Volunteering with your kids can be a great way to spend quality time together while instilling important values such as empathy and giving back to your local community. It can also help your children develop important skills such as teamwork, communication, and leadership. Additionally, volunteering can provide opportunities for your family to learn about different cultures and lifestyles, and can help to broaden your children’s perspectives.
We are proud to work with Doing Good Together – Twin Cities to bring you these volunteer opportunities each month.
Valley Park Creek Cleanup
9 Mile Creek Watershed District
Date/Time: Saturday, May 6, 1–3 p.m.
Location: Valley Park, 700 8th St S, Hopkins. We will meet by the large playground in Valley Park.
Ages: Families with children seven years old and older are welcome to participate.
Time Commitment: Up to two hours
Volunteers are needed to help pick up trash along Nine Mile Creek in Valley Park, Hopkins. Gloves, high-visibility vests, bags, and trash grabbers will be provided. Volunteers will be asked to fill out a waiver in order to participate. The waiver will be emailed to volunteers before the event.
Contact: Gael Zembal, [email protected]. Registration is available online. Please fill out the online registration form so we know how much equipment to bring.
Thanks A Million Teacher Appreciation Event
Date/Time: Saturday, May 6, 7 a.m.–6: 30 p.m. There are four different shifts during the day. See below for times and specific tasks for each shift.
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 will be responsible for the youth throughout the event.
Time Commitment: Shifts are three–four hours.
Kids In Need Foundation believes that every child in America should have equal opportunity and access to a quality education. Kids In Need Foundation (KINF) is excited for our second 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 are needed for the following shifts and tasks:
- 7–10 a.m. Help set up the event space and make it spectacular for our teachers!
- 9:45 a.m.–1 p.m. 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.
- 12:45–4 p.m. 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.
- 3:30–6:30 p.m. Help clean up and leave the space as beautiful as it was before we arrived!
Contact: Jacob Olson, [email protected], [email protected]. Registration is available online. https://www.kinf.org
Spring Into Service
Date/Time: During the month of May.
Location: Sites are located throughout Washington County
Ages: Volunteers must be eight years of age or older and age requirements may vary by site. Volunteers between 8–17 years old must be accompanied by an adult.
Time Commitment: Varies by project.
Volunteer as a family or a group for Community Thread’s Spring into Service, during May. Spring into Service matches groups of community volunteers with local nonprofit organizations for this annual service event. Spring into Service allows volunteers to make a difference by assisting with projects such as packing kits, sorting food, planting trees, and much more. Pick the project that’s right for you! Help strengthen our community by volunteering for a project that benefits a local nonprofit and/or older adults living in their homes. Once you are matched with a project, your group will be able to choose the date and time that works best with the agency/homeowner.
Contact: Leanna Miller, [email protected]. Please complete the online Spring into Service Volunteer Application for each person volunteering.
Kit Assembly Projects
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, [email protected]. Click here to sign-up for a drop-off time slot.
Prepare and Donate Freezer Meals
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.
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, [email protected]. Click here to sign-up for a drop-off time slot.
ALS SuperHero 5K/10K Dash
Date/Time: Saturday, May 20. The event runs from 7:30–11 a.m.
Location: Harriet Island Regional Park, 200 Doctor Justus Ohage Boulevard, St. Paul.
Ages: Families with children ages eight and older are welcome to volunteer. Families with children of all ages can participate in the event.
The ALS Association is looking for enthusiastic people to volunteer for the ALS SuperHero 5K/10K Dash! This family-friendly event attracts runners, casual walkers, children of all ages, supporters of the ALS community, and SuperHeroes of all sorts. Costumes are welcome! This distance-certified, chip-timed race starts at Harriet Island Pavilion and trails along the Mississippi River. The SuperHero Dash directly benefits The ALS Association Minnesota/North Dakota/South Dakota Chapter and our mission to discover treatments and a cure for ALS while serving, advocating for, and empowering people affected by ALS to live their lives to the fullest. Here’s how families can volunteer at the event:
- Direct participants to parking and the event (7–10:30 a.m.).
- Monitor the route to ensure participants’ safety (7:30–11 a.m.).
Thank you for wanting to volunteer at the ALS SuperHero 5K/10K Dash. We could not hold this event without volunteers. Learn more about the event here.
Contact: Alysha Rendflesh at [email protected]. Click here for volunteer registration and here for event registration.
FMR Upcoming Volunteer Events
Date/Time(s):
- Pull garlic mustard at the River Gorge Sand Flats, Saturday, May 20, 9–11 a.m.
- Help pull invasive plants at St. Paul Park’s Riverside Park, Tuesday, May 23, 6–8 p.m.
- Garlic mustard pull at Vermillion River Linear Park, Thursday, May 25, 6–8 p.m.
- Invasive plant pull at the William H. Houlton Conservation Area, Saturday, June 3, 9–11 a.m.
