March is Minnesota FoodShare Month: Drop-off Locations

There are plenty of places in and near Richfield to drop off your supply donations.

Each year, the Minnesota FoodShare holds its March Campaign—the largest food drive in the state. The drive recruits thousands of congregations, companies, schools and community groups to run local fund and food drives throughout the month of March. The efforts will restock almost 300 food shelves across Minnesota, including Bloomington's Volunteers Enlisted to Assist People (VEAP). Register your organization to collect food for the March efforts. VEAP, which provides many services for Richfield, Bloomington, Edina and South Minneapolis residents, is also holding its own drive alongside Minnesota FoodShare. Some of the most wanted food and necessity items are: peanut butter, 100% fruit juices, canned tuna, dry beans, canned meats, rice, …

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City's Funding of Local Nonprofits Restored

After an audit, the ability to fund various nonprofits for services was hanging in the balance.

Middle School Students Boost VEAP Food Shelf Supply

Students collected more than 8.000 items.

Richfield Middle School students collected more than 8,000 non-perishable food items for VEAP last week. VEAP, or Volunteers Enlisted to Assist People, is a nonprofit that provides a variety of services and programs for Richfield, Edina, Bloomington and South Minneaplis residents. Dean Kasparek’s eighth-grade science class collected the most items, brining in more than 1,700 items, according to the Sun Current. The class got The Hobbit prize packs and tickets to a pre-screening of the new movie from the director of The Lord of the Rings Trilogy from Warner Brothers. Do you have an upcoming Richfield event? Put it on the calendar. Follow Richfield Patch on Twitter | Like us on Facebook | Sign up for our daily newsletter

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Local Business Donates Part of Holiday Sales to VEAP

Cones Brothers Ice Cream and Candy Shop has a holiday giving program.

Local Candy Shop to Donate 10% of Holiday Sales to VEAP

The Richfield ice cream shop and candy store hopes to help VEAP offset recent funding losses.

Follow Richfield Patch on Twitter | Like us on Facebook | Sign up for our daily newsletter Richfield's Cone Brothers Ice Cream and Candy Shop recently pledged 10 percent of its candy sales to Volunteers Enlisted to Assist People (VEAP). VEAP, a Twin Cities-based nonprofit helping lower-income people in Richfield, Bloomington, Edina and South Minneapolis, recently lost a $15,000 annual grant of sorts from the City of Richfield. Cones Brothers is hoping its holiday giving program will help offset some of that loss. “I think it’s important to give back to the community in a way that helps those who need it the most," Cones Brothers owner, Jock Shields, said. "Especially during times like these when the need is greatest." The donation …

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Kevin Parks

3:52 am on Tuesday, November 27, 2012

I happen to work across from Cone Brothers and am a "regular" there. Some of the best Ice Cream arounds, and the style of the place is amazing! Jock is a great guy to B.S. with! I would (and do) reccomend the place to anyone!   more ›

Audit Forces City To Look At Partnerships With Local Nonprofits

A recent audit found that the city had been contributing money to some nonprofits without proper authorization, however, the city manager thinks there was some miscommunication.

After its annual audit, the City of Richfield is now looking at how to continue funding its partnerships with local nonprofit service agencies. According to City Manager Steve Devich, when the audit findings were released to the city, the auditor randomly pulled one of the payments made to a social service agency. The auditor found that the city didn't have statutory authority, or charter authority, to make the so-called donation. This prompted a look into all payments to service organizations. However, Devich believes there was some miscommunication between the auditor and city staff. He said the city has service contracts with all the agencies it partners with, which he thinks the auditor wasn't aware of when the payments were studied. …

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Local Nonprofits Could Lose Funding After City Audit

A recent audit found that the city didn't have "statutory authority" to provide funding for several local nonprofit agencies.

PHOTOS: Rotary Gives $10K to Local Organizations, Projects

The Richfield Rotary Club welcomed grant recipients to accept the cash for various projects at its weekly Thursday meeting.

Fifteen local organizations and projects were awarded a total of $10,000 by the Richfield Rotary Club Thursday morning: (To learn more about the recipients, click on the name of the organization highlighted in blue.) Each recipient will use the funding to continue services, create a program or help others in need. For example, Richfield's AVID program will use the money to fund a ACT preparation course for high school juniors in the fall, while Headway Emotional Health Services will provide backpacks and school supplies to Richfield familes who use its services and Pregler is organizing a trip to Washington D.C. for fifth-grade students. The grant money was raised through various events by the Richfield Rotary Club, including its Wine & …

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Richfield Foundation Awards More Than $11K to Local Nonprofits

The recipients will be presented their grants at the Richfield City Council meeting Tuesday night.

The Richfield Foundation, a community-based foundation, recently announced eight area charities and special projects will receive grant money to be used to benefit people in the community. A total of $11,500 will be given out: The Richfield Foundation annually accepts applications for grant awards.  Applications are reviewed and a select number of recipients are chosen. Typically, the foundation focuses on efforts that benefit at risk youth and making the community a welcoming place for all citizens. The grants will be formerly presented at the Richfield City Council meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2011.

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VEAP Calls for More Toy Donations

With its distribution day looming, VEAP is hoping for more holiday donations.

Bloomington-based VEAP (Volunteers Enlisted to Help People) is only half way to its collection goal for its annual Holiday Toy Program, with deliveries set to begin Dec. 15. Fifteen hundred games, more than $3,000 books and 2,500 pairs of gloves and mittens were still needed as of Wednesday, according to Kelly Mroczek, a development associate with VEAP. The toy and winter accessory donations will be delivered to more than 2,000 metro area children and the collection ends Monday, Dec. 12. Other items needed include: All donated items need to be new and unwrapped. For more information or to donate, visit veapvolunteers.org.

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