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About the
Hillside Coalition

The Hillside Coalition, led by Family Freedom Center, serves the dynamic and resilient Hillside community in Duluth, one of the most racially diverse neighborhoods in Northeast Minnesota. Despite its vibrant culture, Hillside faces significant challenges, including the lowest life expectancy in Duluth at 72.4 years, compared to 83.4 years in other neighborhoods. Contributing factors include higher rates of unemployment, severe health disparities, and limited access to affordable, healthy food, as Central Hillside is designated a USDA food desert.

 

In response to these deep-seated issues, the Hillside Coalition was formed to address the decades of neglect and systemic inequities that have long impacted our community. This powerful partnership between Family Freedom Center, Zeitgeist Center for the Arts, Duluth Center for Women and Children, and LISC Duluth is dedicated to empowering Hillside residents to shape their own futures. We focus on grassroots initiatives such as the 6th Ave East Project, the Healthy Hillside Vision, and The Big Tent: Resource Event, all designed to increase life expectancy and improve overall well-being for Central Hillside residents.

 

The Hillside Coalition is committed to building genuine trust within the community and ensuring that the voices of Hillside residents are central to decision-making processes. Together, we are working to create a foundation for lasting change and true equity, turning Hillside into a vibrant hub of health, culture, and opportunity.

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Zeitgeist is about enhancing and enriching the life of our community. We offer artists a venue to earn income from their work, and encourage them to be bold by offering them a venue free of censorship, judgment, or restriction. We support the local economy by committing to purchase from local farmers, businesses, and craftspeople. 

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Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) is the nation’s leading community development organization, we have offices in 31 cities and work in hundreds of rural communities across the country. In collaboration with local groups, we help identify priorities and challenges for low-income communities, formulate comprehensive strategies to address them and deliver the most effective support to meet the needs on the ground. 

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The Duluth Center for Women & Children supports community initiatives to ensure that children living in poverty have abundant opportunities to lead economically secure and productive lives, regardless of the circumstances in which they are born and raised. 

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