Festival of Giving 2025

Doing Good Together (DGT)

Date/Time: Saturday, November 8, 10 a.m.–noon.

Location: Big Brothers Big Sisters Twin Cities

3110 N Washington Ave

Minneapolis, Minnesota

Ages: All ages can participate; especially appropriate for children 4–10 years old and their families

Time Commitment: The program is two hours, but open house format so come for as long as you like. 

This one-stop volunteer event features kid-friendly kindness project stations, including decorating reusable tote bags, assembling snack packs, packaging dog treats & toys, making no-sew fleece scarves, sandwich making, creating winter/holiday cards, making stress balls, and children’s books to donate and/or bring home!

Contact: Reserve your free tickets here. For more information or if you'd like to sponsor this unique event, contact Leah@doinggoodtogether.org.

www.doinggoodtogether.org

Home for Good

Greater Twin Cities United Way (GTCUW)

Date/Time: Collections barrels will be available at the Old National Bank locations listed below until Friday, November 7.

Location: Items may be dropped off until Friday, November 7 at the following Old National Bank locations:

• Maple Grove: 11850 Fountains Way, Maple Grove.
• Wayzata: Central Ave N, Wayzata.
• Eagan: 1360 Duckwood Dr, Eagan.
• Arden Hills: 1240 County Rd E, Arden Hills.
• St. Paul: 2700 7th Ave E, North St Paul.
• Plymouth: Vinewood Ln N, Plymouth.

You may also schedule a drop-off at Greater Twin Cities United Way, 404 S 8th St, Minneapolis.

Ages: Everyone can help.

Time Commitment: Varies.

The need for stable housing is profound and growing in our community. On any given night in Minnesota, more than 10,000 people experience homelessness. Families represent about half of all people experiencing homelessness. When families have to choose between paying the rent or buying groceries, it’s clear their housing isn’t stable or affordable. Everyone deserves a safe, stable and affordable place to call home. But too many local families are struggling to find and keep stable housing. Volunteer or donate to provide household essentials — like kitchenware, blankets, cleaning supplies and more — for families to thrive in their home. Create your own volunteer experience at home with friends, family and neighbors by donating one, or all, of the following:

• Home essentials packs
• Fleece tie blankets
• Highly needed individual items

Click here and scroll down past the sign-up form for specific details about items requested for home essentials packs, fleece tie blankets, and individual items. Learn more here.

Contact: volunteerunited@gtcuw.org. Click here to sign-up to provide household supplies.

https://www.gtcuw.org/volunteer/home-for-good/

Come Help Us Clean and Refurbish Gently Used Bikes

Free Bikes 4 Kidz MN

Date/Time(s): Click here for available volunteer shifts. Volunteer shifts run Monday through Saturday. We have shifts for all levels, six days a week, with no experience necessary.

Location: This year’s warehouse is at Highway 81 and Brooklyn Blvd. Once you register for a day and time to volunteer, a confirmation email will be sent to you with the Warehouse address, including the dates and times you registered.

Ages: The minimum age to volunteer is 12 years old, and volunteers under 18 years old must be with a chaperone and bring a signed waiver. One adult can chaperone up to three youth volunteers.

Time Commitment: Volunteer shifts are a minimum of three hours.

Free Bikes 4 Kidz MN is a nonprofit organization geared toward helping all kids ride into a happier, healthier childhood by providing bikes to those most in need. The public donates gently used bikes, we organize thousands of volunteers to clean and refurbish them, and then we give them away to kids in need. We love folks with mad bike repair skills, but if you and your family members are handy with rags, we can put you to work. This is a super fun way for a family to volunteer together. The more the merrier! No experience is necessary. Help us share the joy of having a bike with more kids!

Contact: volunteer@fb4kmn.org or visit our website to sign up!

www.fb4kmn.org/

Tie Blanket Donations

HOPE 4 Youth

Date/Time: Blankets can be made at your home or made onsite at HOPE 4 Youth.

Location: HOPE 4 Youth Center 2665 4th Ave, Suite #40, Anoka.

Ages: All ages are welcome!

Time Commitment: Typically 30 minutes per blanket.

