St. Paul, MN - More than 100 low-income protesters laid siege to the office of Reform Party Governor, Jesse Ventura, on April 23. Organizers from the Minnesota Welfare Rights Coalition demanded Ventura address the disaster caused by the new welfare reform program, the Minnesota Family Investment Plan (MFIP).

Minneapolis, MN – On June 29, members of the Welfare Rights Committee (WRC) rallied in front of the Hennepin County Government Center to demand an end to the policy of sanctioning homeless mothers.

_In Minneapolis... _

Minneapolis, MN - More than 100 people rallied to demand affordable housing on the Basilica steps, June 24. Many carried signs reading, “Replace-ment, Before Demolition,” and “Forget the Stadium, Housing Now!” Police were on hand to guard city officials.

St. Paul, MN - “We have forced the politicians to re-open the debate on 'welfare reform,'”; stated Deb Konechne of the Minnesota Welfare Rights Coalition (MN-WRC). At a March 5 press conference, she noted that most politicians and the media thought welfare was a dead issue this legislative session. Instead, poor people from around the state made it clear that Minnesota's new welfare law, MN Families Investment Plan (MFIP) is a disaster, and legislation has been advanced to deal with some of its worst parts.

Minneapolis, MN - March 3, the Welfare Rights Committee (WRC) went to Minnesota Governor Ventura's office to release the survey results on the Minnesota Family Investment Plan-Statewide (MFIP-S, MN's welfare program for families). The WRC surveyed over 200 MFIP-S participants, at welfare offices and over the phone. This survey was developed to get at the heart of problems people experience on MFIP.

St. Paul, MN – Low-income people from across Minnesota packed the State Capitol Building rotunda on January 5, to demand that politicians undo the attacks on welfare. The rally, which drew well over 100 people, was organized by the Minnesota Welfare Rights Coalition and timed to coincide with the opening of the State Legislature.

St. Paul, MN – Low income people from cities across Minnesota confronted Commissioner Dave Doth, of the Department of Human Services on December 11. Leaders of the Minnesota Welfare Rights Coalition told Doth, that Minnesota's new welfare program, MFIP-S is a disaster for poor people. Demands were placed on the Department, which is responsible for the state's welfare programs.

Minneapolis, MN – Hennepin County Commissioners got an earful, when more than 100 people packed a September 8 hearing on Minnesota’s new welfare program. Low income people, organized by the Welfare Rights Committee, chanted, held signs, and testified that the Minnesota Family Investment Program – Statewide (MFIP-S) was a “disaster.”

Minneapolis, MN – More than 150 people join the Welfare Rights Committee for a rally in front of the New Federal Building to protest hunger and homelessness caused by welfare cuts. The rally coincided with the arrival of the New Freedom Bus, which traveled to poor communities across the country, collecting stories of human rights abuses caused by poverty. The Bus finished its journey at United Nations Headquarters, where human rights charges were lodged against the U.S. government.

Duluth, MN - On August 8th, the Minnesota Welfare Rights Coalition held a statewide meeting in Duluth to discuss the effects of Minnesota's new welfare program, MFIP-S (Minnesota Family Investment Program-Statewide) and to lay plans for fighting at the county and state level.

Duluth, MN - Poor people here are mobilizing in a big way to fight the latest attacks on welfare by state politicians. Led by Low Income People Organizing for Power (LIPOP), poor people have joined the protests, hearings, and sit-ins at the State Capitol Building in St Paul.

St Paul, MN - The Minnesota Welfare Rights Coalition (MN-WRC) put Michael O'Keefe, the state commissioner of Human Services, in the hot seat on December 3.

Duluth, MN - “Mayor Doty must go!” has become the rallying cry for poor people in this Northern Minnesota port city. “He does not work for low-income people or people of color,” states Marvella Davis, of Low Income People Organized for Power (LIPOP). “He's a snake in the grass who serves the rich.”

Duluth, MN – Members of Low Income People Organizing For Power confronted St. Louis County Commissioners, December 15, at the County Courthouse. They demanded that the Commissioners call a public hearing on abuses with the state's new welfare law, Minnesota Family Investment Plan – Statewide (MFIP-S).

Duluth, MN – Skip Humphrey and Mike Freeman of the DFL, and Ken Pentel of the Green Party, contenders for Governor, sparred in a candidates forum August 25. “We wanted to nail them down on where they stood on poor people's issues,” said Marvella Davis, event organizer and a leader of Low Income People Organizing For Power (LIPOP). “Minnesota has a lot of poor people, and a handful of rich. We need to know what, if anything they plan on doing to address poverty,” she added.

Minneapolis, MN – In a packed Hennepin County Court room, May 26, District Judge Lloyd Zimmerman decided to delay the foreclosure-related eviction trial of Rosemary Williams until June 22. A hearing on the legal issues to be considered at the trial is scheduled for June 16.

Minneapolis, MN – “Banks got bailed out, we got sold out! Stop foreclosures now!” was the chant on a spirited picked line here, April 28 at the Hennepin County Government Center. Rosemary Williams, who faces eviction from her foreclosed home, along with leaders of the Minnesota Coalition for a People’s Bailout and the Poor People’s Economic Human Rights Campaign announced some important developments in her legal case.

Demonstrators say, “Moratorium now on foreclosures and evictions!”

Minneapolis, MN – About 100 demonstrators gathered outside the Minneapolis Convention Center to protest a massive auction of foreclosed homes, March 28. The protest was initiated by the Minnesota Coalition for a People’s Bailout.

Minneapolis, MN – More than 40 protesters gathered here March 14 at the foreclosed home of Rosemary Williams, to demand that Williams be allowed to stay in her home and an end to foreclosures.

St. Paul, MN – Standing in front of banner reading, “Bail out poor and working people – not billionaires!” leaders of the Welfare Rights Committee announced a campaign to combat the impact of the growing economic crisis at a press conference here, Oct. 29. They were joined by members of AFSCME Local 3800, the Anti-War Committee, Women Against Military Madness and other peace and justice groups.