Lunch Making Brigade 

Date/Time: This is an ongoing, flexible opportunity

Location: 2219 Chicago Ave, Minneapolis
Our Emergency Shelter is home to 40 adults every night of the year, but we are closed during the day. You can help make sure that residents stay fed and healthy even while they're away from the shelter by making simple meat and cheese sandwiches. Individuals and groups can make as many lunches as they are able to, up to 200. You can make either full lunches, including snacks, in a brown lunch bag, just the sandwiches, or just the snacks. Lunches can be made at your own location and dropped off at our shelter, or we can schedule a time for you to make lunches at our shelter!      

Ages: All ages are welcome

Time Commitment: Flexible

Friendly Visitor  

Nokomis Healthy Seniors

Date/Time: Flexible

Location: 4120 17th Avenue South, Minneapolis   

Nokomis Healthy Seniors, a Living at Home/Block Nurse Program, was formed in February 1994 to provide a high quality, cost effective way to meet the need of elders in the Nokomis community. The program gives community volunteers an opportunity to make a difference in the lives of others and increases connections between neighbors. Friendly visitor volunteers chat, play cards, watch videos, help with small tasks, share coffee, etc. There are many meaningful ways to provide companionship while you develop a relationship with an isolated person. The schedule is very flexible and this opportunity works well for an individual or a family.

Ages: Families are welcome 

Time Commitment: Flexible

Contact: Becky Beeskow, 612.729.5499, [email protected]
www.nokomishealthyseniors.org 

Assemble "Creativity Kits" for Children (Coloring Book & Crayons)  

Minnesota Visiting Nurse Agency (MVNA)

Date/Time: Flexible, the MVNA office is open 8am-4:30pm Monday through Friday. Arrangements can be made for earlier or later drop off if needed

Location: 2000 Summer Street, Suite 100, Minneapolis
Most of the homes visited by Minnesota Visiting Nurse Agency nurses do not have any outlets for creative expression, such as crayons. A coloring book opens an important creative avenue for young children. Your family can help by collecting and assembling coloring books and crayons. Then your children can decorate the envelopes for the kit materials.
Each kit should include: 

• One or two new Coloring Books (sensitive to diversity of clients served by MVNA) - subject of books can be animals, trucks, cartoon characters, etc.
• New Crayons (set of 24) - thick if possible
• Stickers - 2 sheets
• Construction paper - 5 sheets
• Package the kit materials in a 9" x 12" envelope (unsealed). Children are encouraged to decorate the outside of the envelope.

Please indicate by marking in pencil on the kit envelope as to whether the kit would be enjoyed by a girl, a boy, or either.

Ages: Everyone can participate

Time Commitment: Flexible

Contact: Karin Meier, 612.617.4611, [email protected]. Please call or email to make arrangements to drop off kits
www.mvna.org 

Let it Grow  

Neighborhood Involvement Program (NIP) Seniors Program

Date/Time: Flexible 

Location: Exact location in North or Southwest Minneapolis will depend upon where the senior lives.
Enjoy the great outdoors and get your hands dirty! Seniors in Minneapolis need your help to maintain their flower garden or vegetable patch. Work with a partner and you can take turns gardening.  

Ages: Family teams are welcome; youth must be age 7 or older and supervised by an adult.

Time Commitment: Volunteer one time or adopt a garden for the season until it freezes

Contact: Jeanne, 612.746.8549, [email protected]
www.neighborhoodinvolve.org 

Help Feed Hungry Kids  

Neighbors, Inc.

Date/Time: Various weekday morning and lunchtime shifts. We prefer groups to adopt a week at a school site, but we are flexible with any schedule a group chooses; some shifts are subject to change depending on summer school scheduling and we will keep each group informed ahead of time.

