Learn and Deliver Meals With Your Family!  

Meals on Wheels

Date/Time: Volunteer one hour during lunchtime, Monday through Friday. Your family can volunteer weekly, monthly, or on a schedule that works for you.

Location: With 35 neighborhood sites throughout the Twin Cities, you can easily be connected with a delivery site near your home!   

Delivering Meals on Wheels with your children or grandchildren is a wonderful opportunity to spend quality time as a family and pass on the values of kindness, compassion, and civic responsibility by helping seniors and individuals with disabilities in your community. Whether you have infants or teenagers, you can make a contribution together to improve your community. Delivering meals involves driving to the program site, picking up, and delivering 8-10 meals. It takes about an hour, and you can choose a program site near your home. The amount you socialize with the clients is dependent on the volunteer and the client. Learn more about delivering meals as a family.   

Ages: Families are welcomed and encouraged to volunteer

Time Commitment: About an hour at lunchtime

Contact: Emily Lund, 612.623.3363, [email protected]
www.meals-on-wheels.com

Meal Service Volunteers    

Loaves & Fishes

Date/Time: Most Loaves & Fishes dinner volunteer shifts start between 2 and 3pm and end by 7pm, depending on the day and location. During the summer months, Loaves & Fishes also hosts several lunch dining sites dedicated to feeding children who are out of school for the summer.   

Location: Loaves & Fishes dining sites and summer lunch sites are located throughout the metro area.   

Loaves & Fishes is a nonprofit meal program in Minnesota, serving a hot meal to those in need. In 2014, they served over 400,000 hot, nutritious meals. Loaves & Fishes volunteers help prepare and serve free meals to those in need. Volunteers who help with meal service assist with assembling trays or plates of food and delivering them to dining site guests. Volunteers also help with cleanup associated with the meal service and dining area maintenance.    

Ages: Volunteers must be eight or older

Time Commitment: Typically two hours, depends on exact shift

Contact: Carly Quintus, Director of Volunteers, 612.326.3673, [email protected]. Registration is available online - click here for dinner serving opportunities and here for lunch serving opportunities
www.loavesandfishesmn.org  

Family Meal Delivery  

Open Arms of Minnesota

Date/Time: Weekdays, 10:30am - 1pm and Saturdays, 9:30 - 11:30am  

Location: 2500 Bloomington Ave S., Minneapolis  

Volunteer to deliver meals to our clients and help Open Arms bring nourishment to those who need it most. This year, Open Arms network of more than 2,400 volunteers will help cook and deliver more than 470,000 meals for people living with life threatening illnesses. Pick the delivery route that suits you and your family best. Drivers must have a valid driver's license.  

Ages: Families of all ages are welcome!

Time Commitment: One to two hours per shift. All adult volunteers must sign up for and attend a new volunteer orientation at our office at 2500 Bloomington Ave S, Minneapolis  

Doing Good Together at Highland Fest  

Doing Good Together

Date/Time: Saturday, July 18, 10am - 8pm & Sunday, July 19, 10am - 5pm   

Location: Highland Fest, Highland Park. Visit us in the Community Village.  

Join Doing Good Together at St. Paul's popular Highland Fest this July! Doing Good Together will be hosting a tent featuring fun family activities that empower children to make the world a better place. Thank you to our generous sponsor New Horizon Academy (Highland Park).

Ages: Everyone can participate

Time Commitment: Flexible

Contact: [email protected]
www.doinggoodtogether.org; www.highlandfest.com 

Foster Families for Dogs  

Good Karma Animal Rescue of MN

Date/Time: Ongoing

Location: Twin Cities area  

Good Karma is a small, foster-based animal rescue located in the Twin Cities, with the belief that when it comes to rescuing animals, the focus should remain on quality care rather than quantity of animals. Good Karma does not have a physical shelter or facility. All their animals live in foster homes and learn how to become part of a family. Temporary families are needed for shelter dogs while they await adoption! Good Karma provides all supplies needed to foster a dog. Visit their website for more information on fostering a dog.   

