logo
Minnesota man knocking on every door in his city to help those in need

Minnesota man knocking on every door in his city to help those in need

CBS News09-05-2025

A Minnesota man has an ambitious goal of knocking on every door in his city in an effort to help a local nonprofit.
Taylor Callais carries grocery bags and flyers as he walks up to every home in Rosemount, nearly 10,000 of them.
"I've got my work cut out for me, but I'm excited," he said.
Whenever someone answers, Callais makes his pitch.
He's going door to door to collect donations of non-perishable goods for 360 Communities, a Rosemount nonprofit.
Callais leaves a flyer explaining his mission and a grocery bag at each house, whether someone answers or not.
His plan is to return to all of the houses one week later in hopes the bags will be filled with food and household items that he can donate.
Through their five Dakota County food shelves, 360 Communities served more than 13,000 people last year.
Callais decided he wanted to help.
"We might end up getting into winter, but so be it," he said. "I think I can make a big impact and I'm doing my part."
Callais has flexible work hours as a realtor, so he says it just made sense for him.
"To be able to connect with and help the people that you see at your kids' soccer game, at the grocery store, down the street, at the school — it's community," he said.
Callais' message seems to be working.
"Sounded like he was genuine and his information was accurate so we took it and we'll probably donate," said Bruce Anthony, a neighbor in Rosemount.
Food shelf visits in Minnesota last year were up 20% from the year before.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Federal raid in Minneapolis leaves more questions than answers
Federal raid in Minneapolis leaves more questions than answers

CBS News

time8 hours ago

  • CBS News

Federal raid in Minneapolis leaves more questions than answers

A federal raid in Minneapolis has led to more questions than answers and days of back and forth between law enforcement and elected officials. Now, the Minneapolis City Council is stepping in calling for further investigation. Thursday, they voted unanimously for an independent after-action review of what happened on Lake Street and Bloomington Avenue Tuesday. Council members say they are asking for this review in response to community concern. They want the City Auditor to take a look at the actions taken by the City and the Minneapolis Police Department during and immediately after the incident. Law enforcement say Tuesday's targeted raid solely focused on drug and human trafficking and MPD came for crowd control, but advocates and elected officials are pushing back on that narrative. "We know that ICE was present in our community regardless of gaslighting that city officials are saying," said Council Member Jason Chavez. "We need to know why there was ICE in our community and why our police department was assisting with crowd control." But Imran Ali, general counsel for the Minnesota Police and Peace Officers Association says elected officials are doing more harm than good. "What was troubling is a lot of activists getting some misinformation from elected leaders and that fueled the fire," he said. In the middle of controversy, a community member and business owner Daniel Hernandez is stepping up hoping to bridge the gap in his community by inviting Mayor Jacob Frey to Lake and Bloomington so community members can hear from him directly. "For me the main point was to reassure our people," Hernandez said. "People are relieved to know the mayor himself came to the heart of the Latino community to talk to our people." The council requested that the After-Action Review be completed by the end of July 31.

New Placer County water treatment plant breaks ground, will serve Colfax to Applegate
New Placer County water treatment plant breaks ground, will serve Colfax to Applegate

CBS News

time10 hours ago

  • CBS News

New Placer County water treatment plant breaks ground, will serve Colfax to Applegate

