Resilience hubs look to the future of Minnesota

Living in Minnesota requires a certain grit, a willingness to persist even when it feels like a battle with nature. The sudden summer heatwaves can be unyielding, staying calm as tornado sirens wail is no small feat, and getting kids to the bus stop through two feet of snow isn’t for the faint of heart. While these experiences are woven into the fabric of our daily life as Minnesotans (and the lining of our thickest coats), that doesn’t mean they’re experienced equally. That fact is apparent in the questions we ask in the aftermath:

“Do you have a generator?” 
“Does your community have a shelter?” 
“How bad was the damage?”
“Are you okay?”

For some, the answers shed light on minor inconveniences. For others, they mean life-changing disruptions. The idea of resilience hubs is an effort to challenge those disruptions.

Resilience hubs, sometimes called climate resilience hubs, have been popping up in communities across the country for about a decade. Some are stand-alone buildings, while others are located within spaces like libraries or churches. While each one looks a little different, the broad agreement put forth by the Urban Sustainability Directors Network is that resilience hubs are especially valuable before, during, and after extreme weather events. 

The community-driven lens is especially important at a time when federal support for emergency response and resilience efforts are uncertain. MNIPL says resilience hubs meet that uncertainty with something steady: spaces built by and for communities, ready to meet whatever comes next.

MNIPL’s Community of Practice cohort includes groups from across the state, like Mills Church in Minnetonka, American Indian Community Housing Organization in Duluth, and Masjid An-Nur in North Minneapolis. Together, these organizations are reimagining what resilience means. For some, that might start with storm shelters or backup power. For others, it includes community kitchens, health clinics, child care, senior services, education, or mental health support. MNIPL believes that between emergencies, resilience hubs offer an intentional way of being in community.

“These hubs can become a one-stop shop for year-round programs that support well-being and strengthen community connections,” Nerbonne explains. “That’s why we offer a flexible framework, so each cohort member can create a plan tailored to their own neighborhood.”

Hayes says Al-Maa’uun is working closely with Masjid An-Nur to explore a powerful vision: creating an official resilience hub at the mosque. The project is among MNIPL’s cohort of Community of Practice projects.

“Establishing a resilience hub is vital because it strengthens the community’s capacity to prepare for, withstand, and recover from crises,” Hayes explains. “It would reduce risk for the most vulnerable, centralize emergency coordination, fill service gaps, and reinforce community cohesion.”

Rather than starting from scratch, Hayes says the initiative would build on what already exists at the mosque, a reliable and familiar space where help and hope are always within reach.