- South Branch Vermillion AMA garlic mustard pull, Tuesday, June 13, 6–8 p.m.
Location: Click the above links for location information.
Ages: Most FMR volunteer work sites are suitable for ages 10 and up. Younger kids are still welcome, as long as they are supervised by a parent the whole time.
Time Commitment: Two hours per event.
Friends of the Mississippi River engages people to protect, restore, and enhance the Mississippi River and its watershed in the Twin Cities region. Over 3,500 local river stewards get their hands dirty through FMR cleanups, storm drain stenciling outings, invasive species removals, and other hands-on habitat restoration outings each year. Click on the above events to learn more about upcoming FMR volunteer opportunities.
Contact: FMR’s Volunteer & Outreach Coordinator at [email protected]. Registration for each event is available at the above links. You can also click here for a calendar of all upcoming events.
Minneapolis Storm Drain Stenciling Program
Date/Time: Anytime from now through November.
Location: In your neighborhood.
Ages: Everyone can participate.
Time Commitment: Varies.
Your family can help improve your local waterways by stenciling storm drains in your neighborhood. Stormwater flows directly to creeks, lakes, and the Mississippi River, acting as a conduit for trash and organic pollutants. Storm drains are gateways that allow pollutants in stormwater to flow untreated from your street to our waters. Oil, grease, solids, antifreeze, cigarette butts, yard waste, plastic, and many different kinds of waste from streets, parking lots, and your driveway pollute downstream waters These pollutants increase phosphorus levels, reduce oxygen levels, and impair aquatic habitat for fish and other organisms as well as drinking water. Many people believe that storm drains discharge to water treatment plants. The City of Minneapolis will provide everything you need, free of charge, to paint educational messages near storm drains by you, including:
- Custom GIS map showing storm drains pipes and outlets to local waterbodies in your neighborhood.
- Stencils (specific to where your area drains to) and paint.
- Wire brush, broom, and dustpan.
- Adopt-a-Drain trash bags and gloves.
- Safety cones, vests, and glasses.
- Educational door hangers.
- Also, consider adopting a storm drain near you! Sign up at https://adopt-a-drain.org/.
Contact: Lane Christianson, Adopt-A-Drain & Storm Drain Stenciling Programs Manager, [email protected], 612.280.1956.
Assemble and Donate Needed Kits
Date/Time: Ongoing need.
Location: To drop off items, reach out to Abigail Abele at 612.715.0449 (text or call) or by email at [email protected].
Ages: Everyone can help.
Time Commitment: Varies.
Agate is committed to helping every person and family have a stable place to live, with their basic human needs met. Programs offered by Agate include:
- Street outreach.
- Temporary and permanent housing.
- Free public meals.
- Free public showers.
- Representative payee services.
- Birth certificate and ID support.
Your family can help by purchasing items, assembling kits, and donating them to Agate.
Spring Weather Protection Kits. These kits help our clients and unsheltered neighbors stay safe in Minnesota’s unruly spring weather. Items in these kits can include water, tents, tarps, ponchos, and many other weather protection items.
Snack Packs. We use these packs a lot! They are given to people who stop into our Welcome Center and are given by our Street Outreach team as well. These kits are usually assembled in gallon-sized bags and include non-perishable foods and water.
Welcome Home Baskets. When our neighbors transition from being unhoused or leaving a shelter, they usually don’t have the supplies needed to care for their new home. That’s what these baskets are for! Baskets include items like soap, garbage bags, and towels.
Don’t have the time to assemble kits? You can check out our Amazon wishlist and have supplies shipped directly to Agate.
Contact: Abigail Abele (Volunteer and In-kind Coordinator) at [email protected] or 612.715.0449 with any questions or to schedule a drop-off directly.
Be a Sitter for Future Assistance Dogs!
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, [email protected].
Help Raise Future Assistance Dogs!
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 12 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, [email protected].
Donate a Meal
Date/Time(s): Dinner meal donations need to be received for prep by 4 p.m. or earlier. Our youth dinner service starts at 4:30 p.m.
Location: HOPE 4 Youth Drop-In Center located at 2665 4th Ave, Suite #40, Anoka.
Ages: All ages can help prepare meals in a licensed kitchen to be dropped off at HOPE 4 Youth. Multiple meals can be prepared in advance and brought in to be kept in our freezer for future meal service.
Time Commitment: Varies by the meal prepared.
Volunteers are needed to provide a meal that can serve 14–16 total youth. Per food safety guidelines, all meals brought into HOPE 4 Youth need to be prepared in a licensed kitchen.
There are three options:
- Prepare a meal off-site in a licensed community kitchen (church, school, etc).
- Purchase retail foods and then prepare them onsite. Must be unopened and labeled (ex: take and bake lasagna; retail meal items like Costco or Simek’s; Cub foods deli items). Sandwiches can be prepared and put together on-site if you bring in the ingredients needed.
- Bring in food from a restaurant.
