Spring Into Service

Community Thread

Date/Time: During the month of May.

Location: Sites are located throughout Washington County. Volunteer opportunities will be posted on Get Connected, Community Thread’s Volunteer database.

Ages: Projects are family-friendly but age requirements may vary by site. The most family-friendly event is the Raingarden Cleanup with the Washington Conservation District. Please verify that the project you are interested in is appropriate for your family. 

Time Commitment: Varies by project.

Community Thread’s Spring into Service helps local nonprofit organizations that work to strengthen our community every day. By volunteering to beautify and spring clean at these organizations, you help those who support this community, so their time can be spent doing what they do best. This family-friendly volunteer activity engages 100-200 volunteers annually, assisting with a variety of projects to help nonprofits better serve the St. Croix Valley. You will be matched with a local nonprofit assisting with projects ranging from planting a garden, painting, sorting food, clothing, or books, outdoor cleanup, and more. Your help is needed and appreciated. Not only will you make a difference, and meet some new friends, but you’ll also get a cool T-shirt. It’s a great way to show your neighbors and our community that you cared enough to get involved.

Contact: Call 651.439.7434 or email Volunteer@CommunityThreadMN.org. To sign up create an account or login on Get Connected: Spring into Service Initiative. 

www.communitythreadmn.org 

Thanks A Million Teacher Appreciation Event

Kids In Need Foundation

Date/Time: Saturday, May 4, 7 a.m.–5:30 p.m. There are four different shifts during the day, 7–10:30 a.m., 8:30 a.m.–noon, 11:30 a.m.–3 p.m., and 2:30–5:30 p.m.

Location: Grace Church Roseville's parking lot, located at 1310 County Road B2 W, Roseville.

Ages: All volunteers for this event must be at least 12 years old. A parent/guardian needs to be responsible for the youth throughout the event.

Time Commitment: Shifts are between three to four hours.

Kids In Need Foundation (KINF) believes that every child in America should have equal opportunity and access to a quality education. KINF is excited for our third annual Thanks A Million event. We are looking forward to providing over 1,000 local teachers with $1,000 each of school supplies to thank them for their dedication to serving students. Volunteers will be assigned to help in a variety of roles including distributing products, returning shopping carts, restocking supplies, checking in teachers, recycling cardboard boxes, and other duties as needed. First-shift volunteers will also help with set-up and the last-shift volunteers will help with event tear down.

Contact: Jacob Olson, jolson@kinf.org, volunteering@kinf.org. Registration is available online.

https://www.kinf.org

2024 St. Louis Park Arbor Day Planting

Tree Trust

Date/Time: Saturday, May 11, 9 a.m.–noon.

Location: Birchwood Park, 2701 Zarthan Ave S, St. Louis Park.

Ages: This volunteer opportunity is great for families and small groups.

Time Commitment: Three hours.

Join Tree Trust as we green up the St. Louis Park community by planting 50 trees in Birchwood Park! We will provide all tools and training, so no previous experience is necessary. Come ready to be outside and get a little dirty! Don't forget to bring a reusable water bottle.

Contact: Registration is available online. 

https://treetrust.org

Food Packing

Feed My Starving Children (FMSC)

Date/Time: Multiple dates and times, see the website for details. Are you interested in packing meals at Target Field? Join FMSC on May 21 or 22 for meal packing sessions. Register at www.fmsc.org. 

Location: FMSC has Minnesota packing locations in Chanhassen, Coon Rapids, Eagan, and MobilePack events across the state.

Ages: Families with children as young as five years old may participate.

Time Commitment: Two–hour shifts.

Feed My Starving Children (FMSC) is a Christian nonprofit that provides nutritionally complete meals that are specifically formulated for malnourished children. FMSC offers volunteers a one-of-a-kind experience. Volunteers hand-pack rice, soy, dried vegetables, and a nutritionally complete blend of vitamins and minerals into bags, which are then sealed, boxed, placed on pallets, and shipped to partners around the world working hard to reach the neediest children. Through volunteering at FMSC, volunteers get the chance to impact hundreds of kids in just two hours per packing shift. You’ll experience what it’s like to make a tangible difference, today.

Contact: Registration is available online. For questions about volunteering or registering to volunteer, please refer to the FAQ page. If you have questions that are not addressed on the website or FAQ page, please contact the following: general inquiries at info@fmsc.org, or 763.504.2919. For volunteer and registration questions, registration@fmsc.org or 763.951.7306.

www.fmsc.org

Be a Sitter for Future Assistance Dogs! 

