Our Mission
MNeurodivergent is a group by and for neurodivergent people. Our mission is to reduce isolation by creating welcoming spaces that support neurodiverse people to make meaningful connections with others.
What We Do
We host social events in the Twin Cities and Greater Minnesota, such as coffee shop meet-ups and movie nights. We offer a variety of activities to appeal to people with different interests, including crafting, gaming, and more. Our events provide just the right amount of structure and support for neurodiverse people. This allows people to be themselves, feel less alone, and build up their social networks. More Info
A Diverse Community
We plan our activities with diversity, inclusion, and accessibility in mind. We strive to be inclusive of people from different backgrounds, cultures, identities, and support needs. Whether you’ve been formally diagnosed or you’re still figuring things out, our doors are open to all neurodiverse individuals.
Our Vision
At MNeurodivergent, we envision a State of Minnesota where neurodivergent adults and children are no longer lonely—a place where everyone feels valued, understood, and connected. We strive to create a welcoming community where neurodivergent individuals can find friendship, support, and a sense of belonging. Through inclusive social events, meaningful conversations, and shared experiences, we foster an environment where people can be themselves without fear of judgment. We believe that no one should have to navigate the world alone, and together, we are building a future where neurodivergence is embraced, and isolation is replaced with connection.
Our Story
How We Got Started
In April of 2022, one of the founders of MNeurodivergent, Mitchell Schaps, had been working a remote job for two years during the COVID pandemic. He and his wife, Kaitlyn, had recently moved to Burnsville in their first home alone together. They did not have friends in the area, and started to feel very isolated. In response to this, Mitchell started looking online to see if there were any social groups, Facebook Groups, or etc in their area of Minnesota.
While doing this, he found the group, Making Friends Minnesota. While on this group, Mitchell saw a post from a woman who would become the other co-founder of MNeurodivergent, Emily Johnson. She had created a post on this group asking if anyone would be interested in creating a neurodivergent friend group. Seeing this post, Mitchell jumped on the opportunity. That month, Emily created a Facebook group for this neurodivergent friend group, which they would decide to call “MNeurodivergent”.
In July of that year, Mitchell would create a MeetUp group with the same name for the Twin Cities Metro Area. Following this, the first event for this group, a Tuesday Night at the Movies to see Descicable Me 3: The Rise of Gru, would happen on July 14th, 2022.
In November of 2022, after having been inspired by another MeetUp group who was supported by a Non-Profit, MN Autism Friends Unite, MNeurodivergent would officially incorporate as a 501-C3 Non-Profit.
Meet Our Board of Directors
Twin Cities ● Rochester ● Bemidji ● Duluth ● Saint Cloud ● Mankato
Our Facebook group has now grown to 1285 neurodivergent people across the state of Minnesota. Our Twin Cities MeetUp group has 1183 just in the metro area. We currently also have an active chapter in the Rochester Area with 85 people.