The past year took a toll on everyone – and if you’ve come across this article, then you’re likely in the mood to provide some extra goodwill to communities and individuals affected by poverty, illness and other forms of strife. For those searching for volunteer opportunities in Minneapolis, we thought we’d share some of our favorite organizations who are supplying essential services to people in need. Just take a look at any of the following programs to give back:
Habitat for Humanity – Housing Volunteer Opportunities
Contact Information:
1954 University Ave W
St Paul, MN 55104
(651) 207-1700
About Habitat for Humanity
One of the most popular non-profit organizations in the world, with a presence in more than 70 countries and all 50 states, including Minneapolis, is Habitat for Humanity. Through a partnership with local communities, families and generous individuals, this volunteer opportunity offers you the chance to donate your handiness to those in need. Help build something that gives everyone a decent place to live through construction of affordable housing.
Mission Statement:
“Bring people together to create, preserve, and promote affordable homeownership and advance racial equity in housing.”
What to Expect While Volunteering:
- Help others build their own homes
- Home construction tasks – physical labor including framing, siding and interior projects
Urban Ventures MN – Educational Volunteer Opportunities
Contact Information:
2924 4th Ave S
Minneapolis, MN 55408
(612) 638-1000
About Urban Ventures
For the past 25 years, Urban Ventures has been helping South Minneapolis in an effort to defeat local poverty. With several dozen partners in the local business, civic and religious communities, they’ve come together to tackle a specific goal: “To prepare and send every child in our neighborhood to college or some form of postsecondary education.” This form of “empowerment-through-education” is essential to everything this organization does.
Mission Statement:
“Educating kids, strengthening their families and building a healthy community.”
What to Expect While Volunteering:
- A variety of youth educational opportunities
- Participate in after-school programs including music, athletics, art and more
- Group volunteering opportunities in Minneapolis available
Open Arms MN – Covid 19 Volunteer Opportunities
Contact Information:
2500 Bloomington Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55404
(612) 872-1152
About Open Arms MN:
Open Arms MN believes that those who are ill should not be without a daily meal. This has never been more pertinent among the COVID-19 pandemic. This non-profit gathers individual and group volunteers to cook and deliver healthy meals to more than 600,000 people living with a form of debilitating sickness. Join almost 8,000 others in a mission to provide food to the affected communities in Minneapolis.
Mission Statement:
“To nourish body, mind and soul.”
What to Expect While Volunteering:
- Preparing nutritious meals for those in need
- Tasks may include cooking, baking, grilling and/or delivery duties
Animal Humane Society – Animal Volunteer Opportunities
Contact Information:
845 Meadow Lane N
Golden Valley, MN 55422
(952) 435-7738
About the Animal Humane Society:
The Animal Humane Society has the sole mission of protecting the lives and interest of the state’s animals. By successfully helping more than 20,000 animals throughout its existence, it’s grown to become one of the leading animal welfare organizations in the country. They offer a number of volunteer programs and operate three adoption centers across the Twin Cities, so there are plenty of opportunities for you to help craft a more humane world.
Mission Statement:
“We seek to forge a lasting and comprehensive change in human consciousness of and behavior toward all animals in order to prevent animal cruelty, exploitation and neglect and to protect wild habitats and the entire community of life.”
What to Expect While Volunteering:
- Animal care, working with a variety of domesticated animal species
- You may be helping with adoptions or socializing with animals
Minneapolis Park Board – Landscape Volunteer Opportunities
Contact Information:
2117 West River Road
Minneapolis, MN 55411
(612) 230-6400
volunteers@minneapolisparks.org
About Minneapolis Park Board:
If you have a green thumb, look no further than the Minneapolis Park Board for great volunteer opportunities. Landscaping options include planting trees, planting gardens and managing local wildlife across a variety of gorgeous parks like Lyndale Gardens and Nokomis Naturescape, among others.
Mission Statement:
“The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board shall permanently preserve, protect, maintain, improve and enhance its natural resources, parkland and recreational opportunities for current and future generations.”
What to Expect While Volunteering:
- Help beautify Minneapolis’ parks
- Flex your landscaping skills and get outdoors
Women’s Advocates – Women’s Volunteer Opportunities
Contact Information:
11 Grand Ave
St Paul, MN 55104
(651) 227-9966
About Women’s Advocates:
The goal of Women’s Advocates, a leading non-profit organization in Minneapolis, is to advocate for, educate and assist victims break from the cycle of domestic violence. Connecting volunteers with those community members in need, they are working toward a city that’s safe and where all can live productive, healthy lives.
Mission Statement:
“Women’s Advocates walks with victim/survivors and our community to break the cycle of domestic violence.”
What to Expect While Volunteering:
- A number of community services, interacting with locals
- Violence prevention education, childcare, spokesperson, among other options
- Group opportunities include landscaping, children’s activities and meal preparation
First Nation’s Kitchen – Native American Volunteer Opportunities
Contact Information:
3044 Longfellow Avenue
Minneapolis, MN 55404
About First Nation’s Kitchen:
This non-profit is special because it’s Minneapolis’ only volunteer organization led by indigenous people, for the benefit of indigenous people. The purpose of First Nation’s Kitchen is to provide food to Native Americans in need with nutritious, ancestral meals. And, in partnership with the Twin Cities Coop, volunteers can expect to work in both food preparation and gardening in order to supply organic food to those going hungry.
Mission Statement:
“To provide food to indigenous people who would not otherwise have access to high-quality, fresh organic food in an environment of radical hospitality and cultural empowerment.”
What to Expect While Volunteering:
- Activities involved in meal preparation for indigenous people
- Cooking, cleaning, delivering and harvesting food