Location: Henry Sibley High School, 1897 Delaware Ave, Mendota Heights; Garlough Environmental Magnet School, 1740 Charlton Street, West St Paul; Kaposia Education Center, 1225 1st Avenue S, South St Paul; South St. Paul High School, 700 2nd Street N, South St Paul
Good nutrition is necessary for students to learn effectively. We need volunteers to help serve breakfasts and lunches to students attending summer school.
Key volunteer activities include: 

• Build positive community relationships by greeting and talking to students
• Prepare serving area before meal time and cleanup afterwards
• Serve meals to students and encourage students to take milk and other required food items
• Minimal food preparation is sometimes required, with supervision from school kitchen staff

This is a perfect service opportunity for churches, workplaces, community groups, families, and individuals looking for fun opportunities to help their community.

Ages: Minimum age is 10. Volunteers 10-13 years old need to be accompanied by an adult

Time Commitment: Between one and a half and three hours of service for each shift

Contact: Scott, 651.306.2149 or [email protected]
neighborsmn.org 

Plant Trees in Golden Valley  

Tree Trust 

Date/Time: Saturday, June 7, 8:30am- noon

Location: Brookview Golf Course, Golden Valley
Help re-forest Golden Valley by planting trees with Tree Trust at Brookview Golf Course! This event is great for individuals, families, and small groups. No experience is necessary; Tree Trust staff and trained volunteers will teach you how to plant correctly and be present throughout the event to answer your questions and provide assistance. We'll provide all the tools, training and calories you'll need and you'll feel great knowing you helped green Golden Valley.

Ages: Five and older 

Time Commitment: Four hours 

Contact: Christine Lee, [email protected]
www.TreeTrust.org 

Share your Bounty  

Garden Gleaning Project

Date/Time: Summer 2014 growing season  

Location: Your garden

The Garden Gleaning Projects mission is to facilitate the harvesting and distribution of fresh produce from gardens in the community to local food shelves. Whether you've already got your veggies in the ground or are just now considering what to plant this year, we encourage you to keep in mind your neighbors in need. Consider planting a little extra of the foods your neighborhood food shelf needs most. Some of the most commonly identified fresh foods requested by our partner food shelves are: 

• Tomatoes and Cherry Tomatoes
• Green Beans
• Hot and Sweet Peppers
• Cooking Greens (Spinach, Kale, Collards, etc.)
• Lettuce
• Sweet Corn
• Carrots
• Green Peas
• Cabbage
• Herbs (especially Cilantro, Parsley, Basil, Thyme, Oregano, Dill and Chives)

All food shelves are a little different in terms of size, capacity, mission and which communities they primarily serve. It's always a great idea to reach out directly to your local food shelf and ask which fruits and vegetables are most popular.  

Ages: Everyone can participate 

Time Commitment: Variable

Contact: Jared Walhowe, [email protected] or 651.789.3321
www.gardengleaning.org 

Summer Camp Volunteers  

True Friends

Date/Time: One week, June-August

Location: Camp Courage in Maple Lake, MN or Camp Courage North in Lake George, MN
True Friends provides camp and respite experiences to children and adults with a variety of disabilities, along with their family and friends. Volunteer families are needed to assist during camp. Volunteer tasks can include activities such as cabin support, kitchen support, housekeeping, program design, and more, depending on your skills and interests. Volunteers directly support True Friends' mission: "Provide life-changing experiences that enhance independence and self-esteem for children and adults with disabilities."

Ages: Five and older- adults need to provide supervision for those under 18

Time Commitment: One week; food and housing provided

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

Wayzata Shoreline Planting  

Great River Greening

Date/Time: Saturday, June 7, 8:30am-12:30pm

Location: Section Foreman House, 738 Lake Street E, Wayzata
Residents of Wayzata worked together on a plan to enhance the city's lakefront on Lake Minnetonka. Join Great River Greening in turning the community's design into reality by restoring a natural shoreline to increase green space, manage stormwater, and improve habitat and ecological diversity.

Ages: Everyone is welcome; we only require that children under 12 are accompanied by an adult 

Time Commitment: Four hours 

Contact: Jen Wendland Kader, Volunteer & Outreach Manager, [email protected], 651.665.9500 x11. Registration is available online
www.greatrivergreening.org