Needs Within Our Zone

NAZ operates in a geographic “Zone” of North Minneapolis that is the apex of crime, poverty and failing schools within the city. Taken together, academic, social and economic indicators intersect to paint a grim picture of the barriers faced by children living within the Zone.

We exist to close the academic achievement gap and support families as they lead a lasting community transformation. Our long-term, comprehensive model is designed to eradicate educational and social disparities, thereby spurring economic growth for the entire region.

We target the hardest-to-reach parents who have not traditionally been involved with promoting academic success in their community and partner with them one on one. As we scale up to enroll half of families within our Zone, their individual successes become the culture of the community, leading population-level change.