Help Create a New "Norm" in Our Community by Giving
When we asked some of our supporters what they think is strongest about the approach we take, Debbie told us this:
“Early in my career, I taught Freedom from Smoking classes to help adults quit smoking.
The rates of tobacco use stayed stubbornly high – especially among youth.
The tobacco use rates in our area declined much more significantly
when smoke-free policies in schools, workplaces, and public places were initiated.
Smoke-free environments became the norm and even heart attack admissions decreased.”
And that’s true. It is when we all work together to change “the norm” that we see real results. More families choosing local, fresh produce. More students learning the kitchen skills to prepare meals independently. More dollars coming to our community for bike/walk/roll infrastructure in our spaces. More neighbors advocating for one another.
Last autumn, we told you that we have more work to do together, and since then, we've been blown away by how much your support has enabled us to do. So far in 2026, we have secured four grants to support some of our most impactful programs, planted two garden plots so we can teach youth gardening-skills and donate produce to families in need, hosted 30 cooking classes with over 365 attendees so far (that's one a day, for a whole year, and it's only July!), collected 2350 lbs of healthy, culturally-relevant foods and formula in food drives for our community, started research and development on our K-12 curriculum, launched Darn It! our monthly mending and repair club, and supported a number of other special events – including a unique fundraiser to supply music teachers in Title I elementary schools with activity funds.
“Early in my career, I taught Freedom from Smoking classes to help adults quit smoking.
The rates of tobacco use stayed stubbornly high – especially among youth.
The tobacco use rates in our area declined much more significantly
when smoke-free policies in schools, workplaces, and public places were initiated.
Smoke-free environments became the norm and even heart attack admissions decreased.”
And that’s true. It is when we all work together to change “the norm” that we see real results. More families choosing local, fresh produce. More students learning the kitchen skills to prepare meals independently. More dollars coming to our community for bike/walk/roll infrastructure in our spaces. More neighbors advocating for one another.
Last autumn, we told you that we have more work to do together, and since then, we've been blown away by how much your support has enabled us to do. So far in 2026, we have secured four grants to support some of our most impactful programs, planted two garden plots so we can teach youth gardening-skills and donate produce to families in need, hosted 30 cooking classes with over 365 attendees so far (that's one a day, for a whole year, and it's only July!), collected 2350 lbs of healthy, culturally-relevant foods and formula in food drives for our community, started research and development on our K-12 curriculum, launched Darn It! our monthly mending and repair club, and supported a number of other special events – including a unique fundraiser to supply music teachers in Title I elementary schools with activity funds.
Plus, we spent time connecting with all of you. The incredible response we’ve had from you, our community, in 2026 has been amazing, especially as we’ve begun expanding our programs into East Grand Forks and Emerado in response to community requests. Donations from community members and local businesses have helped us to cover groceries and equipment costs for multiple classes that are free for residents at The Link in Grand Forks and for families attending a Parent-Led Support Group at the Family Resource Center in East Grand Forks.
We are deeply appreciative of the fact that our work would not be possible without those who've shown they believe in what we're doing and helped us to do it in some way, whether that is through a financial donation or a gift of their time as a volunteer.
We are deeply appreciative of the fact that our work would not be possible without those who've shown they believe in what we're doing and helped us to do it in some way, whether that is through a financial donation or a gift of their time as a volunteer.
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We’re committed to building a strong network that works together to creatively solve problems and improve material conditions for everyone in the Grand Cities, just as Debbie said. So, what else have we been up to this year? To thank our monthly donors, we’ve done some behind-the-scenes work to set up an exclusive recipe e-newsletter, sharing cooking tips and test recipes from the Live Well Kitchens. If you have ideas on what we should name this exclusive club, send us an email! We want to hear your ideas. To expand our critical work around food skills education, we’ve contacted local growers and food industry businesses to discuss sponsoring our K-12 curriculum – a local foods promotion project we hope one day serves K-12 Language Arts, Math, Science, Social Studies, and Health classrooms. |
To keep our communities strong and accessible, we brought four community members to D.C. to advocate for the infrastructure programs that we know work best to keep our communities safe for folks of every age.
