Community Champions Series, September 2026
| In this series, we celebrate the individuals whose dedication, compassion, and commitment are helping young people thrive, and whose everyday actions are making a lasting difference across our community. Community Champions go above and beyond to create safe spaces, open doors, and offer steady support when it matters most. |
Sarah Fadell
We are thrilled to highlight Sarah Fadell in our September post. She is truly a powerhouse, kind, energetic and compassionate. For the past 8 years, Sarah has led a team of volunteers on Xcel Energy’s Day of Service at The Link with dedication and care. She also generously gives through the Xcel Energy employee giving program and is one of our amazing Legends Level donors. She and her husband attend and support our annual gala, and they also painted our shelters and main office. Sarah doesn’t just give but also listens to our evolving needs—she helped us secure a vital grant from her church last year to support newborns in our community. We are deeply grateful for her extraordinary heart and relentless enthusiasm.
Please tell us a little bit about yourself and how you are involved in supporting The Link.
I live with my husband, son, and several pets in Golden Valley, and I work in Operations at Xcel Energy. I enjoy reading, learning, wine/cocktails, food, and travel. I became passionate about supporting our community when we lived in Minneapolis, and The Link has been my favorite community partner for quite some time. I love working with The Link to coordinate projects serving their various sites, meeting specific needs/asks through donations and/or projects with support from work and/or church folks, and sponsoring The Link’s annual gala.
How did you get introduced to The Link?
I was introduced to The Link through a project on Xcel Energy’s annual Day of Service in 2018.
When you learned about The Link, what inspired you to get involved?
I was immediately moved by The Link’s commitment to dignified service to their clients, and to the specific needs being met by the services.
How would you describe The Link to a client/partner/friend who has never heard of us?
The Link meets youth where they are to help support them through typical and not-so-typical life transitions so they can have the successful outcomes we wish for all kids!
When you think about the future of our community, what role do you see The Link playing, and why is that role so vital right now?
Youth experience rapid transition after rapid transition, which is challenging even under the most stable of circumstances within reliable support structures. Youth experiencing homelessness, sex trafficking, or the juvenile justice system are forced to navigate additional barriers to stability and it’s especially troubling if they also cannot necessarily rely on the support structures that many of us take for granted as “normal” or “built-in” to young lives. The Link provides services that build stable support structures and help Youth navigate challenging transitions in innumerable ways.
What do you think sets The Link apart from other organizations doing similar work?
The Link provides support in a multitude of ways/need categories and also widespread locations, making it helpful and accessible to very wide demographics, as well as to very large numbers, of Youth in the entire Twin Cities.
What would you say to someone who is considering getting involved?
Please visit www.thelinkmn.org to find out how you can get involved today! The Link has many projects/opportunities available that you can contribute to, but they are also open to receiving project ideas/donations if you have ideas of what you’d like to contribute!