Photo: Maple Grove Giving Connection
Thousands of members offer aid to the community.
The holiday season is known as a time to give back to your neighbors and community, but volunteers at the Maple Grove Giving Connection (MGGC) understand the importance of tackling this goal all year round. The nonprofit was established to address the immediate needs of people in the community, which can range from handing out gas cards to individuals living in their cars to providing handmade blankets in colder months.
Current MGGC president, Patty, finds that support for the organization is consistent throughout the year. Drawn to the organization due to her own care-giving nature, Patty has seen the nonprofit grow from 300 members to 1,300 on the MGGC Facebook group, which regularly posts requests for much needed basics, like food and clothes as well as specific necessities, including kitchen appliances and bedding. “Nine out of 10 times, when we post something, we get it. We don’t have to go out searching for it ourselves,” Patty says. “The people are very, very generous.”
This sentiment parallels MGGC’s tendency to continually follow up with community members they help, not just supplying a one-time care. “We don’t forget about them. We still text with them, check up on them,” Patty says. This diligence leads to numerous success stories in which unhoused individuals are placed in apartments and homes, such as Julie.
Julie began living in her car in an effort to save money she would otherwise be spending on hotel rooms, since she worked nights, balancing both her full-time job and Doordashing on the side. Julie wasn’t used to accepting help from others, and she was astounded by the outpouring of support and kindness. “They offered endless support to those living in their cars,” Julie says. “It didn’t matter why you were out there or what had happened in all of our different situations. They only saw the good in people.”
With the help of Patty and other members of the MGGC, Julie filed the necessary paperwork for assistance in acquiring stable housing. Come the beginning of 2025, Julie moved out of her car into her new apartment. “Patty and the ladies went totally out of their way and made sure I had everything I would need to begin my fresh start in my new apartment,” Julie says. “They not only helped me, they inspired me to want to do better, be better and fulfill my dreams.”
This season calls for more than just material acts of kindness; it also calls for the mental and verbal acknowledgement of the importance of all community members. The stigma surrounding individuals in need is another issue that MGGC tackles. “Some of us are just victims of our circumstances,” Julie says. “Most of us didn’t sign up to be homeless.”
Opportunities to help with MGGC’s volunteer and donation requests can be found on the Maple Grove Giving Connection Facebook Group..
Maple Grove Giving Connection
Facebook: Maple Grove Giving Connection