Tie blankets are an essential item that we provide for the youth who come to visit us. Families can purchase the supplies to make the tie fleece blankets. You are welcome to make the blankets at home and deliver the blankets to HOPE 4 Youth or you can make them on site during Wednesday morning or specific Saturday mornings.

Contact: Mari Dahlke, mdahlke@HOPE4YouthMN.org, 763.323.2066 ext. 118

https://www.hope4youthmn.org

Meal Kits

HOPE 4 Youth

Date/Time: Kits can be made at your home or made onsite at HOPE 4 Youth.

Location: HOPE 4 Youth Center 2665 4th Ave, Suite #40, Anoka.

Ages: All ages are welcome!

Time Commitment: Time varies by kits created

Meal Kits are a quick and easy item for the youth to grab from our pantry while on the go! Families can purchase the supplies to make the kits. We have multiple lists of recommended items. You are welcome to make the kits at home and deliver them to HOPE 4 Youth or you can make them on site during Wednesday morning or specific Saturday mornings.

Contact: Mari Dahlke, mdahlke@HOPE4YouthMN.org, 763.323.2066 ext. 118

https://www.hope4youthmn.org

Packathon 2025

Many Hands Many Meals (MHMM)

Date/Time: Friday, November 7–Sunday, November 9. A variety of two-hour shifts are available. Click on the current opportunities volunteer page for available times.

Location: Mount Calvary Lutheran Church, 301 County Road 19, Excelsior.

Ages: All ages are welcome.

Time Commitment: Two-hour shifts.

Many Hands Many Meals is a local, volunteer-driven organization serving globally by packaging life-saving meals that ease world hunger. Our mission is to bring our community together to make a difference. Our food is packed by volunteers of all ages—kids too! Our volunteers are students, businesses, organizations, families, and individuals. Throughout the year, MHMM hosts small packing events for organizations, schools, and businesses. At our annual West Metro Packathon, we come together as a community to pack lifesaving meals. This year we are working to pack 300,000 meals - that’s enough food to feed 820 people for an entire year! We welcome everyone’s help, regardless of age. This is a great way to teach your young ones the joy of volunteering! The Packathon is a great opportunity to connect with your community while feeding hungry bellies. A hairnet and gloves are required and will be provided while volunteering. 

Contact: info@mh-mm.org. Registration is required and is available online.

https://www.mh-mm.org/

Snack Packs

Union Gospel Mission Twin Cities

Date/Time: Drop-off deadline: Friday, November 14

Location: For drop-off instructions and more information, please email volunteers@ugmtc.org.

Ages: Everyone can help.

Time Commitment: Varies.

Union Gospel Mission Twin Cities is participating in the 3,000 Acts of Kindness event at the Minneapolis Convention Center. It will be a powerful day of hope and practical help for people experiencing hunger and homelessness. You can make a difference by assembling Snack Packs: Ziploc bags filled with easy-to-eat, shelf-stable snacks. These packs will be handed out to men, women and children experiencing hunger and homelessness at the event.

What to include in each snack pack:

• One no-chew item: applesauce, pudding, nut butter pouch or cup.
• One meat-based protein source: jerky, fish in a pouch, BumbleBee snacks on the run, Vienna sausages with pop-top lid.
• One other snack: peanut butter or cheese crackers, nuts or seeds, dried fruit, trail mix.
• One granola or protein bar (crunchier and non-chocolate are preferred.)

Contact: For drop-off instructions and more information, please email volunteers@ugmtc.org.

https://www.ugmtc.org

Cards for Seniors

Gifts for Seniors

Date/Time: This opportunity is available throughout the year! We accept in-kind donations by appointment or via mail only (no unscheduled drop-ins). Schedule your appointment today by emailing info@giftsforseniors.org!

Location: Mail cards to: 

Gifts for Seniors

2300 Kennedy Street NE, Suite 40

Minneapolis, MN 55413

Ages: Everyone can help.

Time Commitment: Varies.

