I want to honor my parents with this financial gift to Tiwahe; this is an important way that I can share what my parents have taught me: to give back to my community, to share what I have.
Tiwahe Foundation Board Member Carrie Day Aspinwall
DONOR STORIES
⊕ Carrie Day Aspinwall
“I was raised with one of the strongest of Indian values, that of “giving” or “philanthropy” as it is more formally known. My dad used to drive up and down Franklin Avenue in Minneapolis introducing me to folks who needed help, and he showed me how I could help. The truest form of giving is recognizing those in need. I want to honor my parents with this financial gift to Tiwahe; this is an important way that I can share what my parents have taught me: to give back to my community, to share what I have.”
“Although born and raised in the Twin Cities, my family spent every weekend in Mille Lacs. My family participated in seasonal traditional gatherings, as well as ceremonies, and we shared everything that we had with our family and our friends.”
Carrie has been an instrumental leader in building the Tiwahe Foundation. She served as an advisory committee member of the American Indian Family Empowerment Program (AIFEP) since its inception in 1996 and was elected as the first board chair of the Tiwahe Foundation. She was born and raised in the Phillips Neighborhood of Minneapolis and has been a leader in our Twin Cities American Indian community for over 20 years.
Carrie currently serves as a member of the Tiwahe Foundation Board of Directors and Seventh Generation Endowment Committee. She is currently employed with the City of Minneapolis as their community relations specialist and is actively supporting the Neural Correlates of Food Reward in American Indian Women Study at the University of Minnesota’s Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism.