Good morning, Rochester.

First graders at Byron Public Schools collected 12,000 diapers this fall to support the Jeremiah Program that helps single mothers break the cycle of poverty.

The classroom with the most diapers earned a donut party (with Dunkin’ coupons for all) while Two Men and a Truck delivered the donations.

FedEx employees in Rochester are running a Purple Tote Challenge to collect essential food and hygiene items for those facing homelessness served by The Landing MN—donations are being accepted at the FedEx building on Crossroads Drive SW from November 3 to November 21.

Channel One Regional Food Bank is preparing to join Give to the Max Day on November 20; early donations opened November 1 via the GiveMN site.

Last year the food bank received more than $30,000 and saw a 67% rise in visits from early 2023—officials say the surge followed SNAP delay notices on October 21.

Rochester will host the Headscarf Story Circle Series organized by the Minnesota Humanities Center and Rochester Women Magazine.

The free event—titled 'Women Balancing Entrepreneurship and Their Own Wellness'—will take place November 15 from 12:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. at RAEDI, where women will share personal stories about identity and business while wearing headscarves or headdresses.

Students from seven Rochester schools will run in a Girls on the Run 5K on November 8 at 9 a.m. on Saint Mary’s University—Rochester Campus to mark the end of an eight week program season.

Rochester and Olmsted County have launched the 4(d) Affordable Housing Incentive Program that gives rental property owners of multi-family buildings with four or more units a tax cut with a reduced rate of 0.25% to support affordable housing for income-qualified renters.

Owners must keep units affordable for 10 years while applications are accepted from November until January 31.

On Monday, Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan and candidate Jake Johnson visited Rochester to address how a government shutdown cut SNAP benefits to half for 440,000 Minnesotans.

They later volunteered at Channel One Food Bank as the city council considered using $100,000 from its contingency fund to aid residents at risk — highlighting urgent concerns over food security.

The housing market in Rochester is averaging between $330,000 and $350,000 as low inventory and high demand push prices upward, and households need about $85,000 in income to afford a median-priced home.

Southeastern Minnesota Realtors say the market is shifting to a balanced state—87 homes under $300,000 are still available.

Rochester Female Entrepreneurs Networking Meet-Up

2:30-3:30 p.m. — Collider Foundation — Free entry — Connect with local female entrepreneurs in a supportive, structured networking environment.

National Philanthropy Day Celebration

8 a.m. – 3 p.m. — Empire Event Center — Registration Fee Required — Celebrate philanthropy in the community with workshops and awards honoring outstanding contributions.

The Princess Bride: An Inconceivable Evening with Cary Elwes

7:30-9 p.m. — Mayo Civic Center — VIP packages available — Discover behind-the-scenes tales from the beloved film with Cary Elwes, featuring a screening and exclusive stories.

RHCSA Exam Preparation Training

8 a.m. — Huntington Learning Center Rochester — $2250 — Get ready for the RHCSA certification with this intensive five-day training course focusing on essential Linux system administration skills.

Spanish Conversation Meeting

6:30-7:30 p.m. — Rochester Public Library — Free entry — Engage in lively Spanish conversation in a friendly library setting.

Here Comes Santa Claus

2:30-7 p.m. — Historic Chateau Theatre — Free entry — Celebrate the holiday season with festive activities, Santa's rescue, and tree lighting.