Gifts for Seniors strives to alleviate the devastating adverse health impacts of loneliness and social isolation for over 8,000 older adults. Our inclusive programs provide life-affirming contact and equitable access to community resources for living and aging well. Your family can help by providing handmade or handwritten well wishes on greeting cards for isolated older adults. Please sort by season/holiday when shipping.

Project suggestions:

• Write in large block print letters using lots of color.
• Inside the card: Share some simple information about themselves (e.g., their favorite hobbies, pets, school, etc.). You can also write a simple poem and greeting inside the card. This makes the handmade card a very personal and thoughtful gift for the older person to receive.
• “Sign” the back of the card with your first name AND the name of the group, as well as the age of the child or children if applicable.
• Materials you might use include stickers, watercolors, puff paint, foam craft, feathers, ribbons, colored tissue paper, buttons, and of course, colored markers. DO NOT use glitter or sequins; they fall off. Learn more here.

Contact: 612.379.3205 or carolyn@giftsforseniors.org.

https://www.giftsforseniors.org

Donate to Support Families for Thanksgiving

Interfaith Outreach and Community Partners (IOCP)

Date/Time: Drop off all donations by November 13. Donation door hours are Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Please contact Ashley Wyatt-Bernstein for details on how and when to drop donations off.

Location: Drop off at IOCP,1605 County Road 101 N, Plymouth.

Ages: Everyone can help.

Time Commitment: One hour.

Help keep IOCP’s Food Shelf stocked with traditional Thanksgiving foods for families who will be celebrating. Purchase a few extra items when grocery shopping or host a food drive in your neighborhood, at work, or school by distributing paper grocery bags along with our most needed item list. Most needed items include: Premade pie crust, boxed mashed/scalloped/or au gratin potatoes, Jello, Cream of mushroom soup, Crispy fried onions, 4lb. bags of sugar, and vanilla.

Contact: Ashley Wyatt-Bernstein, awyatt@iocp.org.

https://iocp.org

Help Make Sure Families Keep Warm this Winter

Interfaith Outreach and Community Partners (IOCP)

Date/Time: Drop off all donations by November 26. Donation door hours are Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Please contact Ashley Wyatt-Bernstein for details on how and when to drop donations off.

Location: Drop off at IOCP,1605 County Road 101 N, Plymouth.

Ages: Everyone can help.

Time Commitment: One hour.

Help keep families warm this winter by donating new or like new winter gear in all sizes. Our most needed items include:

• Snow pants, boots, and gloves for kids in grades K-12 (waterproof styles intended for playing outside)
• Winter coats for all ages (warm, waterproof styles intended for being outside, sizes large – 3XL are most needed)

Contact: Ashley Wyatt-Bernstein, awyatt@iocp.org.

https://iocp.org

Help Meet Basic Needs for Students & Families

Interfaith Outreach and Community Partners (IOCP)

Date/Time: Drop off all donations by December 13. Donation door hours are Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Please contact Ashley Wyatt-Bernstein for details on how and when to drop donations off.

Location: Drop off at IOCP,1605 County Road 101 N, Plymouth.

Ages: Everyone can help.

Time Commitment: One hour.

Help keep our Food Shelf stocked with healthy snacks, beverages, laundry, pet treat, or feminine hygiene kits for families. Gather family members or friends to assemble the packs. Each kit type includes specific items and instructions that can be found online at iocp.org/kits. 

Contact: Ashley Wyatt-Bernstein, awyatt@iocp.org with questions.

https://iocp.org

Build Family Hygiene Care Bags

Bridge to Basics

Date/Time: Ongoing opportunity. Contact hello@bridgetobasics.org to arrange to drop off your donations at our warehouse or we can arrange to pick up your items. 

Location: 801 Transfer Road, St. Paul.

Ages: Everyone can participate.

Time Commitment: Varies.

Bridge to Basics is a new nonprofit launched in 2024 to uniquely address hygiene poverty and support the nonprofit community. Bridge to Basics exists to supply a network of local nonprofits - from schools to food shelves – with the hygiene products requested by neighbors in need. By providing hygiene products, our hygiene bank empowers nonprofits to focus on their core missions, ultimately amplifying their impact and meeting the essential personal care needs of the people they serve, promoting dignity and well-being. Are you interested in creating a meaningful gift for families in your community who are struggling?

