Opportunities From: HandsOn Twin Cities

Join us for the 2025 Black & Brown Birthing Summit! At Wilder African American Babies Coalition & Projects' annual Black & Brown Birthing Summit, we bring together renowned experts, passionate advocates, and individuals who are committed to revolutionizing the birthing experience for Black and Brown communities.

All volunteer responsibilities will support this groundbreaking conference on Sept 18-19 that aims to celebrate, empower, and elevate the voices and experiences of Black and Brown birthing individuals. You can sign up to volunteer for one or multiple 1.5 or 2-hour shifts.

Volunteer Openings:

BIPOC volunteers are encouraged to join. Open to volunteers 18 or older. Great for anyone passionate about birthing justice and driving positive change in the birthing landscape!

Sign Up: Visit the volunteer sign up page here, or contact Paige Stein at volunteer@wilder.org or 651-280-2460 with any questions.

Seeking folks to be USHERS at a public performance/ritual related to grief, death, ancestors, loss, and remembering. This performance is known as the annual Halloween Extravaganza and is outdoors, at night, and has audiences of 1000-3000 people. It includes huge puppets, stilters, fire performance and live music. It is not a typical celebration of Halloween; it focuses on remembering those we have lost, both known and unknown. The Extravaganza is a way to turn our personal and collective loss and grief into community ritual and art. Ushering at this performance is both exciting and challenging. The audience is seated on a large hill within the park. Ushers help audience members in a variety of ways, including: lining up at the gate, finding spots to sit, and finding the on-site amenities such as porta-potties and merch tent. Ushers also help elders and folks with disabilities to find and be comfortable in the accessible seating area.

Ushers will receive a BareBones t-shirt in appreciation! 

We will be sending out a scheduling form in late September! Please click the "respond" button here and you will receive that scheduling form then! 

For more info  https://barebonespuppets.org/

Watch the 2024 Extravaganza at Powderhorn Park!

Help us prepare for a wonderful community event! We're seeking a team of volunteers to help husk 600 ears of corn for our Courtyard Celebration. This gathering brings neighbors and friends together for food, music, and fun.

Your task is simple but crucial: help us get the corn ready for the big day by removing the husks and silk. Don't worry if you're not an expert—you'll have great company to make the time fly by.

Join us on Monday, September 8th, from 12:30pm to approximately 4:30pm. The end time depends on how many volunteers we have, so the more the merrier!

Come lend a hand and be a part of a special day for our community. Sign up today!

Joining the FamilyWise community as a Bright Beginnings parent mentor is one of the most powerful ways to make an impact as a volunteer, especially now: we have revamped our program and need dedicated community members to support young parents!

Mentors meet with young parents in-person biweekly and connect weekly by phone. In addition, mentors help out with meals and transportation for the all-participant meeting every other month. Bright Beginnings is a great opportunity to personally connect with a young parent and create a long-term connection!

Once you join, FamilyWise provides all the mentor training and staff support you’ll need. Because young parents need both consistency and stability, we ask volunteer mentors for a one-year commitment to our Bright Beginnings program. Our Mentor Specialist will connect with mentors and mentees individually once a month to provide support to those involved in the program.

Participation in Bright Beginnings is free for young parents.

In a mentor, we are looking for someone who will:

FamilyWise is located in Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota and mentors would need to live in the Twin Cities metropolitan area.

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Here’s what you’ll do:

Be paired one-on-one with a student.

Create an original superhero character together.

Use our huge stash of art supplies (fabric, feathers, glitter, and more!) to build a one-of-a-kind costume.

Celebrate with a costume parade and photoshoot.

No artistic skills needed—just kindness, curiosity, and a willingness to have fun.

The program runs October–December, just 1–2 hours per week for 8 weeks.

Be part of something joyful, hands-on, and unforgettable—for you and a child.

Sign up now at artbuddies.org/be-a-mentor

Here’s what you’ll do:

Be paired one-on-one with a student.

Create an original superhero character together.

Use our huge stash of art supplies (fabric, feathers, glitter, and more!) to build a one-of-a-kind costume.

Celebrate with a costume parade and photoshoot.

No artistic skills needed—just kindness, curiosity, and a willingness to have fun.

The program runs October–December, just 1–2 hours per week for 8 weeks.

Be part of something joyful, hands-on, and unforgettable—for you and a child.

Sign up now at artbuddies.org/be-a-mentor

Here’s what you’ll do:

Be paired one-on-one with a student.

Create an original superhero character together.

Use our huge stash of art supplies (fabric, feathers, glitter, and more!) to build a one-of-a-kind costume.

