Six Twin Cities food co-ops are donating $28,700 to Twin Cities Pride’s safety fund, helping to close a remaining gap left by the end of the festival’s longstanding partnership with Target.
Food co-ops donate over $25K to Twin Cities Pride after event parted way with Target
Target sponsored the event for 18 years, but the organization cut ties after the retailer scaled back its DEI efforts.
The Minnesota Star Tribune
February 4, 2025 at 10:24PM
The donation follows Minneapolis-based Target’s decision last month to scale back its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, which led Twin Cities Pride to cancel its sponsorship agreement with the retailer after 18 years.
Different fundraising campaigns have since closed the gap left from the sponsorship, resulting in more than $90,000 in pledges.
The six food cooperatives — Eastside, Wedge, Seward, Valley Natural, Lakewinds and Mississippi Market — said in a joint statement shared on Instagram: “As community-owned cooperative grocers, we’ve always been spaces where every member of our vibrant neighborhoods can find a sense of belonging, friendship, safety, and of course, delicious local food!”
They confirmed to the Star Tribune that they will donate the money.
The Twin Cities has long been considered the epicenter of the co-op movement, with a deep-rooted history in cooperative ownership and community-driven business models. While the number of co-ops has fluctuated over the years, their core values — member ownership, community investment, sustainability, and education — remain unchanged.
Those values, co-op leaders say, are what motivated them to support Pride, a weeklong celebration at the end of June including a parade and a festival.
Target sponsored the event for 18 years, but the organization cut ties after the retailer scaled back its DEI efforts.