COLFAX — A major investment is underway aimed at improving both water access and fire safety in Placer County. The Placer County Water Agency broke ground just north of Interstate 80 on the new Colfax water treatment plant, serving foothill communities from Colfax to Applegate. Safe drinking water is essential, and this project will greatly improve water quality for thousands of homes. It will also help keep this community safer when it comes to fighting wildfires. "When you build for communities and homes, you also build for a fire system," said Andy Fecko, general manager of the water agency. The new facility will replace one built 60 years ago that is now outdated, undersized, and nearing the end of its operational life. "We were frankly out of capacity at the old treatment plant, and it uses an old treatment process that's not as good as the one we're putting in," Fecko said. The new plant will nearly double treatment capacity from 1.2 to 2 million gallons per day, providing service to more homes, including those currently relying on groundwater wells. "The water will be cleaner, there will be more of it, and we'll be able to get that water to more people," Fecko said. It will also ensure enough supply for fire hydrants, important tools in protecting these vulnerable communities. "The River Fire that came very close to burning down the city of Colfax, that's the kind of system we're aiming to improve so the community ends up safer," Fecko said. The new Colfax facility is one of several projects supported by the California Department of Water Resources. "There's nothing more fundamental than turning on the tap and trusting the water coming out and that it will come out when you turn it on," said Laurel Firestone, board member of the state Water Resources Control Board. Officials say that the Colfax plant is a model, not just for this region but for others across California facing similar challenges. "This project is really a model for how together the entire region can be stronger, and it's exactly the kind of thing we're funding and starting to see come to fruition across the state," Firestone said. They broke ground on construction on Thursday, and they expect to have it complete within the next two years.

Students prepare for leadership roles through SPARKS Wilderness Retreat
Students prepare for leadership roles through SPARKS Wilderness Retreat

CBS News

time13 hours ago

  • CBS News

Students prepare for leadership roles through SPARKS Wilderness Retreat

How Minnesota students are learning about leadership through wilderness skills How Minnesota students are learning about leadership through wilderness skills How Minnesota students are learning about leadership through wilderness skills A group of high schoolers from diverse backgrounds gathered at YMCA Camp Ihduhapi in Loretto, Minnesota for the SPARKS (Student Peer Adventure and Recreation Knowledge Specialists) Spring Leadership Retreat, where they honed their wilderness skills and developed leadership qualities. The SPARKS program serves students from low-income and underrepresented communities who might not otherwise have the opportunity to explore the outdoors. "We do primarily serve the underserved population to increase access and equity in the outdoors," said Izzie Smith, SPARKS Twin-Cities Education Program Manager. This program helps them guide their peers this summer in Minnesota's Boundary Waters Canoe Area (BWCA). This program, which is valued at approximately $2,000 dollars per student, is made possible through funding from the Legislative-Citizen Commission of Minnesota (LCCMR), ensuring that transportation, gear, food and lodging are provided at no cost to the participants. "I didn't really have the chance to be out in nature that much," said Yuepheng Yang, soon-to-be Harding High School graduate. The SPARKS program inspired him to switch from computer science major to a degree focused on conservation. "It did inspire me a bit, I'm looking into environmental science because I'm looking to join the DNR," said Yang. The year-round retreat is a key component of the SPARKS program, an initiative from the Friends of the Boundary Waters aimed at preparing students to serve as peer leaders on BWCA trips for their schools. Also helping inspire soon-to-be Burnsville High school graduate, Faith Nyamoita, to pursue the unknown. "When I had met Faith she had never been camping in her whole entire life, never been canoeing and never spent time outside," said Smith. "There's lots of skills I could need in nature that I never thought I'd learn," said Nyamoita. Nyamoita came to America from Kenya at 9-years-old, jumping into news skills is nothing new. When she joined a similar program with Smith, she picked up how to swim, make fires and set up camp sites. Now, she is looking to take her next leap. "I just got introduced to something new, and I just go, let's do it.," said Nyamota. "So that's why I accepted to go into the Marines." Just a week after she graduates, she will be joining the Marines in a non-combat role. "The best thing about working with these kids is that they are a group that's so kind, so accepting and so encouraging," said Smith. All the leaders in the programs come from local schools and community organizations including Harding High School, Burnsville High School, MWMO Green Team, CLUEs YA!, and Wildlife Refuge. Where they learn skills such as paddling, canoeing, campsite setup and conflict resolution. This will mark the end of their first year with the SPARKS program, where new students will be brought in next fall. The funding for the next season of wilderness volunteers relies heavily on the funds from the LCCMR.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store