Secrets of the City

Minnesota students are finding all sorts of creative ways to raise money for Haiti.

A group of students at the High School for Recording Arts in St. Paul wrote a song and produced a music video urging others to donate to Haiti. Their YouTube video has gotten over 128,000 hits with over 450 comments. And they performed the song Jan. 30 in front of a crowd of hundreds at the Mall of America, and Jan. 31 at the Dakota Jazz Club and Restaurant in Minneapolis.

Sixth-graders at St. John Vianney School raised money from their own classmates. “In exchange for a donation, students could ditch their uniforms and wear clothes the color of a rainbow. The Rainbow for Haiti project generated $420 in a week.”

Andersen Elementary students, in Bayport, decorated soup cans for collecting money and raised $933 so far from the school community. “Next month, the students will work as servers and hosts and do other jobs at Leo’s Grill & Malt Shop in Stillwater. They plan to donate a portion of their tips to helping Haiti.”

And a group of Maple Grove High School students have even started a fundraiser called Hair Dying for Haiti, for which they’ve died their hair pink, purple, green and blue in hopes to raise money.

Huh?

Their efforts, along with other fundraisers by Maple Grove students, have raised $3,000 so far.

Ok, I’ve seen a slew of local efforts to help Haiti, and now I can’t seem to find them all, so I beg you all to contribute to this post in whatever way you can. If you know of other opportunities, please add them to the comments.

This week, through Sunday, when a guest brings in a copy of the attached message D’Amico and Sons will donate 10% of their total purchase to the American Red Cross Haiti Disaster Relief.

This Friday, at 6pm, head to the Cedar Cultural Center for the Solidarité Avec Haïti: Earthquake Relief Fundraiser. Contributing performers will include Viviana Pintado, Maria Isa, Kenn Wanaku, Doug Little & Charanga Tropical, Yenyeré, and Batucada do Norte.

Also on Friday, @msptweetup is hosting a social media event at Grumpy’s (on Washington) to benefit Haiti. “Buckets of Change,” as the event is called, is counting on all of us having those random buckets of change around our homes — you know, the jars, drawers, containers of any sort we all discard our loose change into so as not to find it on the floor, under the bed, and in the coach pillows. Bring your buckets of change to Grumpy’s at 7pm to donate to Haiti relief.  Bring dollars, bring quarters, dimes, nickels, and pennies. Bring it all. All proceeds will go directly to the American Red Cross to benefit Haiti Relief and Development.

TODAY: Hip Hop for Haiti at Nomad.

THURS: Rally for Haiti at Graves & Haiti Relief Event at The View

Anything else? Please let us know.