We're Thankful for These Saint Paul Nonprofits

We think it’s important to be thankful for the great nonprofits that have ties to our city. Thank you to each of these organizations and the services that they provide!

Cookie Cart

If you like eating, receiving or giving cookies, consider working with Cookie Cart, a nonprofit that instills business skills in high school students as they learn how to operate a business. More than 200 teens in the Cookie Cart organization get a hands-on approach to customer service, financial literacy and community relationships education as they run the bakery sales throughout the Twin Cities.

Relay for Life

Across the nation, Relay for Life is a well-known event in which teams of volunteers participate in an overnight relay race as they raise money and awareness for the American Cancer Society. Event founder Dr. Gordon Klatt attended school in Saint Paul and practiced surgery in Washington state; today, the event has raised nearly $5 billion worldwide in the fight against cancer.

Springboard for the Arts

Springboard for the Arts, which operates out of Lowertown, advocates for economic and community development through a local art cultural movement. The organization focuses on cross-sector projects to inspire relationships and create artists.

MetroIBA

The Metro Independent Business Alliance, or MetroIBA (or Buy Local Twin Cities), promotes locally-owned business and supports businesses within the Twin Cities economy. According to the organization’s website, if consumers in the Twin Cities metro area would shift just 10 percent of their spending to independently-owned local businesses for one day, we would push $2 million more into our economy. The alliance provides networking opportunities to help that initiative.

Minnesota Historical Society

If you’ve ever wondered about the history of Minnesota and how the state was shaped by its past, the Minnesota Historical Society has been here for you since 1849. Of the society’s 26 sites around the state, five are in Saint Paul and provide innumerable educational opportunities for students, visitors, and residents.

Saint Paul EcoDistrict

Two blocks of Kellogg Boulevard are dedicated to the District Energy Saint Paul, Inc., a nonprofit organization that’s committed to keeping Saint Paul’s riverfront an eco-friendly and beautiful space. The district contains six different destinations atop and below the river bluff.

International Institute of Minnesota

When New Americans attempt to develop a life in Minnesota, the International Institute of Minnesota is there to provide linguistically and culturally accessible resources for their new, self-sufficient lifestyle. The group is well-known for its annual Festival of Nations, which brings together more than 100 ethnic groups for a weekend in the spring at the RiverCentre.

Face 2 Face

Face 2 Face began as a call center in 1972 to help homeless youth in the Twin Cities area. Face 2 Face now serves more than 3,300 homeless and underserved youth and young adults ages 11 to 23 annually through mental health care, case management and more.

Ronald McDonald House

With 2 Saint Paul locations (Children's Hospital and Gillette Hospital), the Ronald McDonald Family Rooms provide a respite from the busy hospital environment for families while their child receives treatment or serious conditions or disabilities. The organization is always grateful for any community support, whether it be through volunteer time or donations.

Minnesota Humanities Center

The Minnesota Humanities Center, located alongside Lake Phalen, offers programs that facilitate and frame community conversations in hopes of deepening connections across cultures. The center's mission is to unite and engage society, showing that all narratives belong to the greater human story.

We earnestly thank each of these organizations for the good they create in our community every day. Please consider supporting one of these organizations and sharing their missions with your friends and family via Facebook, Twitter or Instagram using the hashtag #MYSAINTPAUL.

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