April 26 Meeting Recap
The ANA held its rescheduled monthly meeting on April 26. Armatage Park Director Jordan Nelson shared updates on programming at the park and the Armatage Park Play Area reconstruction, which is scheduled to begin in early June and take 4-6 weeks. James Riley, a volunteer with Communities Against Police Brutality, shared information on a proposed change to state statue that if passed would modify response to mental health emergency calls statewide.
The board also finalized the agenda for the upcoming Armatage Annual Meeting on May 18, voted to send digital materials to the Hennepin County Library Archives, and approved a letter drafted by the Green Team in support of the proposed East Phillips Urban Farm. All are welcome to join an upcoming neighborhood meeting. Learn more and register to attend at http://bit.ly/ANAmtgs
Register to Run for the ANA Board by May 9
Please consider running for the Armatage Neighborhood Association’s Board of Directors this May! Board members have a critical role in shaping our neighborhood nonprofit for years to come. This year in particular has shown how critical strong, local communities are.
Members of underrepresented communities are especially encouraged to run for the board, including renters, seniors, residents with disabilities, and residents who identify as LGBTQ or BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and/or People of Color). Learn more about what’s involved, the time commitment, and register to run by Sunday, May 9 at 11:59pm at https://armatage.org/2021boardelection/
Spring Tea & Blooms
Saturday, May 8
2:00-4:00pm | Armatage Park
Grab your mask and join us for Spring Tea & Blooms at Armatage Park! Jinx Tea and Sparrow Café will take orders outside, soon-to-open neighborhood spot Café Cerés will share samples, and the ANA will give away take-home kids’ planting kits (supplies are limited). Pick up a free book donated by Jump! at 54th & Penn and complete a scavenger hunt and enter to win a gift card to a neighborhood business!
Thank you for following our safety guidelines by wearing a mask during the event, keeping 6 feet of distance from everyone outside of your household, and bringing your treats home or into the park to enjoy. In case of severe weather, cancellations will be posted on Facebook, Nextdoor, and Twitter.
Safety, Equity & Outreach Meeting this Saturday
Saturday, May 1
10:00-11:00am | Armatage Park (outdoors, wear a mask)
Join the new Safety, Equity & Outreach Committee‘s outdoor meeting this Saturday, May 1 from 10:00-11:00am to discuss a wide range of topics including equity, public safety, our neighborhood’s relationship with police, and how the ANA can better reach out to community members who need it most.
Please meet near the pool at Armatage Park, wear a mask, and plan to distance. Kids welcome to join and play. In case of rain, we’ll meet on Zoom. Register at http://bit.ly/ANAmtgs
Armatage Annual Meeting
Tuesday, May 18
6:30-8:00pm | Zoom
Join your neighbors for a virtual Armatage Annual Meeting! Register at https://bit.ly/ANAmtgs to hear from the leaders of Armatage Reparations & Equity Action, connect with State Representative Jamie Long, City Council Member Linea Palmisano and County Commissioner Marion Greene, win a gift card to a local business, hear board election results, and learn what the ANA is doing for our community.
Online Board Election: May 11-18
Make your voice heard and vote in the Online Board Election from May 11 through May 18 at 7:30pm. All Armatage residents 18 years and older and designated business/institutional representatives are able to vote in the election through an online form that will be posted at armatage.org on May 11. Please see above for more details on running for election!
Minnesota Rent Help
RentHelpMN was created to help Minnesotans who have fallen behind on their rent or utility bills or fear that could happen. If you find yourself in this position, RentHelpMN is here to help. Eligible renters can receive help with rent and utility bills dated on or after March 13, 2020. If you qualify, you could receive up to 15 months of total assistance.
Find out if you qualify and apply at http://renthelpmn.org or by calling 211, which has dedicated multilingual staff available to answer questions from 8:00am until 8:00pm, Monday through Saturday.