Celebrate with a costume parade and photoshoot.

No artistic skills needed—just kindness, curiosity, and a willingness to have fun.

The program runs October–December, just 1–2 hours per week for 8 weeks.

Be part of something joyful, hands-on, and unforgettable—for you and a child.

Sign up now at artbuddies.org/be-a-mentor

Here’s what you’ll do:

Be paired one-on-one with a student.

Create an original superhero character together.

Use our huge stash of art supplies (fabric, feathers, glitter, and more!) to build a one-of-a-kind costume.

Celebrate with a costume parade and photoshoot.

No artistic skills needed—just kindness, curiosity, and a willingness to have fun.

The program runs October–December, just 1–2 hours per week for 8 weeks.

Be part of something joyful, hands-on, and unforgettable—for you and a child.

Sign up now at artbuddies.org/be-a-mentor

Collective Caring is a monthly program that enables local businesses, organizations, and groups to collect needed items at our warehouse for the month. Sponsors can host the whole month, a couple weeks or even a week. Monthly sponsors will collect items needed at the warehouse such as personal hygiene supplies, cleaning supplies, sheets/towels, etc. at their place of business or other locations they designate. At the end of the month the sponsor will drop off the donation to our Anoka MN warehouse to replenish our shelves.

These items are the most popular items that fly off our warehouse shelves. As a reminder, we provide everything at our warehouse free of charge to case workers in Anoka and Sherburne County who work with seniors and adults with disabilities so that they can feel empowered to maintain their quality of life. 

We are looking for the sponsors for September and October! Please reach out to grannysclosetmn@gmail.com if interested.  

Fall is a beautiful season to share warmth, kindness, and a little extra care, especially with older adults who may be feeling isolated or lonely as the days grow shorter and cooler. Are you or someone you know looking for a meaningful way to brighten someone’s day this autumn? If so, we’ve got the perfect opportunity to make a difference

It’s easy! Just fill out Friends & Co's Cards Connect Form - tfaforms.com/5137824!

Once you’ve signed up, you’ll receive an email with all the details, including where to send your fall cards. Please note: all cards must be received by Friday, September 19th!

By signing up for our Cards Connect program, you're not committing to send cards year-round. We’ll simply send you a reminder email each quarter when we’re getting ready to send out cards-you can decide whether or not to participate each time!

We can’t wait to share your thoughtful creations with older adults across Minnesota who could use a little extra sunshine in their lives.

Questions? Contact Jethra at (612) 746-0725 or jkapp@friendsco.org

Never heard of Friends & Co? Friends & Co, formerly Little Brothers - Friends of the Elderly, MN, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Friends & Co has served older adults in Minnesota for over 50 years. We foster meaningful connections for older adults through our no-cost services. Our services include - Coffee Talk, a quick drop-in chat line, Phone and Visiting companionship services, and a Cards Connect service. Something for everyone!

Most of us remember the day after 9/11 and the feeling that  “Every day is September 12.”  We have a chance to re-ignite that spirit, and come together in service with a shared sense of purpose and to “Never Forget.” ZeroMils is most well known for leading the Military Thriving® movement, but you do not need to be military-connected to join in this fun and meaningful project - Uniting In Service is for everyone!  Uniting in Service events bring together service members, Veterans, and military families with civilian neighbors, corporate Employee Resource groups, college students, homeschool groups, retirees and anyone who wants to serve the community for a large-scale hands-on volunteer service project to benefit a national nonprofit organization with local chapters. Please join up to 300 of your closest friends on September 12 to pack 5,000 backpacks for our partner, Blessings in a Backpack, helping them provide food to thousands of kids every weekend during the school year. This includes but is not limited to military families who struggle with food insecurity.  The first shift is to help set up the packing stations, the second shift is to participate in the packing of the 5,000 backpacks.

Interested in helping to promote health, fun, and inclusion here in our local community and globally?!

We are seeking local volunteers to help with planning and prep tasks leading up to this year's DSI Tri & Inclusive 4k which will take place on Sat. Sept 20.

No experience needed - just time and willingness to help out with various tasks like spreading the word, seeking support, gathering and prepping supplies, etc... The time commitment and scheduling are flexible, so just get in touch if you're interested!

Learn more about the event here: https://ds-international.org/events

Each year, Small Sums hosts the Stories Matter Fashion Show, an exciting evening that celebrates the workers who have experienced housing instability and are now on their path to stability! This event brings together fashion, storytelling, and community in a powerful way.