Ages: Families are welcome to volunteer

Time Commitment: Minimum of two weeks; average is four to six weeks

Contact: Lisa Booth, [email protected]
www.goodkarmamn.org

Mentor a Child  

Kids 'n Kinship

Date/Time: Ongoing opportunity

Location: Your home or the community  

Kids 'n Kinship matches volunteer mentor families, couples, and individuals with youth ages 5-16 in need of additional positive role models for fun and enriching weekly activities. Mentoring works! Please consider stepping forward today to mentor a child with your family. We are based in Dakota County and have served families in Apple Valley, Burnsville, Eagan, Farmington, Lakeville and Rosemount for over 43 years. Matches are made based on compatible personalities, ages and interests as well as preferences of both volunteer family and the youth and parent/guardian. Our families say that mentoring together ensures they have weekly family time and that it's easy to include another child with the family activity, whether it's a board game, sledding, a trip to a park, or going to the zoo or a museum. We offer discounted passes to area attractions to make activities more affordable, a 45-minute information session, a two-hour training session, as well as ongoing training and support. We ask mentors and mentees to commit to a year's time together in order to build their relationship; however, many of our matches become lifelong friendships and our average match is about three years. Please consider being a mentor to a child - it is one of the most challenging and rewarding ways to volunteer!   

Ages: Mentors are families, couples, or individuals over 21

Time Commitment: One to four hours per week, on your own time (very flexible scheduling: can be weekends, evenings or after school)

Contact: Ingrid Henry, Kinship Coordinator at [email protected] or 651.686.0990
www.kidsnkinship.org  

Family Summer Camp Volunteers  

True Friends - Camp Courage  

Date/Time: June-August

Location: Camp Courage in Maple Lake, MN or Camp Courage North in Lake George, MN   

Families of up to seven members (two of whom are adults 18 years+) assist during camp depending their on skill sets (including, but not limited to: cabin support, kitchen support, housekeeping, or program design). Volunteers directly support True Friends' mission: "Provide life-changing experiences that enhance independence and self-esteem for children and adults with disabilities."  

Ages: Families with children five and older are welcome to volunteer - adults must provide supervision for those under 18 years.

Time Commitment: One week; food and housing provided at no charge; various weeks through August.

Contact: Conor McGrath [email protected] or 952.852.0113
truefriends.org

Tonka Mud Run  

Kids Against Hunger West Metro

Date/Time: Saturday, July 11. Volunteer shifts are between 7am - 1:30 pm, depending on the activity. Volunteers are also needed to help with set-up on Friday from noon -  8pm

Location: Lake Minnewashta Regional Park, 6900 Hazeltine Blvd, Chanhassen  

Kids Against Hunger-West Metro (KAH-WM) is a volunteer-driven organization committed to inspiring, engaging, and educating people, starting with our children, by packaging life-saving meals that ease world hunger. This will be the third annual Tonka Mud Run! The Tonka Mud Run was conceived and developed by a small group of dedicated volunteers. Their enthusiasm led to the creation of this family-friendly mud run that encourages family fun and fitness, highlights local businesses and parks, and supports Kids Against Hunger-West Metro. Families can volunteer at the Tonka Mud Run in a variety of ways: 

1. Friday set up
2. Assist with the Mini-Tonka Mud Run
3. Obstacle Monitors: Two people are stationed at each obstacle during the Tonka Mud Run. We have had a mom and daughter team at one station and a dad and daughter team at another. Family groups of three together could also participate as an obstacle partner team.
4. Tear down

If you'd prefer, your family can choose to participate in the race rather than as volunteers. The run is for kids and adults featuring a kid fun mud run and a 5K run for adults-including obstacles that won't make you scream too badly!  There is a timed course and a just-have-fun course if you want to skip out on some of the run. Click here for race registration.

Ages: Everyone is welcome. Kids Against Hunger- West Metro is all about bringing families and communities together to serve the greater good.