And that’s just the start! We receive more requests for cooking classes, gardening classes, and grocery support every month than we are currently able to meet, which means we need help so we can reach more community members. We know that there’s more important work to do around healthy food skills, access to fresh food, public space accessibility, and bicycle and pedestrian safety. So, stay tuned for the second half of season 2026, Thanks to you, our community, we know it'll be great.
The average cost of our programs and support for one person is about $38.50, and we know that many people choose to give monthly to the causes that most matter to them. That means that a recurring donation of $10/month would help three people receive our support every year.
When someone has the know-how and the proper tools, they can prepare tasty, fulfilling food for themself and their loved ones. Without that help, people who already struggle with wellbeing are even more likely to be short on time, dealing with a limited budget, and ultimately face many barriers to nutritional success.
Helping today will ensure that space is there in a kitchen throughout the community for someone who wants to put in the effort to learn how to cook nutrient-dense meals for their health, and their whole household.
Supporting Live Well Grand Cities with a gift today also makes it so that our team can expand access to our best programs, like the intergenerational volunteer matching program that serves seniors in our community by preemptively making small changes to their homes that prevent future health risks so they can safely live independently in their homes for more years, to serve the entire community, or our series of culinary classes that help people with physical disabilities test out new adaptive equipment that helps them be independent in the kitchen and take agency over their nutritional health.
Can you help now by giving a gift so we can serve more people this year and the year after?
When someone has the know-how and the proper tools, they can prepare tasty, fulfilling food for themself and their loved ones. Without that help, people who already struggle with wellbeing are even more likely to be short on time, dealing with a limited budget, and ultimately face many barriers to nutritional success.
Helping today will ensure that space is there in a kitchen throughout the community for someone who wants to put in the effort to learn how to cook nutrient-dense meals for their health, and their whole household.
Supporting Live Well Grand Cities with a gift today also makes it so that our team can expand access to our best programs, like the intergenerational volunteer matching program that serves seniors in our community by preemptively making small changes to their homes that prevent future health risks so they can safely live independently in their homes for more years, to serve the entire community, or our series of culinary classes that help people with physical disabilities test out new adaptive equipment that helps them be independent in the kitchen and take agency over their nutritional health.
Can you help now by giving a gift so we can serve more people this year and the year after?
Champion Wellbeing
Can you make a gift today? Your support directly impacts our programs.
YES! Please use my gift to provide critical food skills education and grocery access for families in need, and to support all the work of Live Well Grand Cities.
$38.50 helps provide medically-tailored groceries for one person attending an adaptive cooking class
$77 helps secure medically-tailored groceries for two people, or one household, attending an adaptive cooking class
$100 helps ensure we can maintain an online database of visual recipes for FREE to clients for five months
$200 helps match volunteers who can do home modifications that promote safety and wellness for one aging household
$550 helps cover the cost of next year's charitable garden, where we grow more culturally-relevant foods for families in need
Your Best Gift to help as much as possible means so much for everyone in the communities we serve
Your support today, either through a one-time or a commitment to a recurring donation, helps shape what becomes "the norm" in the Grand Cities.
YES! Please use my gift to provide critical food skills education and grocery access for families in need, and to support all the work of Live Well Grand Cities.
$38.50 helps provide medically-tailored groceries for one person attending an adaptive cooking class
$77 helps secure medically-tailored groceries for two people, or one household, attending an adaptive cooking class
$100 helps ensure we can maintain an online database of visual recipes for FREE to clients for five months
$200 helps match volunteers who can do home modifications that promote safety and wellness for one aging household
$550 helps cover the cost of next year's charitable garden, where we grow more culturally-relevant foods for families in need
Your Best Gift to help as much as possible means so much for everyone in the communities we serve
Your support today, either through a one-time or a commitment to a recurring donation, helps shape what becomes "the norm" in the Grand Cities.
P.S.: Does your employer offer matching donations? We’ll help you figure it out! Reach out to us to discuss how you can deepen your impact.
Photographs courtesy of Grant McMillan Photography.