October is Co-Op Month in Minnesota. There are over 800 co-ops in Minnesota, which together supply agricultural products as well as provide credit, telecommunications, and many other products and services to a collective three million member-owners in Minnesota. Minnesota is a nationwide leader in co-ops, with over 170 agricultural cooperatives and over 40 food cooperatives across the state. I encourage you to consider joining a co-op near you!
Minnesota Grown and the Statewide Cooperative Partnership are gathering data on what consumers like you are looking for and facing when purchasing local foods. Help improve our local food systems by taking this brief survey.
Missing and Murdered African American Women’s Taskforce
The next meeting of the Missing and Murdered African American Women’s Taskforce will be held on Thursday, October 27, from 2-4p.m. The role of the taskforce is to recommend ways to reduce and end violence against African American women and girls in Minnesota.
DNR Grants for Increasing Childhood Outdoor Experiences
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is pleased to announce another phase of the No Child Left Inside grants. These grants help more children cast a line, study animal tracks, hike or bike, or simply learn more about nature.
Public entities and nonprofit organizations serving youth younger than 18 can apply for No Child Left Inside grants.
Grant funds will help implement the vision of the Minnesota Children’s Outdoor Bill of Rights’ for each and every Minnesota child to experience outdoor recreational activities and discover the natural environment regardless of where they live, learn, or play.
The DNR will host an informational webinar at 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, November 1, to review grant requirements, the application process and to answer questions.
Make a Plan to Vote in the November 8 General Election
Voting is underway in the November 8 General Election. Minnesota registered voters can still request an absentee ballot to vote from home at the Secretary of State’s website, vote early with an absentee ballot at a local election office, or vote on Election Day at their polling place. The deadline to pre-register to vote has now passed. Eligible Minnesotans can still register when they go to vote at their polling place on Election Day with a proof of residence.
If voting from home, Minnesotans must complete the witness section on the ballot envelope and ensure the ballot is received by elections officials on or before November 8.
Elections information is also available in: Spanish, Hmong, Somali, Vietnamese, Russian, Chinese, Lao, Oromo, Khmer, and Amharic.
Save the Date: MCD 2023 Legislative Forum
The Minnesota Council on Disability (MCD) Legislative Forum will be held on Thursday, December 15, from 12:00p.m.-2:00p.m. This is a virtual event that MCD will be hosting ahead of the 2023 Legislative session. Join MCD to:
• Find out about MCD’s Legislative Agenda
• Listen to elected officials discuss disability policy
• Learn from citizen advocates about the disability issues that matter most to them
Stay tuned to the MCD website for details. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for updates.