We are currently looking for enthusiastic volunteers to help make this night happen! Our models are individuals who've experienced housing instability and, with the support of Small Sums, are now equipped and empowered to enter the workforce! They will take the stage wearing both high-fashion designs and the work gear that helped them take the next step towards stability. As a volunteer, you'll play a pivotal role in creating a welcoming and joyful experience for both our guests and models!

Volunteer Roles: 

- Set Up Crew (3:00 - 6:00 pm) 

Be a part of the team that sets the stage. Help transform the venue by setting up tables, chairs, signage, swag bags, food stations, and sponsor displays.

- Registration Crew (5:30 -7:30 pm)

Welcome guests with warmth, check them in, hand out drink tickets and name tags, and help guide them through the space. 

- Backstage Support (6:00 - 8:30 pm) 

This is where the magic happens! Support our models with outfit changes, ensure looks are runway-ready, assist with makeup, answer questions, and help solve those unexpected moments only backstage can bring! 

- Tear Down Crew (8:00 - 10:00) 

Help us end the night strong by packing up sponsor materials, folding up tables and chairs, and ensuring the space is left clean and cared for.  By volunteering, you're helping create a celebration that empowers individuals who have overcome extraordinary challenges. You'll be part of honoring their hard work and helping raise funds that will support others on a similar path. 

All volunteers will also receive a free ticket to the event!

Where? The American Swedish Institute 2600 Park Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55407

When? Thursday, September 25th. The event runs from 6:00 to 9:00 pm, with volunteer times varying.

During registration, please designate the role you would prefer.

This is a great opportunity to support mental health awareness in the community, meet like-minded individuals, and be part of a welcoming and inclusive event. Whether you're looking to fulfill service hours or just want to give back, your time and energy will be greatly appreciated.

Thank you for joining us at the West Saint Paul Municipal Bee Lawn Plug Planting, in partnership with Xcel Energy’s Day of Service and as part of Latino Conservation Week!

We’re so glad you’re joining Great River Greening in transforming turf into thriving habitat at this highly visible site surrounding the West St. Paul Municipal Center.

Since 2023, we’ve been working to replace traditional turf with a vibrant native bee lawn and tallgrass prairie. This year, we’re continuing the transformation with plug planting and native seed broadcasting—and we’re thrilled to have your help!

If you want to learn more about are events go to Events Calendar — Great River Greening

1: Help us build a biodiverse and resilient urban tree canopy! Volunteers will plant large-stock trees into pre-dug holes; this work will include loosening root balls, filling holes with soil, watering, and spreading mulch around newly planted trees. They will cool and clean the air, provide shade, and beautify the community. 

2: Help us build a biodiverse and resilient urban tree canopy! Volunteers will plant large-stock trees into pre-dug holes; this work will include loosening root balls, filling holes with soil, watering, and spreading mulch around newly planted trees. They will cool and clean the air, provide shade, and beautify the community. 

If you want to learn more about us visit our website for events  Events Calendar — Great River Greening

Great River Greening is partnering with St Paul Port Authority and Habitat for Humanity to bring a robust tree canopy to their new, unfolding residential development in East St Paul called The Heights. A healthy tree canopy was one of the top requests expressed by local community members who were engaged to provide feedback about The Heights.

Here is our event calendar Events Calendar — Great River Greening

Help us expand access to trees to those who need them most! Volunteers will help welcome, orient and provide basic tree care and planting education to eligible residents who live in low canopy areas in Faribault. They will also help transport and load containerized trees into vehicles. 

Here is our event calendar Events Calendar — Great River Greening

National Public Lands Day has been celebrated by the National Forest Service for 25 years and Great River Greening is proud to partner with Dakota County in promoting stewardship at Lebanon Hills Regional Park. It is a day where huge impacts are made by volunteers all across the country to improve and enjoy forests and grasslands. These volunteer contributions are incredibly valuable to public lands. 

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.

Here is our event calendar Events Calendar — Great River Greening

Join Great River Greening as we support Wild River State Park’s effort to restore an oak savanna within the park: a now rare-ecosystem type in Minnesota that is critical for a variety of plant and animal species.

The central volunteer task will involve cutting, lopping, hauling and removing woody species from to “thin” overgrown forest patch into savanna. Depending upon ecological factors and timing, volunteer may also have the opportunity to harvest seed and/or apply seed to support the ongoing restoration.

Here is our event calendar Events Calendar — Great River Greening

Help us build a biodiverse and resilient urban tree canopy! Volunteers will plant large-stock trees into pre-dug holes; this work will include loosening root balls, filling holes with soil, watering, and spreading mulch around newly planted trees. They will cool and clean the air, provide shade, and beautify the community. 