Can Do Canines

Date/Time: Ongoing need, as puppies need sitters at various times throughout the year.

Location: 9440 Science Center Drive, New Hope.

Ages: This is a great family project. Children can take part in feeding, obedience training, and helping to work on good house manners.

Time Commitment: Six or fewer days at a time.

If you love puppies but are not ready to adopt a dog, being a sitter may be a good option for you and your family! Sitters host a dog that is between eight weeks and two years of age in their home for up to six days, while the dog's longer-term raiser is out of town or unavailable. Can Do Canines will cover the cost of food and vet expenses. This is a great opportunity to spend quality time as a family and pass on the values of commitment, compassion, and civic responsibility by helping people with disabilities in your community.

Contact: Christine Popp, Volunteer Coordinator, volunteer@candocanines.org.

https://candocanines.org

Help Raise Future Assistance Dogs!

Can Do Canines

Date/Time: Ongoing need, as puppies need homes at various times throughout the year.

Location: 9440 Science Center Drive, New Hope.

Ages: This is a great family project. Children 15 years old and younger can take part in feeding, obedience training, and helping puppies to work on good house manners, and children who are 16 years old and older can handle dogs in class and in public places under adult supervision.

Time Commitment: Opportunities range from 1 week to 24 months.

Raise and train a future assistance dog! Raisers are needed to teach our curious canines good house manners and how to behave well in public places. Raisers take a future assistance dog into their home for timeframes that range from 1 week up to 24 months. You can choose the length of time you host a dog. Can Do Canines will cover the cost of food and vet expenses. Puppy Raisers are asked to take the puppy on public outings three times a week and bring the puppy to one training opportunity a month. We have amazing trainers to teach you how to raise a future assistance dog. You’ll learn new skills in class and get comfortable taking the puppy in public while attending our group outings. This is a great opportunity to spend quality time as a family and pass on the values of commitment, compassion, and civic responsibility by helping people with disabilities in your community.

Contact: Christine Popp, Volunteer Coordinator, volunteer@candocanines.org.

https://candocanines.org

Planting Wild Strawberries and Waterleaf into Bee Lawn at Hidden Falls

Great River Greening

Date/Time: Saturday, June 1, 9 a.m.–noon.

Location: 1313 Hidden Falls Drive, St. Paul. Participants will receive a detailed map to the exact location.

Ages: This is a family-friendly event. Families with children of all ages are welcome to participate.

Time Commitment: Three hours.

Join Great River Greening at Hidden Falls Regional Park in St. Paul to plant wild strawberries and waterleaf for native ground cover. These species are resilient to mowing and they bloom with early spring flowers critical for bees just waking up. No previous knowledge or experience is necessary, we will provide the tools and training required.

There will also be light snacks and extra water available, however, please bring a reusable water bottle and any additional snacks or lunch items you may need. Lunch will be served for volunteers at noon.

Contact: Jessica Drummond at jdrummond@greatrivergreening.org. Registration is required and is available online.

https://greatrivergreening.org/

Meal Service Volunteers

Loaves & Fishes

Date/Time(s): Check individual sites for dates and times.

Location(s): Loaves & Fishes meal sites are located throughout the metro area.

Ages: At Loaves & Fishes, we appreciate and support youth involvement in community service and the opportunity to expose youth to a condition of life different from their own. Our youth participation guidelines help provide a safe and efficient work environment while maintaining the dignity of our guests. The following age breakdowns are suggested best practices. However, because each meal site is different, Site Coordinators may make exceptions at their discretion and with parental input and permission.

• Volunteers 15 years old and younger may handle cold food and cold beverages.
• Youth ages 13 to 15 years old must have one adult for every five youths for supervision purposes.
• Youth ages 12 years old and under need to have direct one-on-one supervision. 
• Volunteers must be 8 years old or older.

Time Commitment: Typically, two to three hours.

For 41+ years, Loaves & Fishes has served free, healthy meals to Minnesotans where the need is greatest. Today, we are the largest free restaurant in Minnesota. We serve urban, suburban, and rural communities through a variety of meal programs supported by creative food sourcing and food rescue efforts.

Loaves & Fishes has opportunities for individuals and small groups to help package and serve meals at our various meal sites. No experience is necessary; our site coordinators will walk you through everything. Loaves & Fishes Minnesota is not a religious organization; we serve without regard to religious perspective and do not engage in activities that promote any particular religious cause.

Meal Site Cooking volunteers assist with cooking a pre-planned meal under the guidance of the site coordinator and help package meals for distribution.

