Lyndale Neighborhood Association

Education & Outreach LNAs adult education programs served hundreds of students across five sites, offering courses in adult English, computer basics, and drivers license permit education, including a new adult education to teach targeted classes in Spanish to better serve our Latino neighbors. In 2025, we partnered with Hosmer Library to host our first Computer Basics course entirely in Spanish and also hosted our first fully Spanish language Drivers License Permit Education course at our office. This allowed us to engage with our Latino neighbors in new ways and share information in places that were convenient and comfortable in their native language. Community Engagement LNA conducted outreach or events at 37 different locations in and around the Lyndale neighborhood.These were focused on education, engagement, environment, housing, and community safety. This included three workshops for Horn Towers residents attending our adult education classes Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid Fair Housing, a Hennepin County Child and Teen Check Ups, and MN DHS held a health insurance workshop. A total of 24 Horn Tower residents attended these trainings to learn about programs that impact them and their families. Communications In collaboration with two neighboring communities, LNA publishes a bilingual print newsletter for Lyndale, Kingfield, and Tangletown, sharing local news, events, and infrastructure updates which reaches 9500 households. We also distribute a weekly eNewsletter, spotlighting local businesses, events, volunteer opportunities, and government news which goes to over 2000 addresses. Sustainability & Food Security. LNAs Pillsbury Farm Donation Garden provided fresh produce to the community as well as to a local food shelf. Additionally in 2025, LNA hosted two exchanges. Free Fest was held in January at Painter Park with 213 attendees shopping from the generosity of neighbors who volunteered to share from their abundance. Items shared included books, clothes, household items, art, and much more. LNA also hosted Book Fest as part of our Annual Gathering. At Book Fest, 115 neighbors attended to shop for free books donated by neighbors and sorted by LNA staff and volunteers. Housing and Development LNA, in partnership with the Whittier Alliance, hosted a New Nicollet Open House event on February 25, 2025 with 100 people attending at Whittier Elementary to learn about the project and provide feedback. In addition, the two organizations also hosted a New Nicollet RFP Open House in September with 40 attendees and a New Nicollet Developers and Nonprofit Mixer in October with 47 people attending to learn about next steps in the projectX#39;s development and ways to be involved. LNA is currently partnering with two Lyndale neighbors on a project through America Walks to coordinate Walk Audits in the neighborhood, targeting traditionally underserved neighbors, so their voices can be heard as part of roadwork planned in and around Lyndale. In October a Walk and Talk was held focusing on auditing 35th and 36th Streets which are set for redevelopment in the coming years. This event started at Hosmer Library and had 6 attendees. LNAs Housing Committee meets monthly to discuss housing and infrastructure in the neighborhood. In 2025, the Housing Committee hosted presentations and feedback sessions on the planned redevelopment of Lyndalee Lyndale Avenue, 35th and 36th Streets, Simpson Housing Services shelter and Hennepin Countys Safe Shelters program, among other topics. Small Business & Economic Developoment LNA fosters engagement between residents and local businesses, connecting them with grant funding to strengthen commercial corridors. In 2025, LNA facilitated a business faced grant in 2025 and approved three projects for local businesses. Additionally, LNA launched a new business spotlight program called the Swigs and Swags Passport. Over 100 passports were sold to unlock special deals for the month of September at each of the 24 participating businesses where we promoted both the businesses and special events planned at their sites for the month. Community Safety & Advocacy LNA partnered with the Whittier Alliance, Fortune Relief and Youth Empowerment Organization (FRAYEO), and Youth Justice joined together to begin hosting quarterly community safety meetings for the Lyndale and Whittier neighborhoods. In 2025, we hosted two meetings as a collective. 80 neighbors attended a meeting in June at the Abyssenia Cultural Center focused on youth gun violence. In October, the second quarterly community safety meeting focused on the topic of supporting our unsheltered neighbors and promoting community vitality- where safety, health, and opportunity thrive for all. To help facilitate the conversation, Steve Hosfield (the Executive Director of Simpson Housing Services) attended and shared his knowledge from decades of experience working with unhoused individuals. Approximately 30 neighbors attended this event and shared positive feedback that they feel better equipped to support their unhoused neighbors and better understand some of the causes that lead to someone becoming homeless. Both meetings were held in English with support for Somali speaking neighbors.