This event is part of the Cooling Minnesota Communities program – an initiative working to mitigate extreme heat, deepen climate resiliency, and increase access to urban tree canopies.

We will be planting at both Fremont Park and Archery Park which are in walking distance of each other. We'll begin in Fremont Park. 

Here is our event calendar Events Calendar — Great River Greening

Puzzle Palooza Moderator

Date: Friday, October 11

Time: 4:30 – 7:15 p.m.

Location: Lodestone Coffee & Games, 10982 Cedar Lake Rd, Minnetonka

Join us for a fast-paced, team-based jigsaw puzzle competition benefiting Reach for Resources—and help make the event a success!

We’re seeking two volunteer moderators to assist with event logistics and ensure a smooth, fun experience for all participants.

Volunteer Responsibilities:

Ideal Volunteers:

Help us build a biodiverse and resilient urban tree canopy! Volunteers will plant large-stock trees into pre-dug holes; this work will include loosening root balls, filling holes with soil, watering, and spreading mulch around newly planted trees. They will cool and clean the air, provide shade, and beautify the community. 

This event is part of the Cooling Minnesota Communities program – an initiative working to mitigate extreme heat, deepen climate resiliency, and increase access to urban tree canopies.

West Mankato Trail is part of Mankato’s popular trails network. Trees will be planted along the trail that goes through a residential neighborhood, providing additional shade and cooling to trail users and nearby residents, as well as diversifying the tree canopy.

Here is our event calendar Events Calendar — Great River Greening

Help us build a biodiverse and resilient urban tree canopy! Volunteers will plant large-stock trees into pre-dug holes; this work will include loosening root balls, filling holes with soil, watering, and spreading mulch around newly planted trees. They will cool and clean the air, provide shade, and beautify the community. 

This event is part of the Cooling Minnesota Communities program – an initiative working to mitigate extreme heat, deepen climate resiliency, and increase access to urban tree canopies.

Here is our event calendar Events Calendar — Great River Greening

The park is receiving ongoing reforestation support. This unique event aims to preserve recently planted trees throughout the park as they continue to grow and establish. Volunteers will hike in groups led by Great River Greening and MN DNR State Park staff to reforestation plots, where the volunteers will then remove small, protective caging and replace with large caging to support these trees during their critical early growth and establishment stage.

Family-Friendly & Welcoming
This is a family-friendly event, and volunteers of all ages and backgrounds are encouraged to attend. No experience is necessary—we’ll provide all the training you need!

Here is our event calendar Events Calendar — Great River Greening

Join Great River Greening at Bend in the River Regional Park for a lovely Fall seeding. Volunteers will seed into an area of the park that had gone through a controlled burn. These seeds will pop up the following spring!

Volunteers joined us at this park last year for a buckthorn removal and this year, volunteers are able to spread native seeds in to those areas in this second phase of the project to restore the park's native plant communities.

Terrain will be flat prairie with fairly easy access to work areas. 

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 training required.

Here is our event calendar Events Calendar — Great River Greening

Do you like to work out? Work out for a good cause!

We are looking for some strong volunteers who are up for helping us clean up after our big Can Do Woofaroo event and take down our stage!

We invite you to come enjoy the event before helping with clean up, or you can just come for your shift! The event is a celebration of assistance dogs and the people they serve.

We will have tons of fun dog-related activities, including a one-mile walk, dog costume contest, and more.

Then, stick around to help disassemble the stage and tents, take down signs, and pack up and put away other event supplies.

This position requires volunteers to be on their feet standing and walking continuously for up to 3 hours. It includes intermittent bending, squatting, kneeling, twisting, or lifting up to 50 pounds.

We can use all the help we can get, so encourage your friends to sign up with you, if you want!

Mount Olivet Day Services (MODS) is an adult day program offering respite care to seniors where everyone can socialize and enjoy planned activities in a safe group setting. This provides family caregivers a much-needed break, enabling loved ones to be cared for at home for a longer period of time

Volunteer with us and come create a beautiful “Winter Wonderland” at our day services center for our seniors to enjoy! The holidays are always a special time of year, and we would love for our seniors to be surrounded by the joy of the season! Come hang lights, wrap doors, or hang snowflakes! Some decorations can be provided but we would greatly appreciate any lightly used or new decorative donations too! This is the perfect group opportunity for anyone from corporate groups, book clubs, to student groups. This is available Mon-Fri during the day. Located in S.Mpls.  Staff always available to assist. Free parking available on-site.

Project Description: 

Our Wraparound Program and Communications staff need forms/marketing materials translated into Spanish by a native speaker. This opportunity would be perfect for someone with an interest in helping families by creating accessible documents for those who are not fluent in English.

