ST. PAUL, Minn. (June 19, 2018) — The Otto Bremer Trust has awarded $8,802,246 in grants and one program-related investment as part of its most recent grantmaking cycle.
The Otto Bremer Trust, based in St. Paul, Minn., is a private charitable trust established in 1944 by founder Otto Bremer, a successful banker and community business leader. Otto Bremer Trust owns 92 percent of Bremer Bank and also manages a diversified investment portfolio.
“These investments continue our ongoing support of communities and organizations in the Upper Midwest,” said Brian Lipschultz, co-CEO and trustee, Otto Bremer Trust.
The mission of Otto Bremer Trust is to invest in people, places, and opportunities in the Upper Midwest. Since its inception, Otto Bremer Trust has invested more than $600 million in organizations throughout Minnesota, North Dakota, and western Wisconsin. A list of grants awarded to organizations in the metro area and statewide is included below and a complete list of grants is online at the Otto Bremer Trust website.
Twin Cities Metro Area
360 Communities, Burnsville, MN, $55,000. For general operations to provide basic needs and to promote stability and self-reliance for low-income and at-risk residents of Dakota County.
Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders Association, Minneapolis, MN, $50,000. To provide Alzheimer’s outreach and education to diverse, underserved communities in the Twin Cities.
At Home Group, Inc. dba Small Sums, Saint Paul, MN, $40,000. For general operations to provide homeless clients who have found jobs with required work items.
Beacon Interfaith Housing Collaborative, Saint Paul, MN, $55,000. For general operations to create and maintain affordable and supportive housing in the Twin Cities.
Bhutanese Community Organization of MN, Saint Paul, MN, $30,000. For general operations to support Bhutanese refugees in the Twin Cities.
Community Mediation & Restorative Services, Inc., New Hope, MN, $70,000. For general operations to provide mediation and restorative services in Hennepin and Rice Counties.
Connections to Independence, Minneapolis, MN, $150,000. For general operations to provide holistic supports for young adults who will or have exited the foster care system.
CROSS Christians Reaching Out In Social Service, Rogers, MN, $25,000. For general operations to provide food, housing, clothing, and outreach to individuals and families in the northwest Twin Cities metro.
Emma Norton Services, Saint Paul, MN, $65,000. For general operations to increase stability and self-sufficiency for homeless women and families in the Twin Cities.
Fairview Foundation, Minneapolis, MN, $50,000. To support the expansion of health initiatives serving vulnerable, low-income, and minority community needs.
Hamm Memorial Psychiatric Clinic, Saint Paul, MN, $50,000. For general operations to provide mental health services to underserved adults.
Hennepin Health Foundation, Minneapolis, MN, $80,000. To improve patient health by distributing nutritious food at hospital and community clinics in the Twin Cities.
Higher Ground Academy and Charter School, Saint Paul, MN, $45,000. To provide an after-school program consisting of academic tutoring and character development activities for St. Paul youth.
Hmong Cultural Center of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, $40,000. For general operations to provide immigrants and refugees with literacy and citizenship education and support.
Independent School District 112, Chaska, MN, $96,151. To provide collaborative services that support the needs of low-income adults and children living in Chaska.
Jewish Family Service of St. Paul, Saint Paul, MN, $95,000. For general operations to enhance economic self-reliance of seniors and low-income individuals.
La Oportunidad, Inc., Minneapolis, MN, $50,000. For general operations to provide education, career path, and leadership opportunities and overall support to children, youth, and parents.
Lakes Area Youth Service Bureau, Forest Lake, MN, $58,180. For general operations to promote mental health, chemical health, mentoring, and job training for youth in Forest Lake.
Legal Rights Center, Inc., Minneapolis, MN, $90,000. For general operations to provide targeted legal services and programs in Hennepin County.
Mental Health Resources, Inc., Saint Paul, MN, $40,000. To support an Integrated Certified Peer Specialist in the Seward Community Support Program.
Metro Meals on Wheels, Inc., Minneapolis, MN, $75,000. For general operations to support Meals on Wheels programs throughout the Twin Cities.
Migizi Communications, Inc., Minneapolis, MN, $100,000. To purchase a building that will provide increased opportunities for American Indian Youth and allow for greater organizational stability and expansion in the future.
Minnesota Indian Women’s Resource Center, Minneapolis, MN, $125,000. For general operations to provide supportive services for Native American women and their families in the Twin Cities.
MoveFwd, Inc., Hopkins, MN, $50,000. For general operations to provide an array of services for homeless youth in the west metro suburbs.
Muscular Dystrophy Association, Edina, MN, $30,000. To provide financial support for children ages 8-17 with neuromuscular disease to attend summer camp in Minnesota.
Neighborhood Development Alliance, Saint Paul, MN, $50,000. For general operations to build affordable housing and create family economic sustainability through education and guidance.
NeighborWorks Home Partners, Saint Paul, MN, $50,000. For general operations to provide home ownership services and supports to families in the Twin Cities.
Nexus Community Partners, Saint Paul, MN, $75,000. For general operations to build the capacity of community-based organizations, individuals, and networks to create a vibrant Twin Cities.
Northeast Youth and Family Services, Shoreview, MN, $20,000. To support quality after-school and summer programming for at-risk youth in Roseville Area Middle School.