Meal Site Serving volunteers continue to package and distribute meals, clean up during distribution and at the end of the evening, and do dishes throughout the serving period.

We also have opportunities for individuals and small groups to help at our Commissary Kitchen, preparing food for distribution at our various meal sites. As with our meal sites, no experience is necessary. 

Commissary Prep volunteers will prepare and package food/meals and will likely be working with raw meat.

For more information on Loaves & Fishes visit https://www.loavesandfishesmn.org.

Contact: Director of Volunteers and Outreach, 612.377.9810, volunteer@loavesandfishesmn.org. Please check this link to search for a meal site based on location or day of the week. Whether to prep and/or to serve, simply find a date (or dates) that work for you and sign up. You will receive a confirmation email soon after signing up.

https://www.loavesandfishesmn.org

Meal Preparation, Packaging, or Packout for Deliveries and Shipping Volunteers Needed 

Open Arms of Minnesota

Date/Time: There are a variety of shifts available.

Location(s): 

• 2500 Bloomington Ave. S, Minneapolis.
• 380 E. Lafayette Frontage Rd., St. Paul.

Ages: Families with children ages eight years old and older are welcome to volunteer. Click here for more information on age requirements and adult-to-youth ratio.

Time Commitment: Two hours per shift.

Families with youth are welcome to help with the following volunteer opportunities.

Meal Prep and Packaging: Youth are welcome to help us in the kitchen with scooping cookie dough, making Jell-O, and packaging cookies for our clients' weekly meal deliveries.

Packout for Deliveries and Shipping: Youth are welcome to help us pack bags or boxes for our client’s weekly meal deliveries. Submit online applications for each adult and youth interested in volunteering. After attending orientation, you may sign up for kitchen shifts as often as you’d like. Learn more about us at www.openarmsmn.org.

Please stay home if you or someone in your household are sick or have been sick recently.

Contact: Questions? Contact us at volunteer@openarmsmn.org. To get started, visit https://openarmsmn.volunteerhub.com/.

www.openarmsmn.org

Meal Delivery

Open Arms of Minnesota (Background check required)

Date/Time(s): Weekdays, 10:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.

• Monday–Wednesday deliveries serve the greater West Metro area and are labeled MPLS. These routes pick up meals at our Minneapolis location.
• Thursday and Friday deliveries serve the greater East Metro area and are labeled STP. These routes pick up meals at our St. Paul location. 

Location(s):

• MPLS: 2500 Bloomington Ave S, Minneapolis.
• STP: 380 E Lafayette Frontage Rd, St. Paul.

Ages: Families with children of all ages are welcome to volunteer. The driver must be at least 18 years old and have a valid driver's license.

Time Commitment: One to two hours per shift. After you've attended a new volunteer orientation or completed our online orientation and completed a background check (driver only), you may sign up to volunteer. There is no minimum time commitment. You can volunteer once, regularly, or as often as you are available. Each route will usually have 4-8 stops and will take approximately 1-2 hours to complete.

Volunteer to deliver meals to our clients and help Open Arms bring nourishment to people who need it most. Open Arms delivers homemade food to approximately 1,200 clients every week across the Twin Cities, using healthy ingredients, free of charge. Pick the delivery route that suits you and your family best. Enjoy complimentary refreshments on your journey!

Contact: Questions? Contact us at volunteer@openarmsmn.org. To get started, visit https://openarmsmn.volunteerhub.com/.

www.openarmsmn.org

Kit Assembly Projects

Our Saviour’s Housing (OSH) 

Date/Time: All drop-offs occur Monday through Friday between 9 a.m.–5 p.m. You must sign up for a drop-off time slot to deliver your donations.

Location: 2219 Chicago Ave. So., Minneapolis.

Ages: Everyone can help.

Time Commitment: Varies.

Your family can help support the people that Our Saviour’s Housing serves right from your own home. OSH needs multiple kits that help make life a little easier for the shelter and permanent housing residents. Visit our volunteer page and scroll down to For Families or Groups for descriptions of the kits we need. Kits can be assembled into individual bags from your home. When you are finished with your kits, sign up for a time slot to drop off your kits. Please contact our volunteer coordinator with any questions or see our wish list for additional needed items. We welcome donations of any quantity.

Contact: Wateen Osman, Volunteer@oscs-mn.org. Click here to sign up for a drop-off time slot.

https://oscs-mn.org

Prepare and Donate Freezer Meals

Our Saviour’s Housing (OSH) 

Date/Time: All drop-offs occur Monday through Friday between 9 a.m.–5 p.m. YYou must sign up for a drop-off time slot to deliver your donations.

