Bossen Block Party: A Perfect Way to Wrap up the Summer!

On Saturday, September 27, NENA teamed up with Bossen Apartments to host an end of the summer bash. In the spirit of celebrating community, about 100 residents, adults and kids alike, came out to eat delicious food, play games, and participate in activities such as bracelet making, henna, and face painting. While individuals and families socialized, Bryce Lackland, Bossen Property Manager, staffed the grill, serving up burgers for all attendees. “It was an honor to be able to partner again with NENA for the annual Block Party.” Lackland shared. 

Property Manager, Bryce Lackland, cooks up burgers for residents of Bossen Apartments.

NENA and Bossen Apartments have partnered to host an annual summer event in previous years, and when NENA learned that there was no National Night Out Celebration at Bossen in 2025, the two partners were determined to make this year’s event a party to remember. As music played and food was served, party goers were invited to visit a host of resource tables procured by the NENA team. On hand to provide information and giveaways were community organizations, including The Arc MN, Library/Friends of Hennepin County Library, and many more. Over 50 books were given out by the library, while the League of Women’s Voters provided information on how to vote by mail, how to find a sample ballot, ranked choice voting, and options for early voting. The League of Women’s Voters volunteers also answered specific questions residents posed related to voting and played a trivia game to engage voters as well as younger members of their families in the voting process. Connecting residents to resources through fun and engaging activities was an important part of the party. Audrey Ulseth, Advocacy and Community Engagement Manager from The Arc Minnesota shared, “The Bossen Block Party was such a fantastic event! It was really great to see families coming together to enjoy delicious food, have fun with games, and strengthen their community connections.”

Also supporting the party were the Boy and Girl Scouts, along with other volunteers and NENA board members, to host the games and activities. Kids circled around a kiddy pool rubber duck pond for a chance to win prizes donated by a NENA board member. The even brighter highlight of the party were door prizes. Along with 16 free museum passes donated by the Minnesota Children’s Museum, there were several additional donated prizes including much needed household items, such as mops and brooms, and other fun things like Stanley cups. Many of the items were donated by Bossen Apartments. “Bossen’s commitment to their residents and building community is inspiring and aligns very much with NENA’s values, making our partnership strong.”, says NENA’s Executive Director, Sarah Friedman.

NENA’s efforts to connect with Bossen Apartment residents is part of the organization’s engagement plan with the City of Minneapolis through the Equitable Engagement Funds program. Through this, NENA prioritizes providing information and resources to residents, and seeks to raise awareness of NENA to the over 140 residents at Bossen. Leveraging the strength of the partnership between NENA, Bossen Apartments, and their property manager, these efforts will continue in 2026 and beyond, through events, resource fairs, and of course, the summer block party. “I’ve heard back from a few of our tenants that they had a wonderful time, and that the burgers were great!  I’m looking forward to serving again next year for our combined community building endeavors!” Lackland shared.

Special thank you to Bossen Apartments, The Arc MN, Twin Cities Rise, International Institute of Minnesota, Nokomis Library/Friends of Hennepin County Library, League of Women’s Voters, Minneapolis Public Schools Youth Program, International Institute of Minnesota, Minnehaha Food Shelf, Meals on Wheels, the Boy and Girl Scouts, and all of the volunteers for making this a successful community event!