Community house with garden and colorful fence at Foundation for Intentional Community.

Loaves & Fishes Community

  • Communities

About the Communities

  • Established
  • Home-sharing
  • Urban

Founding year

  • 1989

What we do

Loaves and Fishes Community began in 1989 when Angie Miller and the late Steve O’Neil opened their family home to Central American refugees en route to Canada. Over the years we have grown into four houses within a few blocks of each other, two of which provide family-style hospitality to people experiencing homelessness, one which offers foster care to children, and a fourth which serves the needs of community and some long-term hospitality. We are rooted in the Catholic Worker movement, with strong influence from community organizing and the labor movement.; We engage in anti-racism and housing organizing; grow two city lots of gardens; help facilitate countywide anti-homelessness efforts; and run a no-cost bike shop which sends our 150-200 bicycles every year on a work trade system.

Our Mission

Like the message of the Bible story that gave us our name, Loaves & Fishes Community believes that sharing is contagious. We welcome people of all faiths and none to join us as we practice nonviolence and community, advocate for social change, and offer family-style hospitality to people experiencing homelessness.

  • Purpose
  • Home-sharing
  • Community type
  • Coliving
  • Activities
  • Experiences
  • Networking

Commemorative dates

  • January 1, 1989
  • Started planning
  • January 1, 1989
  • Started living together
  • 10 Total members
  • Open to new members
  • Open to visitors
Total
38

How to join

Membership process begins with a questionnaire and email/phone communication or visit, if practical. Potential new members take part in an experiential period of three months, after which the community and potential new member decide if we are a mutual fit for one another. Short-term volunteers are welcome, but membership requires a minimum one-year commitment to the community.

Basic expectations or agreements for members

E-mail or call. Priority for beds is given to local people experiencing homelessness, so we cannot always accommodate visitors but will do our best!

Primary decision-making authority

  • All Community Members Together

The whole membership decides collectively.

Decision-making process

  • Full Consensus

Everyone must agree before moving forward.

Governance structure

  • Collaborative/Horizontal

Power and responsibility are shared relatively equally among members.

Conflict resolution approach

Decisions are made by core community through consensus. Major decisions include a process of input and consultation with guests and extended members/supporters. House ownership and maintenance is managed by an independent board made up of members of the community and extended community supporters.

Economic model

  • Partial Income-Sharing

Members contribute a percentage of income to community funds.

Economic scenarios for this community

  • Members need to pay fees, dues, or similar to live there on a per month or per year basis
  • There is a labor obligation

Additional economic information

Regular fees: $50
Labor: Yes (30 hrs/week)
Members with pre-existing debt: allowed
Members are strongly encouraged to take paid work outside the community for no more than 20 hours per week, and tithe 10% of income to the community.

Shared resources and amenities that are accessible to everyone in the community

Common House, Garden(s), Vehicle Share, Library, Workshop, Outbuilding(s), Fire pit, Swingsets & play areas, Internet

Frequency of communal meals

  • Approximately 1 meal per day

Significant food acquisition practices

  • Locally sourced

Community activities and engagement

  • Volunteer, Internship, or Apprenticeship, or WWOOF’ing
  • Organization, Resource, or Network

Substance use culture

  • Substance use appears in public spaces but no pressure
  • Religions
  • Christian
  • Buddhist
  • Quaker
  • Native
  • Unitarian Universalist

Gender composition

  • Majority cis (over 60%)

Age demographics

  • Multi-generational (all ages well represented)

Property status

  • Privately owned

Property owner

  • By several individuals through an LLC or a Tenancy In Common agreement

Setting

  • Urban

Within city limits with access to urban amenities and infrastructure.

Community type

  • Coliving

    Shared living spaces with private bedrooms/bathrooms and communal
    kitchens, dining, and social areas.

Self-produced energy

  • Up to 33%

Energy sources used

  • Photovoltaic Solar

Self-produced food

  • 33 - 66%

Local, organic, or fair trade food

  • Over 66%

Food systems

  • Community garden

Guest Book

Written reviews are available for plus members. Click here to upgrade.