Location: 2219 Chicago Ave. So., Minneapolis.

Ages: Everyone can help.

Time Commitment: Varies.

In the face of a continued shortage of on-site meal providers, pre-cooked freezer meals are making a big difference for our shelter clients. We are looking for individuals to cook meals at home and package them in disposable foil trays to be frozen. You drop them off with heating instructions, and we will take care of the rest! The meals will go into our freezer and be taken out to be thawed and reheated by our wonderful shelter staff. Our goal is to source about 10 meals to feed 21 people per month through frozen meals. You can cook whatever you like but please remember to avoid pork products as some of our guests have dietary restrictions. If you would like popular suggestions, please reach out to the volunteer coordinator. Meals should be delivered in disposable containers that are oven-safe. Typically, large foil trays with lids are the best option. If your meal can be reheated in a pot you can use large Ziploc-type bags. Please remember to include reheating instructions on the lid so our staff knows exactly what to do. Information about the type of meal, oven temperature, etc., are all very important.

Contact: Wateen Osman, Volunteer@oscs-mn.org. Click here to sign up for a drop-off time slot.

https://oscs-mn.org

Share Your Surplus Garden Harvest

AmpleHarvest.org

Date/Time: Ongoing.

Location: Your own garden or find a community garden near you.

Ages: All ages can participate, depending on the garden or farm.

Time Commitment: Varies.

Do you like to garden? One out of six children in America lives in a food-insecure home, meaning their parents don't know where their next meal will come from. No matter where you live, there are people in your community that are experiencing hunger. Food pantries can help fill in the gaps but are continuously lacking in healthy, fresh produce to offer. Luckily, you can help alleviate this issue in your own neighborhood! By planting just a little extra to donate, you can improve the health of your community as well. When you donate your surplus garden bounty, you are helping to relieve hunger and making an impact on obesity and other food-related diseases. Consider planting an extra row or even a few additional plants to donate to a local food pantry. And if you find yourself with a runaway zucchini plant or another bountiful crop that gives you more than you can eat, don't let it go to waste! Even a small donation will help increase food security in your area. 

Ampleharvest.org is pleased to partner with Bonnie Plants “Grow More Feed More” initiative and Home Depot's “Donate Your Harvest” initiative. Bonnie Plants will donate 5% of online sales to Ampleharvest.org. Click here for more information on Grow More Feed More and to order your plants online. Home Depot supports Ampleharvest.org with its Donate Your Harvest initiative. Click here for links to gardening helpful hints, plants and supplies, and locations on harvest drop-off locations in your area.

Contact: You can find one of more than 8,000 food pantries in all 50 states (and on Native American Reservations too!) eager for your help by clicking here.

www.ampleharvest.org

Raise a Puppy and Be a Hero

Canine Companions

Date/Time: Ongoing opportunity.

Location: Nationwide. Remote volunteering is an option.

Ages: Please note: If you are under the age of 18, you must have a parent or legal guardian fill out the application and you can sign on as a co-applicant. 

Time Commitment: 14-18 months (flexible).

Canine Companions is a national nonprofit organization that provides expertly trained service dogs and a lifetime of follow-up services – completely free of charge – to children, adults, and veterans with disabilities so they can lead lives with greater independence. Canine Companions volunteer puppy raisers provide purpose-bred puppies a safe home, take them to puppy classes, serve up a healthy diet, provide socialization opportunities, and give lots of love. Each hour spent caring for a Canine Companions puppy is vital to their development as a future service dog. Our puppy-raising program provides a unique opportunity for families to volunteer to assist with our very important mission. As a volunteer puppy raiser, we ask that you meet the following requirements: 

• Provide a safe environment for a puppy who will be the only dog under 12 months old in your home. 
• Work closely with Canine Companions to monitor the puppy’s progress and submit monthly reports. 
• Attend an average of two Canine Companions-approved classes per month. 
• Teach the puppy manners and basic skills. 
• Responsible for the puppy’s food, veterinary expenses, and puppy classes. 
• Transport the dog to the regional training center at the projected turn-in time. 
• Feed the puppy a diet recommended by Canine Companions. 
• Utilize a kennel or crate for sleeping indoors. 
• Provide the puppy with age-appropriate socialization opportunities, such as public outings and veterinary appointments. 
• Keep the puppy on a leash at all times, unless supervised in a securely fenced area. 
• Supervise the puppy throughout the day. 

Contact: ncrpuppy@canine.org. Email us or sign up by visiting Canine.org and filling out a puppy-raising application request.

Canine.org