Community Pathways

09/03/2026

Huge shout out to a Black Bear Dispensary MN who opened their doors today and is located right behind the Owatonna Chamber office at 209 Bridge St.

Each time they open a new store they pick a local charity to partner with and donate all of their Day 1 proceeds to that organization. And you guessed it, they chose us!

They're open from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. making it a perfect opportunity to stop see them during the final Downtown Owatonna Thursday of 2026.

It is never lost on us how important it is to have people believe in what we do and be willing to support us with their generosity.

Welcome to Owatonna and thanks for believing in our work from the moment you opened your doors.

09/03/2026

We are thrilled that Black Bear Dispensary chose us as the non-profit they will donate their day one proceeds to!!!

Surprise 😮
- you've got a new neigh-bear👋😃
Black Bear Dispensary opens location number 2 in Downtown Owatonna TOMORROW!

We are so proud and excited to be the 1st Dispensary operational in Steele County, serving both Adult Use and medical!

If you have friends or family in the Owatonna area, please share this with them- we would love to meet them💚
We will have our 10am Ribbon Cutting ceremony with the Owatonna Area Chamber of Commerce and Tourism - then be ready to serve you shortly afterwards!
Opening day proceeds will be donated to local non-profit profit Community Pathways ✅️

We want to thank EVERYONE who has supported Black Bear - you truly are making our dreams of a family owned cannabiz come true & allowing us to make a bigger positive impact with a larger pawprint. 🫶🐾
We are endlessly grateful for this plant, this industry, and the ability to do good and serve others every step of the way✨️

21+ for rec. use | Nothing for sale on Facebook

09/01/2026

08/26/2026

CALLING ALL MINI GOLF HEROES!

Grab your putter, assemble your super squad, and get ready to save the day…one tiny golf hole at a time!

United Prairie Bank is hosting the United Prairie Masters of Mini Golf, a superhero-themed charity mini golf tournament supporting Community Pathways!

- Wednesday, September 23
- 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
- Waters Edge Mini Golf (175 Landmark Dr NE, Owatonna)
- $50 per golfer
- Lunch + greens fees included!

Come dressed for the theme, bring your best putting skills, and prepare to discover whether your true superpower is sinking a hole-in-one… or confidently pretending that six-putt never happened.

Want to make an even BIGGER impact?
Sponsorship opportunities are available for local businesses and organizations, including:

- Legendary Hero Sponsor – $500 minimum
- Superhero Sponsor – $500 minimum
- Sidekick Sponsor – $250 minimum

Sponsorships include golfer registrations for 2–4 players, depending on the level, plus all 18 holes and refreshments!

-Sponsorship deadline: September 14 or when spots are full.

Individual golfers are welcome, too! Scan the QR code on the flyer to sign up.

A huge THANK YOU to United Prairie Bank for putting the FUN in fundraising and choosing to support Community Pathways.

Now the only question is…

WHO WILL BECOME A MASTER OF MINI GOLF?!

08/25/2026

Stitched with love and shared with our community!

A very special THANK YOU to Good Shepherd - Owatonna for their generous donation of these beautiful handmade quilts to Community Pathways!

There’s something extra special about a handmade quilt. Each one represents time, care, creativity, and many, many stitches coming together to create something warm and comforting.

We are so grateful to Good Shepherd Church for sharing these beautiful creations with us and, in turn, with the individuals and families we serve. Gifts like these bring more than warmth. They bring a little bit of home, comfort, and kindness along with them.

Thank you, Good Shepherd Church, for wrapping our community in care, one quilt at a time!

08/21/2026

For the third season in a row the Owatonna Boys Soccer Team did a food drive during tryouts.

The drive is led by the captains and every player who participates gets out of conditioning drills on Friday! As one would imagine participation levels are high:-)

This season they collected 97 containers of peanut butter and jelly and an additional 28 loaves of bread!!!

Huge shout out to the players and their families for a job well done!

08/18/2026

Some Unique Finds shelves are looking a little too minimalist, and not by choice!

Today is the Last Tuesday Push, with two opportunities to help fill those empty spaces.

Donate clean, high-quality clothing and practical household items from 9:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. or 5:00–7:00 p.m.

Take a look at the sections needing support, then see what useful extras may be waiting at home. Together, we can help Unique Finds finish this campaign strong!

OUR SHELVES ARE SENDING OUT AN S.O.S.: SUPPORT OUR SECTIONS!

Day 28 of our Fill the Finds Campaign is our Last Tuesday Push, and a few areas of Unique Finds are still looking a little lonely!

Take a peek at some of our visibly low sections, then check your closets, cupboards, and linen cabinets for clean, high-quality items you no longer need. Your useful extras can help us refill these spaces and provide more choices for every Unique Finds shopper, including Community Pathways members using their clothing and household-item stipends.

Before donating, give each item the Friend Test: Is it clean, in good condition, and something you would feel good passing along to someone you care about?

