Mpls Downtown Improvement District

Stephanie Glaros remembers life in downtown Mpls before the Mpls Downtown Improvement District began operation in 2009. A downtown resident since before MDID existed, Glaros—who runs Humans of Minneapolis on the web—said she sees first-hand the difference in our downtown core since the organization and its Ambassadors came to town.

“I’m a fan of the DID,” Glaros said in a 2015 interview with mplsdid.com. “I love those guys. I lived downtown before they were here, so I see the difference that it makes and it’s unbelievable. I talk to them all the time, because I am sort of addicted to talking to strangers. And they’re the nicest people, and they’re so approachable and so helpful.”

Her sentiments are echoed by local residents, employees and visitors each year.  MDID’s most widely-recognizable initiative is its Ambassadors program—a collection of workers on the street year-round helping create a greener, cleaner and safer environment for everyone in our downtown community.

Five of today’s current Ambassadors have been with MDID since Day 1—June 24, 2009 to be exact. That’s the day the very first Ambassadors were hired and began their work with the organization.

That group—Ambassadors Antonio, Dave, James, Mike and Todd—can tell you the exact date if you ask. It’s a special moment for them, because it’s the day they began making a difference downtown. When they go home each night, they take that same feeling with them because of the difference they made in the community that particular day.

“We hear positive feedback almost every single day,” said Ambassador Dave, who was the 2014 Ambassador of the Year. “I’m surprised if people don’t comment every day. It’s amazing.”

Dave and his fellow Day 1 Ambassadors recall it wasn’t always that way. They felt people’s curiosity early on; the public was not yet familiar with MDID Ambassadors and what their role downtown is, and it took some time for them to gain the trust from local residents and workers who see them every day.

“They were full of questions, who we are,” Ambassador Todd said. “A little apprehensive. But people liked what they were hearing about the program and were very positive.”

But it didn’t take long. Part of that is because the results.

Downtown’s cleanliness within the district is apparent. Last year alone Ambassadors removed 30,497 gum spots, 19,433 trash bags and 2,261 recycling bags. They even removed 2,739 graffiti tags in 2016.

“It changed downtown,” Ambassador James said. “It’s a lot cleaner. People, residents of downtown, think it’s better in general. They love what we do.”

Part of their presence helps with overall safety in the area.

Ambassadors offered more than 60,000 assists last year, and they continue to be an important piece of having extra eyes and ears in the downtown area for law enforcement.

Wearing their bright green shirts and/or blue coats, Ambassadors are easy to identify and are quick to provide assistance to those in need. They help with ensuring people feel safe when walking the downtown streets.

“We make a good impact,” Ambassador Antonio said. “People feel comfortable downtown when they see our bright colors.”

The familiarity that comes with Ambassadors being on the street daily for seven years plays a big role. What once was a start-up initiative is now a staple of the downtown community—very visible and helpful group that is willing to lend a hand at any moment.

“People are used to us now, and we run into a lot of the same people,” Ambassador Mike said. “It makes a difference because people are more used to seeing us and more open.”

This group of Day 1 Ambassadors have a common thread. They love downtown, they love helping people, and they love knowing at the end of the day they were able to make a difference.

They helped create a culture of hard work and helpful personalities that made and keep MDID a thriving organization on the streets.

They hope the public understands their mission and their passion for making downtown a better, more vibrant place.

“I hope people are happy and feel good,” James said. “What we do is worth it because people should feel they can come downtown and see us, and we can help them out the best we can.”

Antonio agreed.

“I hope they know we have their back,” he said about the public. “I hope they know we’re doing the best we can, and we’re willing to help them out with anything.”