Honored 2 Help Launches “Tap In” Series to Expand Pathways to Homeownership in Brooklyn Park

BROOKLYN PARK, MN

On a Saturday afternoon in Brooklyn Park, an idea as old as the American promise itself will be reframed in practical terms: how to own a home, and who gets access to that possibility.

Honored 2 Help, a Minnesota-based community organization focused on service and resource access, is launching its new “Tap In” series with a session centered on one of the most consequential economic thresholds facing families today: the transition from renting to ownership.

The inaugural event, “Tap In Session 1: Our Special Plug on Homeownership,” will take place Saturday, April 18, from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. at North Hennepin Community College, 7411 85th Avenue North in Brooklyn Park, with doors opening at 11:30 a.m.

The framing is intentional. Organizers are not presenting a seminar. They are offering what they call a “plug” — a direct, accessible connection to information, professionals, and pathways that have historically felt distant or opaque for many prospective buyers.

A Direct Response to a Persistent Gap

Across Minnesota and nationally, homeownership remains one of the most reliable pathways to long-term wealth accumulation. Yet access to that pathway continues to be uneven, shaped by income constraints, credit barriers, rising home prices, and a lack of clear, trusted guidance.

The “Tap In” series is designed as a community-level response to those realities.

Rather than asking residents to navigate a fragmented system of lenders, programs, and requirements on their own, Honored 2 Help is convening those resources in a single room, anchored in conversation, clarity, and direct engagement.

“This is about closing distance,” the event’s framing suggests — distance between information and access, between intention and action.

Translating Complexity Into Action

The session will be led by Forest Green, a mortgage professional with more than two decades of industry experience and a Retail Branch Manager with Paramount Residential Mortgage Group (PRMG). His role is not simply to present information, but to translate the often technical language of lending into practical steps that attendees can understand and act on.

The discussion will cover:

• First-time homebuyer programs, including federally backed options such as FHA, VA, and USDA loans
• Core financial fundamentals, including credit scores, debt-to-income ratios, and borrowing capacity
• The structure of the mortgage process, from pre-approval through closing
• Long-term considerations, including equity building and tax implications of ownership

For many first-time buyers, these topics are encountered piecemeal, often late in the process. Here, they are being presented upfront, in a setting designed to invite questions and reduce hesitation.

Beyond a Workshop: A Community-Centered Model

What distinguishes the “Tap In” session is not only its subject matter, but its format.

The event is structured as a community discussion, not a lecture. Attendees will have the opportunity to engage directly with professionals, ask specific questions about their circumstances, and connect with others navigating similar decisions.

The design reflects a broader shift in community outreach models, where participation is encouraged through accessibility and shared experience rather than formal instruction alone.

To reinforce that approach, organizers have paired the session with tangible incentives:

• A free BBQ meal for all attendees
• Giveaways and prizes
• On-site childcare, allowing families to participate without logistical barriers
• QR code registration, with limited capacity to maintain an interactive environment

The result is an atmosphere that blends information with familiarity, removing some of the formality that can discourage participation in traditional financial workshops.

Why Brooklyn Park, Why Now

The choice of North Hennepin Community College as the venue is both practical and symbolic. The campus serves one of the most diverse populations in the state and has long functioned as a hub for education, workforce development, and community programming.

It is also located in a region where the pressures of housing affordability are increasingly visible.

Across the Twin Cities metro, rising home prices and interest rate fluctuations have placed additional strain on first-time buyers. At the same time, the demand for stable, long-term housing continues to grow, particularly among working families seeking to build generational stability.

In that context, events like “Tap In” are not simply informational. They are interventions at the earliest stage of the housing journey.

Building a Pipeline, Not a Moment

Honored 2 Help has positioned this event as the beginning of a broader series, signaling an ongoing commitment rather than a one-time initiative.

The organization’s mission centers on creating equitable access to opportunity through direct engagement, with a philosophy grounded in service and community presence. The “Tap In” series reflects that approach, offering repeated entry points into systems that can otherwise feel inaccessible.

Future sessions are expected to expand on this model, connecting residents to resources across financial literacy, housing, and community development.

Event Details

• Event: Honored 2 Help “Tap In Session 1”
• Focus: Homeownership pathways
• Date: Saturday, April 18
• Time: 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. (Doors open at 11:30 a.m.)
• Location: North Hennepin Community College, Cafeteria Hall
  7411 85th Avenue North, Brooklyn Park, MN 55445
• Cost: Free (includes BBQ meal)
• Registration: Via QR code on flyer or at honored2help.org
• Additional: Giveaways, community discussion, on-site childcare

The Bottom Line

For many, the path to homeownership is not blocked by a lack of desire, but by a lack of proximity to clear, trusted information.

What Honored 2 Help is attempting with “Tap In” is deceptively simple: bring that information closer, place it in a familiar setting, and pair it with conversation rather than complexity.

If successful, the model does more than explain how to buy a home. It begins to redefine who feels invited to try.

MinneapoliMedia | Community. Culture. Civic Life.