I Heart MN: A Small Fundraiser Rooted in Community
I created the I Heart MN Pendant as a small, personal fundraiser to support Minnesotans facing food insecurity due to current ICE activity. At moments like this, when fear and uncertainty make everyday life feel harder than it should, something as basic as getting groceries or going to work can suddenly become out of reach.
What has stayed with me — and what ultimately moved me to act — is the way people in my community have shown up for one another. Teachers, organizers, neighbors, and nonprofit workers have quietly stepped in to make sure families are fed, supported, and not forgotten. I’m incredibly proud of Minnesotans for coming together with care, creativity, and generosity.
This fundraiser is my way of contributing what I know how to do best. The I Heart MN Pendant is a small symbol, but the intention behind it is simple and sincere: to help move resources directly to people who need them, and to support the organizations doing that work every day.
All proceeds from the pendant are donated.
Where the Funds Go
I chose the organizations below because they represent different but deeply connected ways of supporting people right now: immediate, local care; large-scale food access; and emergency support for families navigating crisis.
If you’d like to donate directly to any of these efforts — whether or not you purchase a pendant — you can do so using the links below.
Harding High School Families
This grassroots effort supports students and families connected to Harding High School and is organized by teachers who work closely with the community they serve. Two of my dear friends are teachers at Harding and are directly involved in this work, helping to coordinate food access and household support for families in need.
Funds help stock the school’s food pantry and provide food and essential items, including deliveries to families who cannot safely leave their homes. While this effort is not a formal 501(c)(3), it is rooted in direct relationships, trust, and care — and support goes straight to meeting immediate needs within the Harding community.
Donate directly:
Venmo @sunnyinstpaul
https://venmo.com/u/sunnyinstpaul
Second Harvest Heartland
Second Harvest Heartland is a long-established Minnesota nonprofit that has been feeding communities across the state for decades. Right now, their work is especially critical as families face increased food insecurity related to ICE activity and the loss of SNAP benefits.
Supporting Second Harvest Heartland helps ensure food reaches people quickly, efficiently, and at scale throughout Minnesota.
Donate directly:
https://www.2harvest.org/donate/
Salt Cure Fund
Administered by the Minneapolis Foundation
The Salt Cure Fund is an emergency relief fund created to support Minnesota restaurants and their workers during the current crisis. Managed by the Minneapolis Foundation and guided by a collective of local food advocates and industry professionals, the fund provides grants to restaurants facing urgent operational challenges.
Grants help cover critical needs such as payroll, rent or mortgage payments, and other immediate expenses. Restaurants can apply directly for assistance, and community members can also nominate restaurants that may be struggling but unable to speak publicly. Donations to the fund are tax-deductible, and the fund has no end date, allowing it to respond flexibly as needs continue to evolve.
This effort represents the community rallying around Minnesota’s restaurant scene — the people and places that nourish us in so many ways.
Donate directly or learn more:
https://thesaltcurefund.org
(Donations are made through the Minneapolis Foundation)
Choosing How to Support
If you purchase an I Heart MN Pendant, you’ll select a pendant variant that specifies which organization your support will go toward. As needs change, the organizations supported by this fundraiser may evolve — but the intention will always remain the same: to get resources to people who need them, as quickly and directly as possible.
Whether you donate directly, purchase a pendant, or share this fundraiser with others, thank you for being part of a community that shows up with care.
With gratitude,
Karin