Open Arms of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, $65,000. For general operations to decrease food insecurity among Twin Cities low-income residents living with serious illness and to promote better health outcomes.
People Reaching Out to Other People, Eden Prairie, MN, $50,000. For general operations to provide hunger prevention programs and wraparound services to individuals and families in the southwest Twin Cities metro.
Reach for Resources, Inc., Minnetonka, MN, $30,000. To provide increased opportunities for adults with developmental disabilities to live independently and to find competitive employment.
Rebuilding Together – Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN, $60,000. For general operations to provide critical repair and accessibility modifications needed for low income families in the Twin Cities to live in safe and healthy homes.
Regents of the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, $50,000. To support comprehensive care coordination services for Community University Health Care Center’s patients.
St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church, Mahtomedi, MN, $50,000. To provide supports and services focused on ending homelessness in Washington and Ramsey Counties.
The Saint Paul Foundation, Saint Paul, MN, $50,000. To support MSPWin, a philanthropic collaborative whose mission is to increase the number of adults earning family sustaining wages, especially people of color.
Sexual Violence Center, Minneapolis, MN, $25,000. For general operations for crisis support services for victims and survivors of sexual violence and prevention education.
St. Paul Neighborhood Network, Saint Paul, MN, $40,000. To teach technology literacy and job placement skills to unemployed and underemployed individuals in the Twin Cities.
Tasks Unlimited, Inc., Minneapolis, MN, $45,000. To provide paid, on-the-job training and job placement in independent or peer-supported employment for individuals with serious and persistent mental illness.
Tubman, Minneapolis, MN, $50,000. To provide safe shelter, transitional housing, and trauma-informed services for youth.
University of St. Thomas, Saint Paul, MN, $20,000. To support a journalism incubator program that engages diverse teen voices through intense college readiness, writing skills development and multimedia experiences.
Urban Squash Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN, $15,000. For general operations to provide a year-round, high-quality, out-of-school time program for youth.
Urban Strategies, Inc., Saint Louis, MO, $40,000. To support youth development programs and the Green Garden Bakery.
Vineyard Community Services, Burnsville, MN, $25,000. To purchase equipment and extend service hours to decrease food insecurity in St. Paul.
Voyageur Outward Bound School, Saint Paul, MN, $55,000. To support leadership development for low-income youth in the Twin Cities.
Young Men’s Christian Association of the Greater Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN, $60,000. To provide afterschool programs for youth in low-income housing complexes.
Minnesota Statewide
Ann Bancroft Foundation, Minneapolis, MN, $45,000. To provide scholarships to empower girls and increase community outreach to Greater Minnesota communities and partners.
Children’s Defense Fund – Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, $60,000. For expansion of the Economic Stability Indicator and Bridge to Benefits, which provide tools to help families access work support and financial assistance programs.
Ecumen, Shoreview, MN, $50,000. To develop and pilot an educational program to increase understanding and wider use of end-of-life care.
Girl Scouts of Minnesota and Wisconsin River Valley, Inc., Saint Paul, MN, $175,000. To increase programming and improve organizational cultural competency to provide access for underserved girls.
Habitat for Humanity of Minnesota, Inc., Saint Paul, MN, $70,000. For general operations to build capacity of Habitat for Humanity affiliates in Minnesota.
Land Stewardship Project, Montevideo, MN, $200,000. To train beginning farmers, establish support networks, and increase the financial capacity and sustainability of family farmers.
Lao Assistance Center of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, $35,000. For general operations to increase community engagement strategies and build self-sufficiency in the Lao community.
Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, $50,000. For expansion of financial services to vulnerable populations in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and North Dakota.
MacPhail Center for Music, Minneapolis, MN, $100,000. To expand and enhance music education opportunities for rural pre-K through 12th grade students through online learning experiences.
Minnesota CIT Officers Association, Inc., Stillwater, MN, $35,000. For general operations to train public safety officers/first responders to safely and compassionately de-escalate crisis situations between people living with mental illness and first responders.
Minnesota Education Equity Partnership, Inc., Saint Paul, MN, $100,000. To address racial disparities in education by building capacity for education equity in Mille Lacs, St. Cloud, Owatonna, and Rochester.
Minnesota Literacy Council, Saint Paul, MN, $185,000. For general operations to strengthen organizations and programs that build literacy skills for children, adults, and families across Minnesota.
Open Your Heart to the Hungry and Homeless, Minneapolis, MN, $75,000. For general operations to increase the capacity of basic needs agencies to address homelessness and food insecurity in Greater Minnesota communities.
Ronald McDonald House of Rochester MN, Rochester, MN, $150,000. For general operations and technology enhancements to provide a home away from home for families seeking medical treatment for their critically ill children.
Second Harvest Heartland, Inc., Saint Paul, MN, $215,000. To support food recovery efforts to increase the amount of fresh, healthy food to local food pantries and meal programs.
University of Minnesota Foundation, Minneapolis, MN, $180,000. To support the Minnesota Prison Doula Project, which seeks to improve the mental and physical health outcomes of incarcerated pregnant women and mothers.
Program-Related Investment
Migizi Communications, Inc., Minneapolis, MN, $200,000. To purchase a building that will provide increased opportunities for American Indian Youth and allow for greater organizational stability and expansion in the future.
