Look out your front door. 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?

We are the Corcoran Neighborhood Organization, and we connect the neighbors who make Corcoran strong.

We need your help to continue this work. The Neighborhood Revitalization Program (NRP) is over, and funding for neighborhood work is more scarce than ever. The Corcoran News and Public Art in Corcoran are just two programs that need your help to continue. Every dollar you give goes to work in your back yard!

Please contribute $10, $20 or $50 a month, or whatever amount is right for you. Please set up a secure monthly contribution or make a one-time donation. You can also mail your contribution to CNO at 3451 Cedar Ave S. Does your employer match your contributions to non-profits? Employer matches are a big boost to our work.

• Our Goal is to raise $10,000 from neighbors by June 15, 2012 in order to keep the newspaper and summer public art projects going!
• Which Block will give the most? We’re hoping for a little healthy competition amongst block clubs for this award. The winning block will be rewarded…watch for details and updates on the competition in The Corcoran News!
• November 16, 2011 is Give to the Max Day, the perfect day to set up a monthly or one-time contribution.
• What’s your word? Vote for your favorite word every time you donate. Donate $100 or more by June 15, 2012 and receive a Corcoran t-shirt that includes your word! The more votes a word receives, the larger it gets.

"I give to CNO because the organization makes our neighborhood a better place by building, enhancing and sustaining a local community. By giving to CNO, I am making an investment in my home. And I know where the money goes - something which is very important to me."

-- Eric Lindberg, Corcoran resident

"A few years ago the gas station at Cedar and 34th became a hot spot for youth drug activity. Neighbors feared that gang rivalries could turn violent. We live about 200 yards from the gas station. Together with several neighbors we became concerned enough to call--first the police and then the Corcoran Neighborhood Organization. The police helped with immediate concerns and investigating criminal activity, but it was CNO that helped guide us to an eventual solution. Staff members provided us with the tools and resources to confront the problem and gave us a venue to bring all concerned parties together to plot a strategy. Success did not happen overnight but in the end the gas station was returned to a safe and normal place to buy gasoline, milk and bread--not drugs!

The CNO staff are an invaluable asset to our community. In times of need whether in public safety, environmental concerns, housing and other quality of life issues, CNO has the resources and knowledge to successfully guide us to a healthy solution. Please support CNO with your time and/or money. CNO makes Corcoran a better place to live."

-- Jim Walsh & Marie Eff, Corcoran residents

"I have been involved with CNO as a volunteer since I first moved to the neighborhood in 1996, so I've seen first hand how much CNO does for our neighborhood. On a very limited budget, the dedicated staff and volunteers have worked hard to make Corcoran the great place that it is. Some contributions that stand out are the great mural project to combat graffiti, the fabulous annual book sale, the work of the Housing committee to preserve and maintain our unique housing stock, the wonderful Midtown Farmers' Market, and the Lations En Acción project that reaches out to the ever growing Latino community in south Minneapolis. These are just a few examples. I feel proud to support CNO both through my volunteer work and through an annual financial donation."

-- Kath Lenk, Corcoran resident

"My block is well-connected as a result of getting tapped into the informational resources of the Corcoran Neighborhood Organization. They have provided access to people that share my ideas about positive change and want to know how to put it into reality. They have created forums for learning more about energy-efficient homes, organizing for National Night Out, and upcoming business expansions or changes. CNO is important for our neighborhood because it puts all the words into action. I donate and volunteer because our neighborhood is worth it."

-- Melanie Casiday, Corcoran resident

"Why I give to CNO: I like being involved with CNO because it keeps me informed about what’s going on in my neighborhood. It gives me a chance to get to know more of my neighbors and to see how much people do to make this a great place to live. It is a true privilege to live in a neighborhood where people care so much about their community, and work together to make it better."

-- Cynthia Frost, Corcoran resident

How about you? Why do you contribute to the work of CNO as a donor or a volunteer? How have neighbors working together through CNO improved your block or your neighborhood? Click here to share your testimonial.

Make a one-time or recurring monthly donation at CNO, 3451 Cedar Ave S or by clicking this secure link.