Planting the seeds of change
Our Story
"North Minneapolis is going green. Give us a call and learn what we mean. Where once lay urban blight. Now sits luscious garden sites. Gardens without borders, Classrooms without walls. Architects of our own destinies. Access to food justice for all."
What started as a catchy jingo grew into a social justice movement, an initiative promoting educational reform, an afterschool community education program and emerging nonprofit that supports the development of youth and families in educational initiatives centered around horticulture, entrepreneurship, marketing, and promotions, "Project Sweetie Pie" continues to plant the "seeds of change".
In 2010 when North High was under siege by the public school administrators that were elected to lead it, Project Sweetie Pie was born. We started as an act of social justice and social protest to save North High from the proposed threat of closure. We have grown into a progressive non-profit that serves as an incubator of sustainable thought and action centered on horticulture, urban farming, and green business creation.
Contrary to public opinion, we have seen the “green movement” steadily grow and continue to thrive in north Minneapolis. More importantly, we have played a key role in growing and providing the leadership and the vision for the movement. Our mission is to inform, infuse, inspire, and instruct. “Project Sweetie Pie” is about breaking stereotypes, giving voice to the voiceless, and transforming communities historically socially engineered to be consumers.
“Project Sweetie Pie” the story of a city that came together-worked together on a common goal, for the common good of the youth and families of its community. For it takes a village to raise a child. Much of the work is in intergenerational teams with a strong mentorship model; from community elders and long-time residents to youth in North High and Step Up, everyone lends a hand in achieving justice. We believe in co-creation and co-design and provide a supportive atmosphere where individuals work collaboratively as one team. As urban farmers, we are children of the earth and use the gardens and the projects and initiatives we are engaged in as a healing space where we grow ideas and harvest solutions.
Who We Are
“Project Sweetie Pie is a staunch and passionate advocate for social change. A progressive non-profit it continues to lead the way in the “Green Movement.” Since 2010 it has been a thought leader, the Johnny Appleseed of urban farming or local food production and has been the town crier, a vibrant singular voice advancing the need for increased public awareness, direct action centered on global warming or climate change on every available front in north Minneapolis and beyond.
Working with neighborhood residents, large and small non-profits, university scholars, faculty, and staff, member of the faith community, friends and neighbors it has challenged the status quo’s methods, protocols, the political and civic powers that be’s conventional wisdom that has left communities of color dead on arrival, disheveled and disenfranchised.
We has been vigilant in our efforts, demanding our fair share of the pie. Strategically we continue to navigate the societal potholes and the financial pitfalls that have rendered our communities hopeless, helpless, and hapless. and we continue to set new precedents or new goals. With a heightened sense of urgency we are steadfast in designing new innovative initiatives that are solutions based and that put us firmly on the road to recovery. Inform, infuse, inspire and instruct. We are committed to authentic, transformative change that is community led or community fed. We stand resolutely on the front line marketing and promoting a suite of initiatives that uplift equity and inclusion as the seeds of change that must fuel our nation’s future.”
Michael Chaney
Michael Chaney is the founder of Project Sweetie Pie and a co-founder of TheFamilyOfTrees.org and Growing North Minneapolis. Project Sweetie Pie is a local nonprofit organization founded in 2010 that engages stakeholders in grass roots initiatives to address issues of structural racism and equity, advocates community-led green restorative development, and coordinates youth-led/youth-fed green initiatives and other gardening and urban farming operations. He has become the "Johnny Appleseed" of urban farming in North Minneapolis and is also a member of the North side Green Zone Task Force. For 2023 alone, Project Sweetie Pie and Michael have been the recipients of the Vision of Ghandi award sponsored by IAM (Indian Association of MN and Grand Patron Dr. Dash), the Living Upstream Unsung Hero award, the Climate Adaptation Partnership award from the University of Minnesota and the 2022 Community Engagement Masters award from the University of Minnesota.
Michael is a known community engagement guru and a community leader
Catherine Fleming
Catherine Fleming is an activist, real estate developer, IT professional and an advocate for the ADOS community. Catherine and PSP have been partners since the end of 2010 ensuring it became a 501c3 organization in 2014.
(PSP=Project Sweetie Pie) Catherine has been selected by Kimbal Musk (Elon’s brother) of the Big Green organization to represent PSP on his newly formed DAO (decentralized autonomous organization) Committee that focuses on philanthropy and growing food. The goal of the DAO is to fund small, BIPO led food-focused organizations from around the country.
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Planting The Seeds of Change
Project Sweetie Pie is a nonprofit organization in North Minneapolis working since 2011 with individuals and partner organizations to achieve justice in the environment, food, climate, and economics. Click here to donate →
Project Sweetie Pie
Planting the seeds of change
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About Project Sweetie Pie
A nonprofit organization in North Minneapolis working since 2011 with individuals and partner organizations to achieve justice in the environment, food, climate, and economics.
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