Blue Tarps and Evictions: Tornado money only went to those who played the game

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The original story about the demise of the north Minneapolis Prayer Center was published in the Minneapolis Mirror on Thanksgiving Day. No, this was not an exclusive by the Star Tribune, WCCO, KARE or any other mainstream media outlet. It seems to get “news they can use,” surfing blogs is the local mainstream media’s way of “being out there in the community.” IBNN would like to take this opportunity to thank Ward 5 Minneapolis city councilman Don Samuels for all his fine direction in making sure that his ward had no blue tarps by winter…LOL!

Fast Tube by Casper

by Donald W.R. Allen, II – Editor in Chief, IBNN NEWS and Black Politics in Minneapolis

Minneapolis, MN (IBNN NEWS/Source: Mpls Mirror/Editorial Opinion/November 28, 2011)…Before there was the Northside Community Response Team, We Care and others, the north Minneapolis Prayer Center mobilized a team of volunteers on Monday, May 23, 2011 at 7 a.m. to make sure victims of the previous nights storm had food, a safe dry place to rest and someone to console them after a horrific loss of an effort trying to make ends meet in living in north Minneapolis.

God’s Prayer Center located at 821 ½ West Broadway Avenue North was a recipient of a $5,000 grant from the Minneapolis Foundation to expand the center’s community dinner services for individuals and families impacted by the tornado. By the time of the award, the Prayer Center had spent an estimated $10,000+ food giveaways, staff time and paying the rent and electric bills.

Human needs were the most important item at the Prayer Center – of course there was a lot of praying.

There was a storm in north Minneapolis long before this tornado; another storm was created after the tornado by the Northside Community Task Force, who to this date have not “exactly” accounted for the rumored $500,000 raised outside of the two grants made by the Minneapolis Foundation (See NCRT Mid-Grant Report here. Pay close attention to the financial sheet. – Google Docs)

The Prayer Center in north Minneapolis exceeded the vision and expectations of what a non-profit looks like in-motion during a crisis. The only issue – they only got a small piece of the pie.

While some may say, Broadway Avenue doesn’t need the Prayer Center – actions by local neighborhood organizations (White) that received city funding are not willing to help anyone outside of their “game-plan.” Just down the street sits the Pohlad Foundation, Northside Achievement Zone and a host of other non-profits that still have not put funding to good use – but remain the keepers of the gates. But hey, we still have to remember, “If it’s Black, the red-necks want it back.” That’s the new Minnesota Nice.

As winter weather hits Minnesota, we still see over 50+ homes with blue tarps.

Something doesn’t add up. Wasn’t there a trailer on the corner of Penn and Broadway mobilizing “minority contractors” for what should have been one of the greatest public works projects in north Minneapolis history?

It’s happened again. The Gilligan’s Island Syndrome in north Minneapolis. They come; they gain; they leave and don’t send back any help.

Why are there still blue tarps and evictions?