This is a great option for families and a fun team-building opportunity for companies and service organizations. Multiple meals can be prepared in advance and brought in to be kept in our freezer for future meal service.
Contact: Mari Dahlke, [email protected], 763.323.2066 ext. 118
Planting Native Plants at Frogtown Park and Farm
Date/Time: Saturday, June 3, 9 a.m.–noon.
Location: Frogtown Park and Farm, 946 Minnehaha Ave., St. Paul. Street parking is available within a five-minute walk from the work area. If you park on Victoria, there is a hill to walk up.
Ages: Families with children of all ages are welcome to participate.
Time Commitment: Three hours.
Great River Greening holds volunteer events for individuals, families, and groups to get outside and restore Minnesota’s natural areas by removing invasive plants or planting native species. Join Great River Greening to plant native species at this lovely community park in the Frogtown neighborhood of St. Paul. GRG and Frogtown Green are focusing on enhancing the oak woodland and connecting a new native plant garden to the established native plantings, increasing resources for pollinators, and improving the site experience and access for visitors to the park.
Volunteer tasks will include site preparation and seeding, planting plants and shrubs, watering, and mulching. This is a family-friendly event. Volunteers of all ages and backgrounds are encouraged to attend. 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 your own reusable water bottle and any additional snacks or lunch items you may need. Ensuring the safety of our volunteers is our highest priority. It is important that event participants wear closed-toe shoes and long sleeves to protect against ticks and scratchy brush. We recommend dressing for the weather, layers are key. We will hold the event rain or shine.
Contact: Jessica Drummond at [email protected]. Registration is required and is available online.
2023 Spring Community Volunteer Event
Date/Time: Wednesday, May 17, 4–6 p.m.
Location: Lindquist Apartments, 1931 West Broadway Avenue, Minneapolis.
Ages: This volunteer event is family-friendly and open to the community!
Time Commitment: Two hours.
Join The Link for our 2023 Spring Community Volunteer Event! Volunteers are needed to help make graduation bouquets for youth graduating from school this spring. We will be decorating mugs and adding fun items such as candy, words of encouragement, and gift cards. When a youth graduates they will receive a graduation mug as a congratulations gift. We also need item donations to include in the mugs. Sign up to bring one or more of the needed items and help make this event possible.
Contact: [email protected]. Registration is available online.
2023 Regional Special Olympics Events
Date/Time(s):
- Saturday, May 6, Basketball, Hastings.
- Saturday, May 13, Track and Field, Minneapolis.
- Saturday, May 13, Track and Field, Cold Spring.
Location(s):
- Hastings High School, 200 General Sieben Dr., Hastings.
- Roosevelt High School, 4029 S 28th Ave., Minneapolis.
- Rocori High School, 534 5th Ave N., Cold Spring.
Ages: Families with children 11–14 years old are welcome to volunteer and must be accompanied by a parent, guardian, or chaperone. Youths 15 years old and older can volunteer by themselves. Children 10 years old and younger are not given volunteer assignments, but they are welcomed and encouraged to be cheerleaders as long as they are accompanied by a parent, guardian, or chaperone. Please do not register children 10 years old and younger for any position.
Time Commitment: Shifts are approximately five hours.
The mission of Special Olympics is to provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills, and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes, and the community. We hope to see you there!
Contact: Jasara Rosendahl, [email protected], 612.760.7138. Click the links below to register for the event of your choice.
2023 Summer Games
Date/Time(s):
- Saturday, June 17–Sunday, June 18. There are morning and afternoon shifts.
- Saturday, June 24–Sunday, June 25, Stillwater. There are morning and afternoon shifts.
Location(s):
- South View Middle School, 4725 South View Ln, Edina.
- Stillwater Area High School, 5701 Stillwater Blvd, Oak Park Heights.
Ages: Families with children 11–14 years old are welcome to volunteer and must be accompanied by a parent, guardian, or chaperone. Youth 15 years old and older can volunteer by themselves. Children 10 years old and younger are not given volunteer assignments, but they are welcomed and encouraged to be cheerleaders as long as they are accompanied by a parent, guardian, or chaperone. Please do not register children 10 years old and younger for any position.
Time Commitment: Shifts are approximately five hours.
The mission of Special Olympics is to provide year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills, and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes, and the community. We hope to see you there!
Contact: Jasara Rosendahl, [email protected], 612.760.7138. Registration is available online.
This list was compiled by Doing Good Together™ (www.doinggoodtogether.org).
When calling or emailing to volunteer for any of the opportunities listed above, please let the coordinator know you found it through this listing. You are encouraged to ask any questions you may have of the sponsoring organization before committing to a project.
Disclaimer: This list is provided as a service to families. Inclusion of organizations in this listing does not imply affiliation, endorsement, or quality assurance on the part of Doing Good Together™. Doing Good Together™ bears no responsibility whatsoever for the activities and actions of the listed organizations.
Visit Doing Good Together for more ideas, opportunities and activities.
