Participate in the Neighborhood Garage Sale June 9

The Standish, Ericsson, and Corcoran Neighborhood Garage Sale is coming on Saturday, June 9 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Now in its 10th year, this is the largest garage sale event in Minneapolis. Last year’s event involved over 140 households, brought over $30,000 into the neighborhoods, and recycled thousands of items.

Individual households set up their own sales at their own homes. CNO and SENA handle advertising through the StarTribune, area newspapers, and other media. CNO and SENA will distribute a Sales Map & Guide with the location of all participating homes and businesses and descriptions of what each is selling.

To add your garage sale to the Sales Guide & Map (free), call the SENA office at 612-721-1601 by Friday, June 1 and be prepared to share your address, phone number, and the type of merchandise at your garage sale. For shoppers: The free Sales Guide & Map will be available at several locations (to be announced) at 8:45 a.m. on June 1. The event will be held rain or shine.

Paint the Pavement Saturday, May 12

The pavement mural at East 34th Street and 19th Avenue South will be repainted on Saturday, May 12 starting at 9:00 a.m.! Neighbors are invited to help paint or watch it unfold. Children under 12 should be accompanied by a parent or adult. A number of crucial volunteer jobs need to be filled including Painter, Greeter, Refreshments master, Paint master, and Photographer. Stop by on Saturday to get involved! Contact Eric at CNO with questions.

A community potluck begins at the mural site around Noon; please bring a dish to share. Beverages and snacks will be provided for volunteers throughout the day. We are striving to make this a No Waste event, so please bring your own drinking container and dish if possible.

In case of rain, the installation and potluck will take place Sunday, May 13 starting at 9:00 a.m.

The project is funded, in part, by the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund as appropriated by the Minnesota State Legislature with money from the vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008.

Community Sing at Corcoran Park May 12

Don't miss the second annual Community Sing event at Corcoran Park (3334 20th Ave S) on Saturday, May 12 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. The free event will be held indoors, rain or shine. Led by Bret Hesla and Mary Preus and guest songleader Antonio Machado, the Sing begins at 5:30 p.m. with hot dogs, cookies, and drinks served at 6:45 p.m. Bring something to share if you like. The event is co-sponsored by Minnesota Community Sings, Corcoran GROWS, the Minneapolis Park Board, and Mujeres en Accion y Poder. For more information: mnsings@gmail.com or 612-729-7304 or 612-722-6473. Minnesota Community Sings is a fiscal year 2011 recipient of a Folk and Traditional Arts grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board. This activity is funded, in part, by the arts and cultural heritage fund as appropriated by the Minnesota State Legislature with money from the Legacy Amendment vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008.

May 14 General Membership meeting and board elections

Don't miss CNO's next General Membership meeting on Monday, May 14 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Corcoran Park (3334 20th Ave S). The event will feature brief talks by several Corcoran block leaders and a discussion about ways to create connections between neighbors on your block.
The event will also feature free pizza from Chatterbox Pub, a performance by students from the new Folwell Arts Magnet school and an update on the school opening, and CNO board elections. Find brief bios for each candidate in the May edition of The Corcoran News paper. Nominations are still open and will also be taken at the meeting. All Corcoran residents age 18 or older are eligible to serve on the board. View a list of current board members here. Learn more about the Corcoran Neighborhood Organization's purpose, mission, and goals here.

Free Home Security Check from Minneapolis Police Department

Reduce the opportunity for your home to be vulnerable to forced entry by scheduling a FREE Home Security Check offered by the Minneapolis Police Department SAFE Unit. For more information contact Karen Notsch (612-673-2856; karen.notsch@minneapolismn.gov) or for assistance in Spanish contact: John Reed (612/673-5579; john.reed@minneapolismn.gov).

Contribute to The Corcoran News this month

For over 25 years, The Corcoran News monthly newspaper has been a forum for the issues, ideas, and events of concern to Corcoran residents. Editor Kath Lenk (a neighborhood volunteer) invites residents to share an article, artwork, photograph, opinion, or event information for the next edition! All content should be sent to news@corcoranneighborhood.org. The Corcoran News is hand-delivered monthly to every household in the Corcoran neighborhood. Find future deadlines here. Learn about the purpose and goals of The Corcoran News here.