Build family hygiene care bags! Did you know that more than half of food shelf shoppers struggle to afford personal hygiene products every month? Let's help address this need by filling bags for families. Each bag makes a difference! Whether you fill 1 or 100, you are helping a family struggling to meet their basic needs.

We are looking for businesses, community groups, and neighbors to buy full-size personal hygiene products and fill grocery bags with them for neighbors struggling to afford hygiene items. These bags will be given to food shelves, schools, and refugee services organizations.

Please note: This is a remote opportunity that occurs at your preferred location. Your group will be responsible for the purchasing and assembling of the hygiene care bags. We can provide you with suggestions of items based on needs and pricing. We can pick up the bags or you may drop them off at our St. Paul location (280/94).

We ask that each grocery bag be filled with:

• 1 bottle of laundry detergent (free and clear/sensitive skin preferred).
• 2 deodorants.
• 1 bottle of shampoo.
• 1 bottle of conditioner.
• 1 bottle of body wash.
• 2 bars of soap.
• 4 toothbrushes.
• 1 toothpaste.
• 2 razors.
• 1 bottle of shaving cream.
• 1 bottle of lotion.
• 4-pack of toilet paper.

Contact: hello@bridgetobasics.org to get started!

https://bridgetobasics.org

Holiday Blanket and Toy Drive

Operation Comfort

Date/Time: Donate by Friday, December 12.

Location: Contact Mary Herrera, mherrera@helmsbriscoe.com or via text at 651-775-1480, to arrange for drop-off or pick-up of items.

Ages: Everyone can help.

Time Commitment: Varies.

Help spread warmth this holiday season by donating handmade fleece tie blankets, new blankets, and soft stuffed animals to Operation Comfort. We will be donating these items to the kids at Gillette Children's Hospital this holiday season.

Operation Comfort was created back in 2006 when I was looking for a way to include my young children in a charitable giving project. They could tie their shoes so I thought – why not try tying a blanket? Thus, Operation Comfort was born. It is a grassroots organization that has grown through word of mouth and deed. From Girl Scout and Boy Scout Troops, to Senior Communities, to friends gathering while watching a movie or simply a family working together - it’s all in the spirit of giving. We have donated almost a 1000 blankets over the years to Women’s and Children’s Shelters, Hospital’s, the Ronald McDonald Houses and were even approached by a local Veterinary Hospital looking for a few blankets for their ‘furry’ patients after surgery! This year, all of the items will be given to families staying at our local Ronald McDonald Houses and Gillette Children’s Hospital in St. Paul. Click here for instructions for making no-sew fleece blankets. 

Contact: Mary Herrera, mherrera@helmsbriscoe.com, (m) 651.775.1480, Inver Grove Heights, MN.

Donate, Make, and Deliver Hygiene Kits for the Homeless

Agate Housing and Services

Date/Time: Click here to schedule a drop off time. Delivery is by appointment only! (or your generous donation might get lost!) You MUST sign up for a delivery time to drop off your kits. There are 30-minute free parking spaces behind our building

Location: Delivery is to our main office on Nicollet Avenue , 2309 Nicollet Avenue, Minneapolis.

Ages: Everyone can participate.

Time Commitment: Varies.

Help support Agate program participants facing or experiencing homelessness by providing them with essential personal care items they need and struggle to afford. Your family can make a big gesture with a small project! Volunteers purchase materials, assemble kits, and drop them off at our main office by appointment. Choose 4-5 first priority items and then include however many second priority items you would like.

First priority items:

• Bar soap.
• Shampoo (shampoo options for textured/curly hair is our highest need).
• Conditioner (shampoo options for textured/curly hair is our highest need).
• Toothpaste and toothbrush.
• Deodorant.
• Razor and shaving cream.

Second priority items:

• Body wash.
• Shower shoes.
• Lotion.
• Non-alcohol based mouthwash.
• No rinse body wash.
• No rinse shampoo.
• Washcloth.
• Comb or brush.

