to those who don't have it.

Free Geek has expanded its hours since the move, as well:

Wednesday, noon–5 p.m.
Saturday noon–5 p.m.
Sunday, 2pm–7 p.m.

The move will not be a permanent one, writes FGTC on its blog; Seward Redesign has plans to redevelop the building in the next six months–two years, but the CDC will help FGTC find another new home.

Read more about FGTC's move and mission on their blog,

For a good sense of the Free Geek model, take a look at the below video about Free Geek Portland, where the movement began, and which served as a model for the Twin Cities version:



Source: Free Geek Twin CIties
Writer: Jeremy Stratton


 

The Minneapolis health department is helping ten corner stores try to boost the sale of fresh produce.

The state-funded initiative is part of a broader effort to combat obesity and chronic disease by improving access to healthy, fresh foods, especially in certain underserved neighborhoods.

North Minneapolis, for example, has only two full-service grocery stores and limited transit options for getting to and from them, which leaves many residents dependent on corner stores for groceries.

Health officials realized those corner stores could be a key partner in improving food options, so they decided to design a pilot program based on similar ones in New York, New Orleans and Philadelphia. The city asked for applications from 90 corner stores, mostly on the North Side and in the Phillips neighborhood. About 15 responded and 10 were selected for the initial trial, which started this month.

"We have so many corner stores in Minneapolis, it was just a natural fit," says project specialist Aliyah Ali.

The city helped coordinate with a wholesaler, Bix Produce, to distribute fresh produce to the participating stores. It set up training for store owners on how to properly handle produce to maximize shelf life. And it came up with a specific action plan for each store involving signs, displays and store layout changes aimed at making fresh produce more visible, attractive and affordable to customers.

What makes Minneapolis' initiative unique is that the city has a ordinance to back up the program's goals. In 2008, the City Council approved the Minneapolis Staple Foods Ordinance, which requires all stores with a grocery license to carry a certain variety of fruits, vegetables, meat or protein, dairy and bread or cereal. The Healthy Corner Store Program is helping store owners comply with those rules, says Ali.

A recent review of 35 corner stores found that most were not in compliance with the ordinance and that more than a third didn't carry any fresh produce.

The city plans to track produce sales at the participating corner stores through June 2011 to see if the program boosts sales as it hopes. If it works, officials hope to expand it city wide.

Stores participating in the Healthy Corner Store Program are: Vitalife Pharmacy Rx (4151 Fremont Ave N), Lowry Food Market (628 Lowry Ave. N), One Stop Station (1604 W. Broadway), Northside Food Market (3559 Lyndale Ave. N), Glenwood Market (1501 Glenwood Ave. N), Cedar Food & Grill (2600 Cedar Ave. S), Neighborhood Grocery (814 East Franklin Ave), Shabelle Grocery (2325 E. Franklin), West Bank Grocery (417 Cedar Ave. S), and Flag Foods (2820 East 42nd St).

Source: Aliyah Ali, City of Minneapolis
Writer: Dan Haugen

A pair of social-media-savvy sweet tooths are nearing the opening of their artisan donut shop thanks to contributions they raised using a social fundraising site.

Dawn Lee & Laura Kennedy used Kickstarter.com to solicit startup capital for their new business, The Donut Cooperative, which is due to open later this fall at 3507 23rd Ave. S. in Minneapolis.

"We love food. We love local food, and we love sweets," says Dawn Lee. "Nobody had really been doing artisan donuts, or local, sustainable donuts. There's really good options for cupcakes in that way, but not donuts. Other cities have it, and we think Minneapolis is awesome and really deserved good donuts."

The idea of opening their own donut shop started out as a joke, but then one day they asked themselves: why not?

They set up a fundraising page on Kickstarter.com, and then promoted it via Facebook and Twitter. Their goal was to collect $10,000 in 45 days. Instead, they took in over $12,000.

That money is helping them pay for all the small things that really add up when setting up a business: filing city permits, registering their business and trademarks, and finding the right location.

Lee and Kennedy were working to open the shop within two months. Meanwhile, they've been taking their creations out for special events and sharing them with donors to get feedback and build buzz.

Source: Dawn Lee, The Donut Cooperative
Writer: Dan Haugen