Northside Achievement Zone (PEACE Foundation)

The PEACE Foundation is a non-profit organization whose mission since 2003 has been to create a movement to end local violence in North Minneapolis. In 2009, the PEACE Foundation made the determination that supporting educational achievement on the Northside is the permanent pathway to ending local violence. To this end, the PEACE Foundation helped create and now exists to run the Northside Achievement Zone (NAZ). NAZ is a collaborative of over 60 Northside organizations and schools focused together on helping kids achieve in a defined geographic zone in North Minneapolis. It will do this by partnering with schools, organizations, and families to significantly improve education and guarantee opportunities and support for children from pre-birth to college.

St. John’s has been an ally of the PEACE Foundation/NAZ since its inception and now works to encourage participation in NAZ initiatives, including mentoring and tutoring children and supporting efforts to promote healthy neighborhoods in North Minneapolis.

If you are interested in learning more, email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , or visit the NAZ website.

The Zone
The NAZ is a defined area of North Minneapolis that is the focus of a collaborative effort of 50 organizations that serve youth and families on the northside of Minneapolis. It is led by the PEACE Foundation, and is inspired by the success of the Harlem Children’s Zone. Its goal is to create a “culture of achievement”, guaranteeing college readiness for every single child living in the zone. The geographic boundaries of the zone are Broadway to 36th Avenue North, and Penn Avenue North to I-94.

Books for NAZ
Do you have unused children’s books that are in good condition? You can contribute them to the PEACE Foundation for use in the Northside Achievement Zone, to help in their objective of increasing literacy for children who live in the zone. The books will be distributed throughout the zone, to make reading material freely available to children at various public places throughout the neighborhood.

There is a collection box in the gathering area. Please bring your gently-used books. We will make sure that they get to the PEACE Foundation.

One City/One Future
St Johns is part of a Southwest Minneapolis (City Ward 13) network of congregations committed to work as allies to the Peace Foundation. We support the PEACE Foundation’s work and host educational offerings throughout the year.