Products included in packs must be new and unopened. Do not add any items not listed here.  We also accept (and greatly appreciate!) individual donations of each of these listed items.

Contact: Mason Maschke, 763.226.8161, 612-254-6348, or mason.maschke@agatemn.org. 

https://agatemn.org

Write Letters to Support Our Troops

A Million Thanks ®

Date/Time: Ongoing, at your convenience.

Location: Anywhere – letters are mailed to our national headquarters. You will receive the mailing address after you have registered.

Ages: All ages welcome.

Time Commitment: Flexible – write one letter or host a letter-writing event.

A Million Thanks is a nonprofit dedicated to ensuring every active-duty service member and veteran feels appreciated through handwritten letters of support and gratitude. Volunteers can write letters individually, as families, or in groups, then mail them with $1 per letter to our headquarters where they are screened, sorted, and shipped directly to troops and veterans across the globe.

Contact: Visit www.AMillionThanks.org/send for full guidelines and to register to receive our mailing address.

https://amillionthanks.org

Experience the Power of Generosity This Holiday Season as a BCE Captain

Best Christmas Ever (BCE)

Date/Time: The last day to apply to be a BCE Captain is November 17. The volunteer work will take place between November 17 through sometime the week before Christmas.

Location: Your family’s local area around the Twin Cities. BCE also has opportunities all over Minnesota if you live outside the Twin Cities area.

Ages: Family members of all ages.

Time Commitment: Varies, but will require a significant time commitment from your family.

Best Christmas Ever (BCE) is a non-profit organization who serves families who’ve fallen on difficult times through no fault of their own by creating a unique and generous Best Christmas Ever surprise gift delivery, or “drop” for the family. You and your family will select one local family from this year’s nominees and design a unique BCE surprise for that family. The surprise will include four gifts for each person plus a gift of $5,000.

The families who’ve been nominated:

• Have fallen on hard times through no fault of their own.
• Have children ages 18 and/or younger living in the home.
• Have been nominated by a close friend or family member who will help you determine the unique and special gifts appropriate for the family’s situation.

Your family will be responsible for:

• Using your fundraising skills to raise $5,000 or finding local business partners to donate the funds.
• Setting up a Christmas tree with gift tags at a local business (or on Amazon) to gather four gifts for each member of the family.
• Plan a gift-wrapping party once you’ve collected all the gifts.
• Do the surprise “drop” with the person who nominated the family sometime the week before Christmas.

Families who are successful BCE Captains will have the following attributes within their family/team: 

• Someone with great leadership skills. 
• Fundraising skills to raise $5,000. 
• People with huge hearts and a desire to give back to the community .
• The ability to delegate tasks to your family/team.

.

Holly, your BCE contact, will be there to guide your family throughout the process. Check out the BCE website to learn more.

Contact: Holly Peterson, 206.321.5433 or holly@bcemovement.org. Sign up by filling out the BCE Captain application.

www.bcemovement.org 

Help our Food Insecure Neighbors

Food Shelf Thanksgiving Support

Date/Time: Ongoing.

Location: Click here to find the food shelf closest to you.

Ages: Everyone can help donate food.

Time Commitment: Varies.

Millions of children and families living in America face hunger and food insecurity every day.

• According to the USDA, more than 47 million people, including 13 million children, in the United States are food insecure.
• Every community in the country is home to families who face hunger, including rural and suburban communities. We encourage you to research hunger statistics for your own city or county. You may be surprised by how many people in your community suffer from serious hunger issues.
• Many households that experience food insecurity do not qualify for federal nutrition programs and visit their local food banks and other food programs for extra support.

Thanksgiving means a time to give thanks and many families incorporate helping with holiday meals for their neighbors in need and those living with food insecurity. Your family can help our food-insecure neighbors with your time, food donations, or financial donations. Here are a few ways you and your family can help:

• Reach out to the local food shelf in your community to see what support/donations they need this year.
• Start a collection drive of specific items your local food shelf needs, or run a virtual food drive for them.
• Donate to your local food bank or food shelf.

Contact: Click here to find a food shelf near you.

https://www.hungersolutions.org/, https://www.2harvest.org/