NOAH Rochester MN

11/20/2025

It’s Give to the Max Day at Give MN! Help us become our own 501c3 if you can! Any donation you make today enters us into prize drawings, and is tax deductible! https://www.givemn.org/donate/Noah-Rochester

11/12/2025

Hello and Happy Autumn! We wanted to send out an update on what we are doing at NOAH Rochester.

A huge belated thank you to all of you who supported us as we worked to establish an affordable and inclusive artists’ co-op in Downtown Rochester. Unfortunately we realized that the state funding programs we wanted to use would require us to have full time staff. We are a small organization with limited capacity, and we were not able to complete that process. We are pivoting towards an education and advocacy orientation instead of directly providing housing. We will continue to champion the intersection of arts and diverse perspectives; including disabled, BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and low income folks, as we recognize that these communities are often urgently in need of housing.

Mission update:

NOAH Rochester's mission is to promote affordable and accessible housing in the Rochester MN area. We will advocate for the preservation and beautification of Naturally Occurring Affordable Housing (NOAH) that prioritizes retrofitting current units to make them accessible for people with disabilities, and educate the public concerning the rights and experiences of people with disabilities.

As we take on new challenges, we want to become our own officially independent 501c3 nonprofit organization. Your tax deductible donation will help us cover the cost of filing with the IRS and establishing ourselves. Won’t you please help us continue our education and advocacy efforts?

Click here to support NOAH Rochester on Give MN! https://www.givemn.org/organization/Noah-Rochester

Thank you!
Sarah Louisell, Founder and Board President

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Our Recent Work

Over the past year, we have had the opportunity to conduct accessible and affordable housing trainings for individuals and community organizations. These trainings were conducted via zoom with numerous accessibility considerations included. We are so thankful to the Minnesota Inclusion Initiative grant program and the Arc for their support!

Photo of NOAH Rochester Founder Sarah and her friend Jay at Rochester’s first ever disability pride day, July 2025

Photo ID: Two people pink from sun are wearing white masks yet you can tell they are smiling by their eye crinkles.e

10/03/2025

Attention! NOAH Rochester is seeking plain language proofreaders! Small stipend available. Please message for more information!

11/12/2024

NOAH Rochester is very excited to host an encore presentation of our seminar on accessible and affordable housing! This educational opportunity was developed entirely by people who have had to research, find, and create accessible and affordable housing for themselves in the Rochester area. Huge thanks to The Arc Minnesota for the Minnesota Inclusion Initiative grant!

[Image ID: Purple, green, yellow, and white images and text on a green background. Top line features the NOAH Rochester logo and the words “NOAH Rochester Presents” in white. Main image includes text reading "Ending Housing Segregation: The Past, Present and Future of Accessible Housing" on a background of green and yellow.

A small green oval is underneath reading "Tuesday, 11/19/2024 at 2:00 pm CST via Zoom”. Text in light purple reads "With Shelly Rohe, Sarah Louisell, & Lexi Dunn". A QR code and the words "RSVP at bit.ly/AccessibleHousingTraining for Zoom link" in white. Bottom sentence reads "Made Possible by The Arc" in pink. End ID]

08/01/2024

Check out this art sale at Possabilities!

[Image ID: A video starts with "Here is a sneak peek of the upcoming art sale", followed by a variety of framed art pieces including paintings, drawings, photographs, collages, and fiber arts. Video ends with "Over 350 art pieces. See you there!" End ID]

06/17/2024

We have exciting news to share! NOAH Rochester recently received a Minnesota Inclusion Initiative grant and will be presenting on the topic of accessible and affordable housing! This work is being funded by a partnership between the Arc Minnesota and the State. Huge thanks to The Arc Minnesota for choosing us—we are honored to present on this important topic!

[Image ID: Purple, green and white images and text on a green background. Top line features the NOAH Rochester logo and the words NOAH Rochester Presents in dark purple. Main image includes text reading "Ending Housing Segregation: The Past, Present and Future of Accessible Housing"

A small green circle is underneath reading "Wed., 06/26/24 at 1:00 pm CT via Zoom”. Text in light purple reads "With Shelly Rohe & Sarah Louisell". A QR code and the words "RSVP at bit.ly/AccessibleHousingTraining for Zoom link" in dark purple. Bottom sentence reads "Made Possible by The Arc" in light purple. End ID]

04/24/2024

Amazing work by organizing renters and Attorney General Keith Ellison! Image IDs in comments!

02/21/2024

Check out this new arts organization, and their spotlight artist! Image IDs in comments.

02/02/2024

Did you know that today is the day to Q***r Your Bookshelf?!

Q***r authors writing q***r fiction are featured, for only 99 cents per e-book! There is at least one work by a Rochester, Minnesota author; one of our very own Board of Directors members!

https://q***ryourbookshelf.com

Below you’ll find q***r fiction of all genres and all pairing. If you’re interested in a specific genre or pairing, please use the links provided.

01/15/2024

Happy Martin Luther King Jr day! Martin Luther King Jr’s enduring message of love continues to inspire generations after his tragic death. Here at NOAH Rochester, we try to honor his legacy by creating a community that truly embraces diversity.


[Image ID: Martin Luther King Jr stands before a huge crowd outside the Washington monument. He’s looking back over his shoulder and smiling at the camera. End ID]

01/14/2024

Happy Sunday! Today we want to feature Seamstress, Clothing Designer, and Sewing Instructor Brooke Burch! Brooke sewed by hand as a child and learned from her grandmother how to use her first sewing machine at age 11! She designs custom clothing for all occasions, teaches sewing classes, does alterations, and recently opened her own brick and mortar store in Rochester, called Vintage Rack. Brooke also recently received the Black Owned Business Emerging Business Award from the NAACP-Rochester Branch! Check out some of her artful clothing creations in this reel, and check out her amazing vintage fashion picks at Vintage Rack!

[Image ID: A series of fashionable clothing is shown, some on mannequins and some on a variety of models.]
Audio description: An instrumental song with a distinct beat, and each new picture of the reel appears on a strong beat.

12/20/2023

As most people in our community are planning to decorate their homes, welcome home loved ones, and host feasts of celebration—will you please support those who struggle to have a home and food to eat?

Affordable housing is crucial to preventing more homelessness. A donation to NOAH Rochester will support our mission to preserve and beautify affordable housing for folks of diverse, low income backgrounds. Our current fundraising efforts will allow us to hit the ground running in the new year in our work to acquire our first property. Please make a tax deductible donation in any amount you can here: https://www.givemn.org/organization/Noah-Rochester/

Thank you so much and Happy Holidays to you and yours!

NOAH Rochester’s mission is to preserve and beautify Naturally Occurring Affordable Housing (NOAH) in Downtown Rochester, Minnesota. Rochester, like most U.S. cities today, faces an affordable housing crisis. Lack of affordable housing disproportionately impacts low income...