Location

  • Minnesota, United States

Loaves & Fishes Community

Needs and Offers

Connecting people and communities through an intentional online marketplace

  • Promoted
Need
  • Promoted
Offer
  • Promoted
  • Events
3 weeks ago

Healing Love Healing Money: Trust As The Foundation For A New Culture

Money, love and power are among the hardest things any community works with, and many of us carry the same fears into both: not having enough, losing what we have, and the sense that if someone else gets money or love, we won’t. Healing Love, Healing Money: Trust as the Foundation for a New Culture is taught by two intentional communities. Karen McAllister and Duncan Cryle are from Clear Sky Meditation and Retreat Center, a Buddhist-lineage community in the BC Rockies. Monika Alleweldt and Benjamin von Mendelssohn from Tamera Healing Biotope, a community of about 160 people in southern Portugal that has spent decades studying love, trust and relationship. Clear Sky has spent years working on its relationship with money, and our two communities found surprising parallels in the fears beneath both. Over four sessions we explore the roots of fear around money and belonging, love, possession and power, trust as infrastructure (community as a container for healing), and ethical livelihood. We use short meditations, body-based practices, reflection and small-group conversation. You do not need to be in a romantic relationship or live in community. When: October 27, Nov 3, 10, 17. All four sessions: 12–2pm Vancouver, 1–3pm Alberta, 7–9pm UK and Portugal, 8–10pm Central Europe. Note: US and some Canadian provinces change clocks on November 1, so the US west coast is 12–2pm on October 27, then 11am–1pm for the remaining sessions, and Eastern is 3–5pm on October 27, then 2–4pm for the rest. Cost: sliding scale Details and registration: https://www.clearskycenter.org/event/healing-love-healing-money-online/  
October 27, 2026 13:00 – November 17, 2026 15:00
Need
  • Communities with Openings
1 week ago

Needs: Quiet nature focused community with work exchange

About Me Hello, I’m Nanu. I’m 46 years old in need of a peaceful, nature-centered community where I can contribute, maintain my independence, and potentially establish a long-term home. I’m autistic and sometimes experience periods when I’m nonverbal. I appreciate direct communication, clear expectations, and people who respect different communication styles without making assumptions. I’m independent, value personal boundaries, and do best in environments where people can coexist comfortably without constant social interaction. The Environment I’m Seeking I’m looking for a wooded, green setting with mature trees, grass, and access to nature. Forests, trails, gardens, and peaceful outdoor spaces are important to me. I’d prefer a region with relatively mild winters, avoiding both desert landscapes and areas with harsh, snowy winters. Privacy is essential. I’m interested in a residential community where people respect one another’s space and participation in social activities is optional. I’m not looking for a retreat center, event venue, or community that regularly hosts outside groups, workshops, classes, or large gatherings on the residential property. Occasional visitors are understandable, but I prefer a quiet environment where residents can enjoy their homes without a constant flow of people coming and going. Work Exchange and Housing I’m interested in exchanging practical work for housing. Possible contributions include community gardening, planting, watering, harvesting, kitchen assistance, meal preparation, property upkeep, and other mutually agreed-upon tasks. I’d like the responsibilities, schedule, and expectations clearly established in advance. A trial stay or introductory period would be ideal so both sides can determine whether the arrangement is a good fit. Potential for Long-Term Ownership My longer-term goal is to explore purchasing a small home, a defined parcel of land, or a legally documented ownership interest in an established cooperative community. I have limited savings available for a potential investment and want to use those funds carefully toward lasting housing stability. I’m not interested in vague promises of future ownership or arrangements that depend entirely on one person’s continued involvement. I’d want clear documentation of ownership rights, decision-making, ongoing expenses, and what happens if a resident leaves or the community dissolves. I’m also not interested in traditional HOA-style arrangements or unpredictable fees. Reasonable, transparent shared expenses are open for discussion. Community Culture I’m looking for people who value mutual respect, personal autonomy, honest communication, and practical cooperation. I appreciate companionship but also need quiet and solitude. I don’t expect everyone to share my interests, only to respect one another’s boundaries. What I’d Like to Know If your community offers work exchange, a private and peaceful living environment, wooded surroundings, and a realistic possibility of long-term housing or ownership, I’d love to hear from you. Please share information about your location, climate, current residents, available housing, work-exchange expectations, visitor policies, ongoing costs, and potential ownership arrangements. I’d like to visit and get acquainted before making any commitments. My goal is to find a genuine mutual fit. Thank you for reading!

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