Contribute to the Corcoran Neighborhood Organization

What are you thankful for in the Corcoran neighborhood? Are you thankful for the Midtown Farmers Market, and the effort to preserve the market at its home of nine seasons? Are you thankful for great public art in places where vandalism once lived? Are you thankful for light rail riders who’ve helped Metro Transit keep the Lake Street station clean and safe? Are you thankful for The Corcoran News, created by neighbors and delivered each month to your doorstep? The Corcoran Neighborhood Organization connects the neighbors who make Corcoran strong. Contribute to your Neighborhood!

Pavement Mural Movie by Phillip O'Toole

Watch the movie in large format on Corcoran's YouTube channel!

Worried about your Mortgage?

You’re not alone. While Corcoran’s housing market remains stable, some neighbors are losing their homes to foreclosure and others are struggling to keep up. CNO volunteers and staff are working hard to get the word out that help is available. They're knocking at every household facing a pre-foreclosure notice, trying to help them avert a sheriff's sale. If you’re behind on your mortgage—or worried that you might not be able to make future payments—a nearby, HUD-approved non-profit (PRG, at 2017 E. 38th Street) can help. To set up an appointment with a counselor at PRG, call (612) 721-7556, or visit the PRG website.

Home Energy Visits, Rebates, $175 Grants

The cost for Community Energy Services (CES), Minneapolis’ premier residential energy efficiency program, will increase in March 2012. To sign up for just $30 you must attend a workshop and schedule your home visit before March 31, 2012. Join over 4,000 Minneapolis homeowners who have used CES to make permanent, cost-saving improvements, find qualified contractors, apply for utility rebates, and access low-interest financing. Register for an upcoming workshop. Also note: Corcoran participants are also eligible for a $175 mini grant from CNO Following the home visit, use the mini grant for air sealing and insulation or upgrade to a high efficiency furnace, air conditioning, or water heater if these improvements are recommended. Eligible, completed improvements will be reimbursed on a first-come / first-served basis following a walk-through by CNO staff. Funds are limited and there is no waiting list. Contact Eric at CNO to submit receipts for completed work.

Home Improvement, Homebuyer funds available in Corcoran

The Corcoran Neighborhood Organization (CNO) offers a Revolving Loan for exterior improvements, energy improvements, and safety/security improvements. CNO also offers a Homebuyer Purchase Rehabilitation Program to promote purchase or improvements to currently or recently foreclosed Corcoran homes that will become owner-occupied, and no income limits apply. CNO also offers an Emergency Deferred Loan for very limited cases where conditions make a Corcoran home uninhabitable, extremely dangerous to the occupants, or capable of causing severe health problems.

Fare for All distribution one Wednesday each month

Do you want to eat healthy without "breaking the bank?" Check out Fare for All, a cooperative food buying program with a new location in south Minneapolis! Open to everyone, Fare for All sells packages of fresh fruits and vegetables and frozen meats for up to 40% less than grocery store prices. Food sales take place one Wednesday a month at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 2730 E. 31st St. Upcoming distributions include April 18, May 16, and June 20. Come between 5:00 and 7:00 p.m. to visit the distribution. No pre-registration is required. Because Fare For All buys food in bulk, the more people who participate, the better! CNO is helping bring this new resource to the neighborhood through participation in the south Minneapolis community leadership team.

Corcoran residents launch Outreach effort

20 residents attended an April 17 Outreach Training at Corcoran Park and are out door-knocking and building community in the Corcoran neighborhood. The training was organized by Corcoran GROWS and CNO as a way to help people build community on their block or rejuvenate their block club, and to share the good news about new home energy and home improvement programs that are now available, and to invite folks to get involved in a whole variety of neighborhood projects and activities.

There’s still time to get involved! Contact Eric at CNO.

Corcoran GROWS | Housing | Land Use & Transportation
Midtown Farmers Market | Mujeres en Accion y Poder | Newspaper

Corcoran Neighborhood Organization | 3451 Cedar Ave S | Minneapolis MN 55407
Phone 612-724-7457 | Fax 612-721-7588