Aug. 21 – Labor Day, Sept. 1, 2025
242 Days 20 Hours 5 Mins
The Minnesota State Fair Community Gives Together initiative seeks to bring the community together to give back in partnership with various nonprofits and organizations.
This holiday season, the Minnesota State Fair’s Community Gives Together program is hosting a drive to collect items for “Mindfulness Kits” in support of FamilyWise. Since 1976, this nonprofit has been strengthening families by promoting the safety, stability and well-being of children. Kits will be given to families going through stressful situations and provide an opportunity for self-care as they participate in FamilyWise programs such as Supervised Parenting; High-Fidelity Wraparound services for youth with behavioral, emotional and mental health issues; Parent Education; and Bright Beginnings support for young parents and their children.
Items needed for all ages (please donate NEW items only):
Collection dates and times:
Thank you for your support!
Learning Life-Saving Skills
In honor of 2024 National CPR and AED Awareness Week, our Minnesota State Fair Community Gives Together team trained more than 500 Kickoff to Summer at the Fair guests in hands-only CPR skills and AED use. Thank you to our partners at the American Heart Association and the Center for Resuscitation Medicine at the University of Minnesota for helping share these life-saving skills!
Giving the Gift of Warmth
In the winter of 2023 the fair collected coats, hats and gloves in support of our neighbor across Como Avenue – the International Institute of Minnesota. This nonprofit works to help immigrants and refugees make Minnesota their home.
Food Drive benefitting Second Harvest Heartland
The Minnesota State Fair collected food donations for Second Harvest Heartland in conjunction with the 2023 Kickoff to Summer at the Fair! Presented in partnership with Cub Foods.
Supporting Mental Health Organizations Serving Veterans and Others
In conjunction with our Kickoff to Summer at the Fair 2022 event, we coordinated a donation drive to support three local nonprofits.
Believet Canine Service Partners
Committed to improving the life and independence of veterans, Believet Canine trains and matches highly skilled service dogs with veterans, including those with post-traumatic stress disorder, at no charge to veterans.
Working with veterans, first responders, EMS, front-line medical workers, dispatchers and corrections employees and their families, Invisible Wounds Project and its partners provide mental health treatment, counseling, addiction therapy and services related to mental health such as retreats, service dogs and recreational opportunities free of charge and confidentially.
Magnus bridges the gap between those who serve and those whom they serve through community fellowship and an innovative, comprehensive approach to the health, psychological, physical, spiritual and social wellbeing of veterans and their families. Membership services are provided free of charge. The Magnus Veterans Wellness Campus, the first facility of its kind in the country, is located in Dayton, Minn.
Activities Donation Drive Benefitting Older Adults at Lyngblomsten
The Minnesota State Fair Community Gives Together hosted a drive Dec. 11, 2021, to collect activity items and toiletries for our neighbors at Lyngblomsten, which provides healthcare, housing and services for approximately 400 older adults and is located just east of the State Fairgrounds.
Learn more about Lyngblomsten.
School Supplies Drive in partnership with Kids In Need Foundation
The Minnesota State Fair Community Gives Together hosted a drive July 26-Aug. 1, 2021, during the Amateur Talent Contest Finals to collect new/unopened school supplies. Teachers dedicated to serving students in under-resourced schools often purchase much-needed supplies for children out of their own pocket. These donations benefitted Roseville, Minn.-based Kids In Need Foundation.
Make a financial contribution. (Please write “State Fair” in the Notes section.)
Essential items drive in partnership with Every Third Saturday, Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans and YouthLink
The Minnesota State Fair Community Gives Together hosted a drive in May 2021 as part of Kickoff to Summer at the Fair to collect items for veterans and young people who are accessing services to achieve supportive and sustainable housing. Thanks to Kickoff attendees, we collected thousands of items to benefit Every Third Saturday, MACV and YouthLink.
Kitchen Pack Drive in partnership with Bridging
The Minnesota State Fair Community Gives Together hosted a drive in December 2020 to collect essential kitchen tools for our neighbors seeking housing stability with furnishings and household goods. Fair fans helped us collect 294 full kitchen packs – that’s one full month of client needs at Bridging! In addition, 49 can openers, 190 mixing spoons, 182 spatulas, 365 kitchen linens and 500+ miscellaneous items were donated.
Learn more about Bridging.
Partnership for a ConnectedMN
During the Fall Food Parade in October 2020, we asked attendees and fair fans to consider a financial donation to Partnership for a ConnectedMN. ConnectedMN assists nonprofits, school districts and organizations throughout the state in supporting students with the technology and connectivity tools they need to learn, thrive and prosper, especially in a year when students are more reliant on technology than ever.
Learn more about the impact of Partnership for a ConnectedMN.
Food Drive benefitting Second Harvest Heartland
In partnership with Cub, attendees at the Food Parade over 13 days in August and September of 2020 filled six truck loads with 57,000 pounds of food and household and toiletry products!
Learn more about Second Harvest Heartland.
If you have any questions about Minnesota State Fair Community Gives Together, please reach out to us at fairinfo@mnstatefair.org.
