City of Minneapolis Council Members Andrea Jenkins (Ward 8), Emily Koski (Ward 11) and Aurin Chowdhury (Ward 12) are hosting the South Minneapolis Seniors Fair on Wednesday, Oct. 23, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Diamond Lake Lutheran Church (5760 Portland Ave. S.). The free event is open to all City seniors and caregivers and features workshops, panel discussions and a resource fair.
The Seniors Fair began pre-pandemic as a way to connect seniors with their community. Workshops will cover yoga meditation, City services, public safety and connecting with the community. The City is also partnering with Metro Transit to provide free rides to and from the Seniors Fair. Free vouchers can be found online by filling out this form, or community members can request a hard copy from the Ward 11 office (ward11@minneapolismn.gov or 612-673-2211).
“The South Minneapolis Seniors Fair connects seniors with local government, community resources, and elected officials who represent them. It’s an opportunity for direct engagement for seniors in our community to be heard, give input and to receive critical updates, as well as build networks,” said Jenkins. “I’m honored to have hosted the first two fairs, pre-pandemic, in Ward 8. Now, in its fifth year, I’m pleased to partner with Council Members Koski and Chowdhury to reach more seniors across south Minneapolis. I hope it continues to be a model for senior engagement across the city.”
Schedule of Events
- 9 a.m. - Welcome and breakfast
- 10 a.m. - Morning workshops:
- Yoga for all – mind and body
- Info on City services (presented by Public Works and 311) like street maintenance and design, broken streetlight repairs, snow removal, solid waste, recycling, 311 operations and top service requests
- 11 a.m. - Resource fair and lunch
- Noon - Panel discussion with local elected officials like Chowdhury, Jenkins and Koski; and others
- 1 p.m. - Afternoon workshops:
- The City’s holistic approach to community safety, unarmed responses, embedded dispatch and crime prevention
- Making community connections through art
"This event allows seniors to explore resources that provide services, enrichment and connection to our City, with the goal that they leave feeling supported as valuable members of our community,” said Koski.
Raffle prizes will be announced throughout the day. For more information, take a look at a message from the three hosts.
“We hope this provides our senior community and caregivers a curated and unique opportunity to make connections to their elected officials and their communities,” said Chowdhury. “We want to make sure our seniors know they are a valuable part of our city, and we have services and partnerships to help make Minneapolis a great place to live, age and thrive.”