Shop local this week for community rent relief initiative
Roseville Housing Stability Fund's Small Business Week
A group of community members have organized a Small Business Week, April 12-18, to support local businesses and raise money for rent assistance for families impacted by Operation Metro Surge.
“Our neighbors and immigrant-owned businesses are struggling immensely. The dire emergency of the situation seems to have lessened, but the needs of the community remain higher than ever. Many were forced to shelter in place and were unable to work, and are now struggling to find safe jobs while they simultaneously grapple with the trauma they've endured, food insecurity, and impending eviction,” said Sara Atlas, a community member with children in the Roseville Area School District.
Atlas has been involved in mutual aid work with a group of other volunteers since late December. She started by organizing support for families and staff at her kids’ elementary school and then later across the entire district. When the immediate crisis began to wane, she and other community members began to realize that housing instability was yet another emergency that needed to be addressed.
Small Business Week
This realization led to the launch of the Roseville Housing Stability Fund in February. It is a collaborative effort between community members, nonprofits, and faith communities. Donated funds are distributed by social workers in the Roseville Police Department and Roseville Area Schools.
In February and March, over $379,000 was raised and approximately 130 families received assistance each month. In the first week of April, the Fund received just over $45,000 in donations.
As donations slowed by the end of March, sixteen volunteers who had been doing mutual aid work together began to brainstorm more ways to support their neighbors. That’s when they came up with the idea for a Small Business Week. Spanning across Roseville and the surrounding area, the Housing Stability Small Business Week is taking place April 12 through April 18.
The growing list of participating businesses includes coffee shops, food trucks, restaurants, hair and nail salons, and more. Community members are encouraged to patronize these local businesses and, in return, a portion of the proceeds will be donated by those businesses directly to the Roseville Housing Stability Fund.
“Thanks to the Wilson Foundation matching 100% of the donations through April 30, we have a unique opportunity to double the impact and help people get back on their feet,” said Atlas.
Each business will decide how much to donate based on their unique situation. The idea is to support local businesses as well as help neighbors with rent relief.
“As an immigrant and woman entrepreneur, I’ve seen firsthand how access to stable housing can completely shift a family’s ability to thrive,” said Jeena Gurung Vomhof, Roseville resident and owner of Namaste Brows & Boutique.
“Initiatives like this Small Business Week fundraiser are not just about housing—they’re about dignity, opportunity, and long-term stability for our community. Being a part of this effort means investing in a stronger, more connected community, and that’s something I deeply believe in,” Vomhof said.
Making a difference with mutual aid
Jen Dahl, who grew up in Roseville and has children attending Roseville Area Schools, is also helping to organize the Small Business Week fundraiser.
Dahl became especially invested in providing mutual aid after Renee Good was killed by an ICE agent on January 7. Dahl’s son is Latino and her daughter is multiracial (Black/white), which, according to Dahl, made the situation very personal to her.
“I was at home when I heard, and I was thinking that my daughter is racially ambiguous, fluent in Spanish, and could easily be mistaken for Latina. It was terrifying. I was involved before this event, but this was a major tipping point,” Dahl said in an email.
Since then, Dahl has gotten to know hundreds of community members who have received support from mutual aid networks.
“Many are beautiful caring hardworking families that have never received any kind of support before. Most do not want to accept this help, are mortified to be in this position, and are eager to get back to work and be not only self-sufficient but Good Samaritan members of the community,” Dahl said.
This Small Business Week initiative is fully led by community volunteers, with communication and website support provided by Do Good Roseville.
“I'm in awe of how much they have done in such a short time because they were committed to find a way to raise as much money as possible in order to take advantage of the 100% match by the Wilson Foundation. They reached deeper into the community to engage local businesses in a new way. It shows what is possible!” said Kathy Ramundt, co-founder of Do Good Roseville.
Through the most tense and difficult days of Operation Metro Surge, community members like Dahl and Atlas have found purpose and connection through volunteering and donating to support neighbors. They hope the rest of the community will renew their commitment to support this week by donating to the Roseville Housing Stability Fund and supporting local businesses.
Atlas said the community members who have stepped up to support their immigrant neighbors have restored her faith in humanity.
“I started on this journey alone way back in the dark days of December, but quickly found so many people who banded together to provide a safety net when traditional institutions failed. We showed each other and the world the incredible power of ordinary, everyday people collectively making a huge difference,” Atlas said.
Participating Businesses
- Berry Dipped by Zuly
- Caravelle
- DD Style &Nails
- Eggroll Queen
- El Parian Mexican Restaurant
- Hollywood Nails
- Tacos La Muñeca Mx
- Jet’s Pizza
- Makwa Coffee
- Namaste Brows and Boutique
- Ohana Salon
- Parkway Pizza
- Pretty Great Cheesecake
- Showtime Studio and Coffee
- Source Comics and Games
Local businesses may continue to sign up to participate. For more information and an updated list of all participating businesses, view this page on the Do Good Roseville website:
To donate directly to the Roseville Housing Stability Fund:
Zeffy
Local government response
The City of Roseville was not approached about this initiative and is not directly involved, according to Janice Gundlach, community development director. The City will be recognizing Small Business Week the first week of May, to coincide with the national campaign. This is not connected to the rent relief fundraiser, but will be focused on highlighting small businesses locally.
The Roseville City Council will be voting at the April 13 meeting to adopt a resolution to opt in to and support the Ramsey County Economic Development Agency to “ensure Roseville is eligible for funds supporting entrepreneurship and business programming.”
The Roseville Economic Development Authority will also be meeting on April 13 to vote on a resolution to develop an emergency rental assistance program funded by Local Affordable Housing Aid, to be administered by the nonprofit organization Neighborhood House.
ICYMI
Naomi Krueger
Naomi Krueger
