About

We are the Central Area Neighborhood and Development Organization (CANDO). CANDO is a neighborhood organization and 501(c)3 nonprofit serving the Central neighborhood of Minneapolis. The Central neighborhood is located between Lake Street to the north, Chicago Avenue to the east, 38th Street to the south, and 35W to the west. 

Mission

We Activate neighbors and leaders to Build relationships across identities to mobilize Collective Power through:
- Antiracist Organizing
- Food Liberation
- Environmental Justice

Activities

As a neighborhood organization, CANDO seeks to connect neighbors and business owners to both resources, opportunities and one another. 

Our primary bodies of work include grassroots food justice organizing with our flagship program Plant-Grow-Share (PGS) and antiracist organizing through the South Central Minneapolis Antiracism Coalition (SMAC). We partner with HOME Line to bring tenant organizing to the Central neighborhood and beyond.

In addition to organizing neighbors around food and antiracism, our staff stay in regular communication with other neighborhood organizations and groups, government activities (affordable housing, safety, livability) and assist our neighbors with making their voice heard by government officials.

Get Involved

All neighborhood organizations in the City of Minneapolis:

  • Serve at least one neighborhood, with some organizations serving multiple neighborhoods

  • Is an independent nonprofit organization (public charity) 

  • Has a volunteer board of directors, elected by neighborhood residents

  • Holds regular open meetings

If you live in a Minneapolis neighborhood, you have a local neighborhood organization that represents you!

Neighborhood organizations are managed by a group of volunteers called a Board of Directors. The CANDO Board of Directors meets on the third wednesday of the month. These meetings are open to the public, although only neighbors who live in the central area are members able to participate in voting. You can share your community priorities and concerns with the board of directors, nominate a neighbor for service, and/or run for the Board of Directors at our annual meeting. 

For information about the Board of Directors for CANDO, contact board@thecentralneighborhood.com.

Plant-Grow-Share accepts volunteers on a rolling basis. For information about volunteer opportunities, visit www.plantgrowsharempls.com or email growfood@thecentralneighborhood.com to get started.