Garden Tool Swap: May 8
Saturday, May 8
11:00am-1:00pm | Various Locations
Spring is officially here! To celebrate many of us are turning towards our home and our green spaces. When cleaning out your storage, hang on to unused yard tools, gardening items, and plant-related equipment and bring them to the first ever city-wide Garden Tool Swap! Our closest location is at Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Park (4055 Nicollet Ave S). See items to bring, other swap locations and more details here.
The swap is hosted by Minneapolis Solid Waste & Recycling and community partners. ALL are welcome at the free event, whether you’re a first-time gardener or have a green thumb.
- All items are intended to be given and taken freely. Garden tools and equipment are not for sale at this event.
- Please be respectful of your neighbors. Take only what you need so everyone can participate.
- Wear face coverings and maintain at least 6 feet distance from others.
Social Media – Think Before You Post
Social media can be a great way to stay informed, but we all know, especially in stressful times, messages can take a turn.
- How would you feel if someone directed your statement at your child/parent/significant other/etc.?
- Would you share this point-of-view at work/church/public meeting?
- Would you say this comment in-person to the individual or group of people you are referring to?
To help us all be both good neighbors and sharers of good information, the ANA will continue to compile safety resources through the August trials at https://armatage.org/trial/
Armatage Welcome Bags
Have you or someone on your block recently moved to Armatage? If so, we want to bring you an Armatage Welcome Bag! The groovy, reusable tote bag’s contents include useful information on the ANA, elected representatives, governmental services, local businesses, and a couple of fun items to welcome you.
- Homeowners: be on the lookout for friendly ANA volunteers Ethan (pictured) or Kevin with a Welcome Bag with your name on it! They’ll swing by to do a masked, distanced drop-off.
- Renters: if you are a renter who moved in during the past year or if you own a rental property in the neighborhood and have new tenants, please reach out to us at anacoordinator@armatage.org and let us know where we can drop off a Welcome Bag!
Community Safety Workshops
Nonviolent Peaceforce is holding Community Safety Training Workshops on May 8 and May 22 from Saturday from 11:00am-5:00pm (optional breakfast will be provided for participants at 10:00am) located outdoors in the Little Earth Neighborhood (meet at Cedar Ave S & 24th St E, Minneapolis, MN 55404). All are welcome to register at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CommunitySafetyWorkshop Wear a mask and plan to distance. Seating and lunch provided.
The Community Safety Training Workshops focus on preparing individuals and communities for handling community safety concerns and situations. The learning objectives are rooted in Unarmed Civilian Protection (UCP) and aim to supply participants with skills for approaching safety concerns and providing a safe space for the community. Learn more at https://www.nonviolentpeaceforce.org/articles/940-cst
911, 311 & New Minneapolis Tip Line
If you need assistance, there are a few different avenues to get help:
- Call 911 for emergencies where someone’s safety is at risk that requires an immediate response from police, firefighters, or medics.
- Call 612-673-5335 or text 847411 to report suspicious activity directly to MPD that doesn’t require an emergency response (example: reporting a fast-moving car without license plates or spotting something odd in an alley)
- Call Minneapolis 311 at 311 or 612-673-3000 or email Minneapolis311@minneapolismn.gov for non-emergency concerns.
Get Involved on an Armatage Committee
Neighbors are encouraged to join an Armatage Committee and get involved. Currently, most meetings are held on Zoom. Click on each group’s link below to learn more. Register to attend a meeting at https://bit.ly/ANAmtgs
- Safety, Equity & Outreach will next meet this Saturday, May 1 from 10:00-11:00am at Armatage Park (see more above). Kids welcome and plan to wear a mask.
- Community Engagement next meets Thursday, May 6 from 5:30-6:30pm on Zoom.
- The Green Team will next meet on Thursday, May 13 from 7:00-8:15pm.
Street Sweeping is Underway
See the schedule and get ready to avoid a ticket and tow at https://www.minneapolismn.gov/getting-around/parking-driving/street-sweep/