Dear Neighbor,
Thank you for helping make Kingfield the great neighborhood that it is—a fantastic place to live, play, and work! We know you are the key to being a successful thriving urban neighborhood and our job, as your neighborhood association, is to support you getting involved, creating change, and building connections in your neighborhood. As I mentioned in a recent column in the Kingfield Newsletter, there is a lot going on in the neighborhood about which we can be excited. The Kingfield art show is an ever-growing event, the newly-independent Kingfield Farmers Market had a fantastic season, and we are reminded of the beautiful result of the recent Walldogs on Nicollet event every time we drive down that avenue.Â
As we look to the future, the neighborhood faces challenges, including a continuing struggle to reduce crime and fill vacant storefronts, and ongoing efforts to transition the neighborhood to its new community school, the Lyndale School. The Kingfield Neighborhood Association (KFNA) is a non-profit community-building organization committed to help the neighborhood face community challenges, and I ask that you consider supporting your neighborhood association with a financial contribution. We use your donations, in conjunction with countless hours of volunteer time by you and your neighbors, to help Kingfield define issues and create solutions that impact our neighborhood.
With your support in 2009, KFNA did the following work:
• Initiated the community process to establish two community gardens in Kingfield;
• Received approval by the MPLS Arts Commission in October to pilot a new graffiti prevention technique wrapping utility boxes with local artists’ photographic images of our community;
• Organized 3 blocks in the northeast section of the neighborhood to address graffiti issues in their alleys. The results of this mural painting project are block-long art galleries that are working to prevent graffiti, plus the process helped neighbors build connections with each other;
• Facilitated and funded home energy assessments for over 200 neighbors;
• Hosted 400 neighbors and highlighted neighborhood artists in our annual spring community art show;
• Created a new Youth and Schools Committee to advocate on behalf of the youth of Kingfield and address challenges such as the transition to Kingfield’s new community school;
• Established an HOURCAR car-sharing hub at 3800 Nicollet;
• Began the work and provided support for the establishment of a Dog Park at MLK Park;
• Informed you of local issues and events through a quarterly newsletter and a weekly e-mail notice, and maintained our website at www.kingfield.org to keep everyone current about Kingfield news and events;
• …and much, much more!
The majority of KFNA’s past funding, NRP, is winding down and there is a great deal of uncertainty as to what support the successor program will provide. Consequently, the need for private contributions by residents is greater than ever. If every Kingfield household donates just $20 to KFNA, we can pay for our general operating costs for the entire year. And if you are able to donate $30, $50 or $200, you can make a huge difference in helping KFNA serve the neighborhood and you.
Anything you can afford is appreciated! Donations to KFNA are tax deductible and can be mailed or made online at www.kingfield.org. Every dime is spent on working to make Kingfield an even better place to call home. Remember, KFNA is you – and with your help, we can continue building a better Kingfield.
Chris Sur, KFNA President