Community Service

Collaborating with various organizations and other Rotary clubs, Minneapolis University Rotary Club is proud to sponsor projects to improve the lives and communities of Twin Cities residents. We provide grants for local initiatives through our charitable foundation, with a special focus on education and health care.  We are interested in exploring new partnerships and invite you to contact us at mplsuniversity@gmail.com  See the local grant request form link on the left.

Community service projects we have supported financially or with hands-on service include:

  • George Floyd Memorial Scholarship
  • Africa Strong Inc Bunkbeds Drive
  • Camp Enterprise
  • Feed My Starving Children
  • Simpson Food Pantry
  • The Food Group Minnesota
  • Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity
  • Warm Hands, Warm Hearts
  • World Without Genocide
Community Service Spotlight

George Floyd memorial rotary scholarship

“Rotary clubs came together quickly to make this scholarship possible.  We wish our scholar the very best in her studies!” 
Rotary Club Member
Gabby
 
 
In the aftermath of the murder of George Floyd and the unrest that followed, Minneapolis University Rotary Club collaborated with Rotary District 5950 and seven area Rotary clubs to establish the George Floyd Memorial Rotary Scholarship.  Working with Wallin Education Partners, a nationally-recognized college-completion program, we established a scholarship fund. Over four years, the scholarship will provide $24,000 towards tuition for an African American student from Minneapolis to study at the University of Minnesota.  Our scholarship recipient began her studies at the university in the Fall of 2020.  Members of each of the eight collaborating clubs look forward to getting to know and supporting our scholar over her four years of study.

Seward Montessori Elementary School

"The kids love the new books.  Black history comes alive for them in colorful pictures and text.” 
Rotary volunteer at Seward Montessori media center
              

The Minneapolis University Rotary Club has provided two grants to Seward Montessori Elementary, a K-8 magnet school in Minneapolis, to support the school’s mission of providing a culturally rich education for its 900 students.  The first grant funded the purchase of classroom and media center books that reflect students’ racial and ethnic heritages. Rotarians participated in the classroom over several weeks. 

A second grant sponsored the designs for the buildout of vacant courtyard space at the school.  When built, the courtyard will be an outdoor classroom and learning center for creativity, exercise, meditation, and various other learning experiences.  We gratefully acknowledge support for these projects from District 5950 and collaborating Minneapolis-area Rotary clubs.

 
Rotarians in the Community
2023 WALK TO END ALZHEIMER'S
 
Family, Friends, and Rotarians,
 
I would like to express my appreciation for your support of the Alzheimer's Walkathon.  Participating in this Walkathon was extremely inspiring.  I enjoyed hearing stories of what families experience and how they support each other.  The Alzheimer's Association says "No one should go through Alzheimer's alone."  Thank you for providing the support to make a difference.  Our team was able to raise a total of $1630.  I walked with my friend Ken and my niece Rachel and her husband Brian.  We were there to support each other.  Rachel’s dad and my brother Howard died from Alzheimer’s this past summer.
 
  • The Alzheimer Society uses the Forget Me Not flower as a symbol to represent memory loss, one of the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease.
  • The Forget Me Not is also a reminder to remember people with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, as well as their caregivers.
  • The three flowers in the symbol represent the person with dementia, the caregiver and the Alzheimer Society.
 
 
Custom Widget
Making a Difference
in Our Community -
Food Drive Underway 
                                                                                                    
MURC presents a check to Talia Miracle of
the Food Group Minnesota.
 
Thank you to MURC members and friends who, along with matching donations, have given more than $10,000 to-date!   
 
Minneapolis University Rotary Club has made food insecurity a focus of our community service in 2022.  In collaboration with The Food Group Minnesota, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, we have established a Virtual Food Drive to support the Community Bridge Food Shelf and Simpson United Methodist Church Food Pantry in Minneapolis. 
 
Food insecurity remains a huge problem today for Twin Cities communities.  Studies show that one in nine people struggle with hunger in Minnesota; one in six kids go to bed hungry every night; and 1/3 of Minnesotans lack access to healthy foods. 
 
The Food Group works in local communities to fight food insecurity and make nutritious foods available.  Every $100 donated to the Virtual Food Drive provides food for a family of four for three nutritious meals a day for a week.  
 
If you are able to make another tax-deductible donation, or if you're giving for the first time, click here:  Virtual Food Site