MNyou Rebuild Fundraiser

On the morning of Sunday, May 8th, damaging winds tore through West Central Minnesota, uprooting trees and destroying numerous structures in its path, including two MNyou hoop houses. Valued at over $30k, these structures are central to MNyou's mission of "getting food onto the plates of those who need it the most". Without them, MNyou is in danger of:

- Losing up to 40% of its crops this summer

- Having to "let go" of some of the 30 youth it employs

- Telling over 200 families counting on affordable fresh produce that its unable to help them this year

Unfortunately, because hoop houses are considered "temporary structures", insurance will not cover any of the cost to replace them. We need you, our community, to lend us a hand-up, to help us continue to support our neighbors.

Due to the generosity of a donor advised fund through the Willmar Area Community Foundation, MNyou is receiving a match grant of $12,500! This is a combination of funding from a donor and the WACF itself. This means that your $10 = $20 and every gift will help us get closer to our goal and leverage every dollar of that match!

With your help, we'll continue to provide youth with an incredible summer experience and keep getting food onto the plates of those who need it the most.

What is MNyou?

Hi! Our names are Nate and Ben. Since 2016 we've been "growing" an organization called MNyou Inc. MNyou is a non-profit youth development/youth garden organization dedicated to "getting food onto the plates of those who need it the most." We do this through an innovative, year-round, "Buy One, Give One" Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) initiative. The way it works is that for every subscription sold, we provide the same size share to a family in the community needing a hand up.

In order to accomplish this goal, MNyou provides youth from all different backgrounds with a job opportunity like no other. Each Spring, MNyou hires 20-30 youth to work in a garden and greenhouse setting. Throughout the summer, youth are taught how to grow, manage, and market a wide variety of vegetables by the MNyou team and its many volunteers. Because the project is so big and the team is so small, youth have an opportunity to further their soft skills (communication, problem-solving, time management, etc.) while also learning about the value of community and the well-being of all.

In March of this year, 30 youth started preparing for the summer growing season. While all of the plants and youth are ready to get working in the dirt, mother nature had other plans.

For everyone involved in this organization, MNyou is a passion project. Most of the time spent in the garden working with kids is volunteer. This means MNyou relies very heavily on grant funding and CSA subscriptions, neither of which will generate enough funding to recoup a $30k+ loss.

Why are hoop houses important?

Hoop houses are vital to the success of MNyou. They provide our vegetables with protection from the elements and predators while creating the ideal environment for them to thrive. Two of our hoop houses were destroyed in the storm: a 90-footer and a 30-footer.

While all of the plants and youth are ready to get working in the dirt, mother nature had other plans. These hoop houses were ripped from the ground and torn to pieces. Nothing from either one was able to be salvaged.

How can I help?

Right now, we urgently need financial support. Gifts of any amount will help us get youth back to work providing fresh produce for our community. Whether you are able to give or not, sharing this fundraiser on your social media or texting or emailing it to your friends and family would be a huge help!

About us
MNyou is a nonprofit youth development and food justice organization located in Willmar, MN. We were founded by Ben Larson and Nate Erickson in 2016. You can reach us at mnyouyouth@gmail.com