The Cedar Riverside Opportunity Center is a one-stop shop for educational and workforce resources and a pipeline to good jobs for people of all ages, made possible through the committed presence of public and private sector employers. The ultimate goal of the Opportunity Center is to reduce unemployment and increase higher educational attainment and enrollment within the Cedar Riverside neighborhood.
The Opportunity Center's long-term commitment to strategic location is demonstrated by Hennepin County's 10-year lease (renewable for 10 additional years) of 5,000 square feet in a recently constructed building at the center of Cedar Riverside activities.
In September 2016, the Cedar Riverside Partnership succeeded in raising $950,000 in capital funds for the construction of the Opportunity Center.
Vision
Transform Cedar Riverside into a thriving economic community by connecting youth and community to quality education and employment.
Mission
Provide access to employment and training opportunities for Cedar Riverside residents by bringing employers and higher education institutions into the community to support building greater prosperity for all.
Key Goals
Reduce the Cedar Riverside neighborhood's unemployment rate.
Increase access to educational programs.
Since opening in March 2017, the Opportunity Center has continued to host employer jobs fairs that include client screening and, depending on employer practices, interviews for current openings.
Other ongoing offerings include workforce trainings for adults and youth engagement.
With the capital campaign and construction completed, the Partnership continues to help position the Opportunity Center for success.
Gallery archive
The grand opening of the Opportunity Center on March 12, 2017.
Media archivE
Archive
Full program design available here (February 2017).
Space design for the Opportunity Center available here (July 2016).
funders who provided capital support: McKnight Foundation, Pohlad Family Foundation, Otto Bremer Trust, Minneapolis Foundation, Pat and Tom Grossman Fund of the Minnesota Community Foundation, Mortenson Foundation, Hennepin County, and the City of Minneapolis
quick facts (2016):
55% of Cedar Riverside Residents live below the poverty level
17.8% are unemployed
43% were born outside the U.S., primarily in Somalia
There is an especially high concern for the needs of youth ages 16-24
There is an urgent need for collaboration and coordination of existing services, as there are documented problems of low awareness and access to employment and youth services