Lowry Hill East Neighborhood Association

The Lowry Hill East Neighborhood Association (LHENA) is a volunteer-led nonprofit that serves the over 9,000 residents, property owners, and numerous businesses of "The Wedge" neighborhood in Minneapolis. We exist to defend and expand the health of the neighborhood, and to secure a future for the neighborhood that reflects our highest ideals of community.

Our mission: to exhibit and encourage neighborhood leadership and participation from all community members, provide a forum for community participation, and to promote a vision of the neighborhood.  

2022 Highlights:

• Coordinated a program to address food insecurity by distributing free groceries to over 100 households in our community on a monthly basis. This program is run entirely by volunteers. 
• Established the LHENA Volunteer Network, consisting of over 100 neighbors who coordinate mutual aid programs, community-building events, and volunteer power for community organizations and schools. 
• LHENA was chosen as the lone Minneapolis neighborhood to pilot a community public safety program in the city. The "Community Building Blocks" program is led by a partnership that uses restorative practices with a reimagined block club approach to develop restorative solutions and improve the quality of life in any neighborhood. 
• Hosted four community pop-up markets at our neighborhood park. The markets brought together local business vendors, restorative practice leaders, wellness practitioners, community organizations, food trucks, musicians, artists, and community members for a vibrant marketplace of goods, ideas and services with a "restorative community" vibe and impact. 
• Laid the groundwork for LHENA to acquire property in order to develop a community space, affordable housing, and affordable commercial space in the neighborhood. 
• Worked with City and Parks officials to set the foundation for a new neighborhood park. 
• Provided organics recycling options for renters, many of whom do not have access to the City's organics recycling program. Our program has over 1,300 participants and spans multiple neighborhoods.
• Hosted several neighborhood cleanups, which resulted in removing hundreds of pounds of trash and recyclables from our streets, parks, and storm drains. 
• Facilitated the monthly LHENA Talks series, which brought together residents, businesses, and community members alike to foster a space for fruitful discussions while highlighting the amazing work being done in our communities. 
• Hosted community-bonding events such as our community pot luck, ice cream social, neighborhood bake sale, monthly volunteer socials, and Halloween in the Park. 
• Facilitated numerous engagement opportunities for Wedge residents to interface with their City & County government, Parks Department, and Police Department.
• Funded an oral history project of our neighborhood where we interviewed and captured records from residents and former residents who played pivotal roles in the neighborhood during the 1960s and 1970s, a transitional period during which struggles over zoning, housing, transportation, safety, and neighborhood identity rose to the fore. 
• Awarded grant funding for a community learning garden at our neighborhood school, water management workshops at a local business, and a mural festival. 

Your donations make our work possible. 

Thank you for supporting our community!