Time Commitment: Varies, depending on volunteer activity

Cooks for Kids Meal Providers  

Ronald McDonald House Charities, Upper Midwest

Date/Time: Volunteers serve dinner everyday at 5:30pm; brunch is also served on Saturday and Sunday at 11:30am. Volunteers typically arrive 60-90 minutes earlier in order to get everything prepped and ready.

Location: Four metro locations, our newest St. Paul location inside Children's Hospital needs volunteers starting on August 1.  

After a long day in the hospital, a fully prepared meal served by friendly volunteers makes a huge impact on families staying at a Ronald McDonald House. Volunteer groups are needed to participate in the Cooks for Kids meal program at their new location inside Children's Hospital in St. Paul or at any of their four metro locations. The Cooks for Kids meal program gives volunteers a special opportunity to support families who are staying at Ronald McDonald House. Volunteers purchase, prepare, and serve a buffet style meal of their choosing and by doing so, they give families one less thing to worry about. Click here for more information and guidelines for Cooks for Kids volunteers. Younger family members can help prepare food or bake items at home or they can help by preparing breakfast bags (a decorated lunch bag filled with snack items for families to take to the hospital with them).    

Ages: Families with children 14 and older are welcome to volunteer onsite; younger children can help with advance preparation or by preparing breakfast bags.  

Time Commitment: One time or recurring

Contact: Marlee Landsburg, [email protected], 612.767.2794
www.rmhtwincities.org 

Million Acorn Challenge  

Great River Greening

Date/Time: Collect acorns between August 22 and September 16. Acorns should be dropped off at Great River Greening on one of the following dates: 

• Wednesday, September 2, from 12-7pm
• Wednesday, September 9, from 12-7pm
• Wednesday, September 16, from 12-7pm

Location: Collection must occur within a 25-mile radius of Doyle-Kennefick Regional Park or South Washington Conservation Corridor to ensure that the acorns match the sites ecotypes. Maps will be provided, and Great River Greening will provide suggested collecting sites to all groups. Drop-off collected acorns at Great River Greening, 35 West Water Street, St. Paul  

Did you know that there used to be nearly two million acres of oak savanna in the Twin Cities? Today, fewer than 3,800 acres remain. Help us reach our goal of collecting one million acorns within the seven county metro area, where they will eventually be planted in the South Washington Conservation Corridor or at Doyle-Kennefick Regional Park. This August and September, join Great River Greening in collecting acorns to restore local oak savannas! Volunteers are needed to help collect acorns from sites all across the metro area. Every acorn counts, and you can start at a park or natural area near you (with land-owner permission). Your efforts will renew and restore local oak savanna populations.  

Ages: Everyone can participate

Time Commitment: Varies

Contact: Jen Kader, Volunteer and Outreach Manager at (651) 665-9500 x11 or by email at [email protected]. Pre-registration is required, so sign up today. An informational packet with details for the collection will be sent to all registrants in early August. Once you've signed up you'll receive a registration packet filled with challenge rules, acorn types, and helpful hints and resources.
www.greatrivergreening.org 

Assemble CWS Kits  

Church World Service (CWS)

Date/Time: Kits are accepted year-round

Location: Ship all Kits prepaid to:  

Church World Service
Brethren Service Center Annex 

P.O. Box 188
New Windsor, MD 21776-0188  

CWS Kits are small packages of supplies assembled by volunteers and shipped to people in need around the world. Assembling these kits is a great activity to add kindness to a summer barbeque or other summer family get-together. Church World Service (CWS) collects School Kits, Hygiene Kits, Baby Care Kits and Emergency Clean-up Buckets and distributes them worldwide to those in need. Click the above links for instructions for assembling and shipping the kits. You can make it a party and divide the cost among many families. Doing Good Together's Assemble Kits for CWS page offers suggestions for reflections, resources and ways for your family to take the activities further.  

Ages: Everyone can participate

Time Commitment: Varies

Contact: 1.800.297.1516, [email protected]
www.cwsglobal.org