Responsibilities & Duties:

1. Utilizing Spanish skills to translate intake forms, surveys, and marketing materials

2. Ensure newly translated document is formatted the same as the original

Qualifications:

1. Preference to individuals with previous translation experience

2. Great attention to details

3. Excellent communication and organizational skills

Requirements:

1. Fluent in English and Spanish

2. Access to a computer and a stable internet connection

Benefits to Volunteer:

1. Utilizing language abilities to help a family service organization

2. Expand translation experience for professional development

To Apply: Submit your resume to mrosheim@familywiseservices.org

Enjoy some fresh fall air and sunshine while helping older adults keep their lawn looking great! This service also provides social interaction and offers peace of mind for loved ones and caregivers.

Go solo or bond with family, friends and neighbors

Youth ages 7 to 15 may volunteer with an adult. Ages 16 and older may volunteer on their own.

Strengthen connections with your group

Most group opportunities are best suited for teams of 4 - 6. If you have a larger group we'll split you into smaller teams and assign you to locations near one another to serve multiple seniors.

We serve multiple cities throughout Hennepin County. Contact us or visit seniorcommunity.org/volunteer to complete an online application form.

Mount Olivet Home and Careview Home have been serving senior residents for over 60 years in South Minneapolis. We rank number 1 in Minnesota and received recognition in Newsweek’s Best Nursing Homes 2023 list.

Who doesn't love a beautifully-decorated home for the holidays?! We love to offer our residents beautiful decorations throughout their communal home - inside and out - and would love your help in the process! Whether it is using our existing decor or adding to it, we would love to make our facility a Winter Wonderland for residents and their families to enjoy. This is a great opportunity for corporate groups of 5-10 volunteers to come together and transform the facility into something beautiful and have fun while doing it.

Orientation will be provided, staff will be on-site. Free parking available at facility.

Help provide Simpson Housing’s Emergency Homeless Shelter with bedding! Each night 66 single adults sleep at the shelter and we offer a safe, clean, and comfortable bed. These basic bedding materials are crucial to making sure that guests feel comfortable. Our goal is to provide every guest that walks through our doors a new, clean set of sheets and we need your help to do it!

Many groups will choose a few specific items that they will collect, others will advertise a full list of all supplies needed. Items to collect are:

You can view example items on our Amazon Charity List https://smile.amazon.com/hz/charitylist/ls/1Q4DOAP1WID30/ref=smi_ext_lnk_lcl_cl

Timeframe

This is a flexible volunteer opportunity; you can volunteer one time or on an ongoing basis.

Location

Simpson Housing Services Office
160 Glenwood Avenue
Minneapolis, MN 55405

Donation Delivery Hours

We are currently accepting in-person donations by appointment only. When you have your items collected, visit our donation scheduler at https://calendly.com/d/dtj-ych-5hn/160-glenwood-donation-delivery-appointment?month=2022-07 for donation times and drop off location information.

For additional information and to express interest, please contact Katelyn Jaksha, Volunteer Coordinator at kjaksha@simpsonhousing.org

Make a positive impact on the lives of seniors in the community. Sign up to help with fall leaf removal for older adults; this can also be a great group volunteering project.

Task includes raking leaves, bagging, and taking bags to compost site.

Please contact Paula Sandstrom 651-683-2326 or email programcoordinator@eastsideelders.org

Simpson Housing operates a shelter for homeless adults and housing programs for individuals and families moving into housing. Our goal is to provide every new guest that walks through our doors a new, clean blanket for their bed. We're running out of blankets and will need them for the coming winter months!

You can help by buying a new blanket during your regular shopping trip. You can also encourage your friends to do the same. We can accept new twin, full, and queen size blankets. Please no throw size blankets or baby blankets.

New blankets may be delivered by scheduling an appointment at:

https://calendly.com/d/dtj-ych-5hn/160-glenwood-donation-delivery-appointment?month=2022-07

For additional information and to express interest, please contact Katelyn Jaksha, Volunteer Coordinator at kjaksha@simpsonhousing.org

At MVOB, we choose blankets for children ages 2-17 based on their individual requests.

Fleece blankets are a great way to make sure a child’s bedding matches their interests. This opportunity is also great for individuals and groups. 

Please find our instructions for blanket making attached to this email. Blankets should be at least 60 x 90 inches. Please check our fleece blanket instructions for more information. 

Our inventory of new toys for children aged 10 to 16 is extremely low.  We would welcome anyone to conduct a toy drive to collect these items.  We try to keep each item in the $10 range.  Items include: legos, bath and body products, hair and makeup products, electronics, etc.