SVP Community Newsletter – June 2023

Please join SVP MN for a Pickleball Social & Tournament

Sunday, June 11th from 1- 4pm at Lucky Shots 

Have you ever wanted to try Pickleball or are you already an experienced “Pickler”? Join us for
a fun afternoon where you can choose from participating in a Pickleball lesson from one of the Lucky Shots’ Pickleball pros, engage in casual play with friends, enter a friendly tournament with SVP Partners and guests, or ALL OF THE ABOVE! Spots are filling up fast so REGISTER TODAY!

This event is being offered on a sliding fee scale with suggested donations between $50-150 per person. All proceeds from this event will support SVP MN’s work with youth-serving organizations in the Twin Cities.  These youth development nonprofits work with under-resourced youth ages 12-24 who are furthest from racial, economic and social
justice.  Click here to find out more about how we partner with these amazing organizations.

This is a great way to get to know the game of Pickleball, meet new friends, and benefit youth in our community – all at the same time! We hope to see you there! Questions? Email Deb Salls, Executive Director of SVP MN.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS

SVP’s 2023 GRANT CYCLE OPENS ON JUNE 20th ! 

Our 2023 grant cycle for youth-serving organizations in the seven county Twin Cities metro area opens on June 20, 2023 and all applications will be due no later than July 20th at 5:00pm.  Please check our website regularly for updates.

We are committed to keeping the application requirements and process as streamlined as possible and are requesting only the necessary information we need to make funding decisions. We will be hosting two Grant Information Sessions (virtually) to review eligibility, grant guidelines and answer any questions you may have.

• Wednesday June 28, 12:00-1:00pm
• Thursday June 29, 4:00-5:00pm

Sign up for one of the sessions here and a zoom link will be sent after you register.  To be added to our future grant email notifications, please email SVP MN.

ANTI-RACISM RESOURCES

Are you interested in expanding your learning on topics of racial equity and anti-racism?   Check out these resources:

• List of Resources on Racial Equity and Healing
• How to Talk About Race
• Confronting Prejudice: How to Protect Yourself and help others from Pepperdine University
• Understanding Native MN Podcast
• CNN’s Race Deconstructed Newsletter series

Celebrate Juneteeth & Organization Spotlight

SWEET POTATO COMFORT PIE

Kumbayah Play Explains Meaning of Juneteenth – Launches Four City Tour 

Sweet Potato Comfort Pie (SPCP) is one of the organizations participating in SVP’s new Impact Accelerator Cohort.  SPCP grew out of the need for healing and bringing people together after the death of Michael Brown in Ferguson, MO.  SPCP founder Rose McGhee wanted to do something for everyone who had gathered in protest and grief and baked a bunch of Sweet potato pies and drove to Missouri.  The events in Ferguson were the beginning of Rose McGee’s special brand of “bake-tivism” –  using food culture and other creative forms of relationship-building to create change in our world.

Since that fateful day, Sweet Potato Comfort Pie has continued to deliver much-needed
connection, conversation and catalytic action among educators, leaders in positions of governance, communities experiencing recent trauma, youth and elders in cross-generational mentorship programs, and many others.  The organization continues to respond to needs for healing after racial trauma and crisis.  They convene art and speakers events that amplify Black and BIPOC voices and perspectives.   They bring people together for service and community building.

Sweet Potato Comfort Pie is partnering with the Minnesota Humanities Center to produce six statewide performances of SPCP founder Rose McGee’s original play, “Kumbayah: The Juneteenth Story.“

The play was performed for Juneteenth festivities in 2022 in both Minneapolis and Duluth. “The
responses were so favorable, we decided to bring the play to a wider audience,” says McGee.” A student who attended the play last year at Duluth’s Denfeld High School said, “I feel like this is my first day of a real education”. And we heard many more favorable comments. McGee further explained, “It is important now more than ever that we teach our young scholars honest history and the deeper context of holidays like Juneteenth. It is the way forward.”

The play will embark on an ambitious four city, six show tour with its debut in Minneapolis on June 16, 2023 with two shows at 10:00am and 7:00pm. (There will be a special pre-show reception at 5:30pm.)   It will be held at Breck School’s Cargill Theater (123 Ottawa Avenue North, Golden Valley, MN 55422).

Additional performances will be held in the St. Peter/Mankato area, Rochester and St. Cloud. For more info on other cities or to register go to the SPCP website and click on the “Events” tab.

SVP catalyzes equitable social change by expanding the impact of youth-serving organizations, and building an effective community of engaged philanthropists. Together we’re building better futures!