The Midway Project

The Midway Food & Empowerment Project is a resident-led initiative established in May 2020. During our near-weekly distributions at the Hancock Recreation Center, we have built a community of care that supports an average of 50 families each week.We rely on community involvement and awareness to continue to support these families! Help us provide baby […]

Free Trees!

A tree made with blue, green and black lines.

Free Trees for the Hamline-Midway Neighborhood! Free Trees 2024 Signup! Get involved as a Volunteer! Volunteers with the Hamline Midway Environment Committee (HMEC) started a new urban tree canopy project in 2020 with the goals of addressing environmental injustices from inequitable tree canopy coverage as well as preparing our neighborhood for rising temperatures. These trees support […]

Melissa Tallman, Co-Vicepresident

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Salutations! My name is Melissa Tallman. I am a senior in Criminal Justice at Hamline University and a resident of the Hamline Midway neighborhood. I am active in the Hamline University community and joined the Hamline Midway Coalition because I am deeply passionate about community building and collaboration. I love to work on environmental projects […]

Byron C. Arnold

photograph of an african-american man in a blue business suit.

Hello all my name is Byron Arnold currently living in the Hamline / Midway area. My connection to the neighborhood is , I’ve been in the neighborhood since 1996, I have seen people, and businesses come and go. I love this area; the neighbors make it feel like a big community looking out for each […]

Ahmed (Meddy) Ali

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My Name is Ahmed Ali but I go by Meddy. My family immigrated to MN when I was 10 years old and I grew up in Minneapolis and lived my whole life in Minneapolis. When I start my business in St.Paul, I did not expect the love that was poured on us by the community. […]

Karen McCauley

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Karen has lived in the neighborhood since 2001. She is currently a co-organizer of The Midway Project, a weekly mutual aid site run out of Hancock Recreation Center. She also serves as the Family Resource Coordinator at Hamline Elementary, where her son attended K through 5. It was her family’s experience at Hamline Elementary that […]

Gary Laskowski

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Laskowski applied for the board because, “I like being involved in things that make a difference.” Born and raised in Steven’s point, Wis., joined the Air Force and was an aircraft maintenance specialist. In 1991, he moved to Minnesota after retiring from the paper mill. He currently resides at Hamline Hi-Rise In addition to serving […]

Ilya Garelik, Co-Vicepresident

I have lived in the Hamline Midway neighborhood with my partner and 3 dogs since 2018 and have appreciated the sense of community and positivity that is inherent to the neighborhood. I believe in the power of community organizing and its potential to improve the lives of the people who live in it. I am […]

Rayford Dixon, Treasurer

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I own and operate Rayz R Cuts barbershop on Snelling avenue, and I have been in the neighborhood for several years. Over the past year I have gotten to know the Hamline Midway Coalition by attending Board meetings and events. I am excited to use my can-do attitude and willingness to help out to support […]

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