We’re open for donations twice today:

• 9:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.
• 5:00–7:00 p.m.

The shelves have spoken; let’s show them what our community can do!

08/17/2026

Refresh your routine and help refresh the racks and shelves at Unique Finds! Check today’s post for the clean, high-quality clothing, footwear, and household necessities we’re currently seeking.

Not following Unique Finds yet? Follow along for donation needs, store updates, and more:

https://www.facebook.com/UniqueFindsThrifting

A friendly reminder: Unique Finds does not accept furniture, but Furnishing Hope does accept qualifying furniture donations! Follow our new Furnishing Hope page for donation guidelines, program news, and updates:

https://www.facebook.com/FurnishingHopeOwatonna

READY, SET…BACK TO ROUTINE!

Day 27 of our Fill the Finds Campaign is the Back-to-Routine Refresh, and we’re looking for the practical items that help everyday life run a little more smoothly.

As schedules begin filling up again, take a quick look around your home for useful extras that have quietly fallen out of your own routine: the shirt that never makes the weekly lineup, the shoes waiting on the sidelines, the extra towels filling the linen closet, or the kitchenware enjoying a very extended break.

Today’s wish list includes:

• Clean, current-season clothing
• Everyday shoes, work shoes and work boots
• Dishes, cookware and kitchen utensils
• Towels, washcloths and linens
• Other practical household necessities

Before donating, give each item the Friend Test: Is it clean, in good condition, and something you would feel good passing along to someone you care about?

Donate today from 9:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.

Refresh your space, restock our shelves, and help someone else feel ready for the routines ahead!

08/14/2026

Can you find five?

Take a quick trip through your closets, cupboards, and bookshelves and look for five clean, useful items you’re ready to pass along. Five may seem small, but multiply that by our whole community, and suddenly we’re filling racks, stocking shelves, and creating more high-quality choices at Unique Finds!

Then tag a friend and challenge them to find their five, too. Let’s see how far this Five Finds Friday challenge can travel!

HIGH FIVE - IT’S FIVE FINDS FRIDAY!

Day 24 of our Fill the Finds Campaign comes with one simple challenge: find five useful, accepted items in your home that you no longer need!

Search the closets, cupboards, bookshelves, or linen cabinet for five possible finds, perhaps a shirt you never wear, an extra coffee mug, a book you’ve already finished, a towel that never enters the rotation, or a kitchen tool with a suspiciously light workload. 😄

Before adding each item to your donation bag, give it the Friend Test: Is it clean, in good condition, and something you would feel good giving to a friend?

Once you’ve found all five, tag a friend and challenge them to find their five, too! If everyone contributes a handful of quality items, together we can fill a whole lot of racks and shelves.

Donate today from 9:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.

Five finds. Five fresh starts. One fuller Unique Finds!

08/13/2026

Friendly reminder: donating something to Unique Finds is a little like giving it to a friend, except this friend won’t pretend to love the stained casserole dish just to spare your feelings.

Before you donate, give each item the Friend Test. Is it clean, in good condition, and something you would proudly pass along to someone you care about?

Thoughtful, high-quality donations help ensure every Unique Finds shopper has access to dignified choices they can feel proud bringing home.

Check out today’s Fill the Finds post for a helpful guide to what Unique Finds can- and cannot- accept!

BEFORE YOU DONATE IT, PUT IT THROUGH THE FRIEND TEST!

We truly appreciate everyone who chooses Unique Finds when clearing out closets, cupboards, and storage spaces. Before placing something in your donation box, take one more look and imagine offering it to a friend:

• Would I wrap this up as a gift, or disguise it at the bottom of the box?

• Would my friend wear it out in public, or save it for painting the garage?

• Is this pan ready to cook dinner, or permanently wearing the last one?

• Would they curl up with this blanket, or wonder what might be living in it?

• Does this appliance actually work, or does it just make an interesting noise?

• Would they proudly display it, or suddenly remember they’re “out of storage space”?

• Is it gently used, or has it lived several very full lives?

If an item is clean, useful, in good condition, and ready to be enjoyed exactly as it is, it may be a great fit for Unique Finds!

YES, PLEASE!

• Clean, gently used, current-season clothing and footwear
• Household items and kitchenware
• Current-season small home décor
• Bedding, towels and linens
• Books, CDs and DVDs
• Personal-care items
• Clean, working small appliances
• Work boots and work shoes

PLEASE LEAVE THESE OUT!

• Damaged, stained or heavily worn items
• Clothing or décor more than eight weeks ahead of the season
• Toys, games or puzzles unless new in the box
• Safety or medical items
• Furniture
• Heavy tools, machinery or gas-powered equipment
• Garage-sale leftovers with prices attached
• Wire hangers
• Stemware

Our donation standards help ensure every shopper has clean, high-quality choices they can feel comfortable and proud bringing home.

Donate accepted items today from 9:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.

When the Friend Test produces an enthusiastic “Yes, they’d love this!”, you may have found your next Unique Finds donation.