“Each time we’ve come back from a closure, she’s gotten better and better at her job. She’s so dedicated! ” – Kim Ersland, Rise job coach
Allie Rumpel works two days a week at Western Wisconsin Health Fitness Center (WWHFS) and three days each week at a local grocery store,
by Tom Brinker
Paul Weller walked into Galloping Cabinets in rural Mayer, Minn. to assemble cabinets, doors, and panels seven years ago. Weller’s work at the family-owned custom cabinetry company creates showpiece kitchens across Minnesota and around the country.
“I cut out materials, assemble, and sand a lot” Weller said.
by Jillian McNett
Long before a lunch or dinner rush hits the dining room at Moose Lake’s Redneck Meats BBQ, Bill Kelch stands over a stack of pots and pans in the restaurant kitchen. He’s quick to move through the dishes as the busy kitchen preps for a long day
After facing some difficult and challenging times in his home state of Tennessee, Ray Joyce decided to make a big move northward to Minneapolis in March 2020 to get a fresh start.
And then the pandemic hit — rocking everyone’s world, including Ray’s.
Without a job or a place to
If this man’s friendly face looks familiar, you may recognize him from a Rise Reporter feature in the March 2020 issue.
OR — you may have asked him for directions in downtown Minneapolis and had him escort you to your destination.
Larry Mitchell works as an ‘ambassador’ with the Minneapolis
“Robert, could you please hand me that jar of honey on the top shelf?” a customer asked. “If I don’t come home with the right brand, my wife won’t let me in the door!” he added with a laugh.
Most of the customers at Jerry’s County Market in Hudson, Wis.,
Kevin Stignani has worked as a retail helper with the Kwik Trip in Chisago City for the past 14 months.
A dedicated employee who always arrives early for his shift, Kevin works safely by wearing a mask, social distancing, and sanitizing equipment. Kevin is proud of the work he does,
The temporarily tented Jerry’s Cub Food store in South Minneapolis was a lifeline to its many customers when protesters and looters severely damaged its brick-and-mortar building following the death of George Floyd on Memorial Day 2020.
Erected in July in the parking lot, the “Community Market Lake Street,” was in
“Wearing a mask has been the biggest challenge for me with the pandemic because communicating is harder,” said Laura Lecher using American Sign Language (ASL). She works as a stocker at the Walmart in Forest Lake.
“Before the pandemic, I was able to read people’s lips and help people faster.
With homeowners servicing their lawn mowers to be stowed away for the season and then tuning up and preparing their snowblowers for the coming winter, Medart CPD in Anoka is a busy place. As a distributor of more than 40,000 small engines, parts and equipment for lawnmowers and snowblowers, employees