Meet Emanuel

Emanuel Roberts is a compassionate and visionary leader in the fight for equity, healing, and harm reduction. As the founder and Executive Director of Anything Helps, he has built a grassroots movement centered on dignity, connection, and recovery for those most impacted by substance use, mental health challenges, and systemic injustice.

Rooted in personal experience and community care, Emanuel’s journey has been shaped by deep loss—from the friends and family he has lost to addiction, to the countless stories of struggle he’s encountered on the frontlines of outreach. Rather than turning away, Emanuel transformed that grief into action—committing his life to building a safety net for those society too often forgets.

Through Anything Helps, Emanuel has created a hub of support in North Minneapolis that offers syringe access, naloxone distribution, wound care, peer recovery training, community events, and housing navigation. His approach to harm reduction is not just practical—it’s radical in its empathy. He meets people where they are, builds trust through consistency, and centers the voices of those with lived experience.

As a Certified Peer Recovery Specialist (CPRS) Trainer, Emanuel develops future peer leaders by combining professional rigor with the authenticity of his lived expertise. His training sessions are more than educational—they are spaces of empowerment, healing, and transformation.

Emanuel’s impact extends far beyond his organization. He is a convener, a collaborator, and a tireless advocate. He partners with local coalitions, public health entities, and Black-led organizations to expand access to care and reduce overdose deaths. Whether hosting neighborhood resource fairs, co-leading community clean-ups, or championing culturally grounded recovery pathways, Emanuel’s work is always rooted in collective liberation.

Driven by the belief that healing is a human right, Emanuel Roberts embodies what it means to lead with heart, humility, and hope. His life’s work is a powerful reminder that anything helps—especially when it comes from a place of love, justice, and community.