A pre-nursing student has been integral in founding a nonprofit to help a South Minneapolis community during a challenging time, a release issued on the St. Catherine University website reported.

Mary Claire Francois, who is a student-athlete studying pre-nursing at the university, was recently attempting to help the community in her area through setting up a GoFundMe page. While the goal set for the donations— which were to be used to distribute masks and water to the community— was $1,000, Francois quickly raised a total of $21,000.

Francois collaborated with Valerie Quintana and Marni Lewis Harvey— both South Minneapolis residents— to found The Real Minneapolis. The nonprofit organization is meant to help further socially-aware projects throughout the community to offer support and exemplify local leadership.

One area that Francois feels connected to is helping youth from her neighborhood become involved in rebuilding.

“These kids are our future, and that is where a lot of my passion for youth involvement in The Real Minneapolis comes from,” Francois said in the release.

R. T. Rybak, the former mayor of Minneapolis, has provided the organization a grant, which is allowing the nonprofit to pay four youths from the Phelps Park Boys and Girls Club a wage of $14.50 an hour.

“We are focusing on turning over any funding we receive directly to our community,” Francois said.

Francois’ mother also attended St. Catherine and was a nurse whose career encouraged Francois to pursue nursing as a career as well. Francois has come to love the diversity at the campus.

“Coming from a culturally diverse high school, transitioning to a similar college environment was one of the most important aspects I was looking for when choosing a college," Francois said. "St. Kate’s really fit that, with the professors and people you see around campus, it’s a breath of fresh air to see that the change is happening, and it’s happening at St. Kate’s."