Volunteer in the Community

Open Your Heart does not work directly with people experiencing hunger and homelessness. However, many of the agencies we partner with and support rely on volunteers to keep programs running smoothly and meet everyone’s needs. Visit one of the following websites or call us to find opportunities to make an impact on hunger and homelessness in your area:

Alexandra House, Inc.: Please visit https://www.alexandrahouse.org/get-involved/volunteerintern/ Or email Danielle Reynolds at [email protected] to learn more about volunteering with Alexandra House Inc.

Bridgepoint Community Food Shelf: Join the Volunteer team at Bridgepoint Community food shelf. It only takes a few hours a month to make a positive difference in the lives of others. (1) FOOD SHELF SORT begins with a food drive of your own and then come to CES to sort food and stock the Food Shelf.  (2) HOME DELIVERY VOLUNTEERS meet CES staff at a specific apartment complex and deliver groceries to individual clients who are not able to visit the food shelf. (3) SOS AMBASSADOR (SUPPORTING OUR SENIORS) VOLUNTEERS are matched up with 1-2 Home Delivery recipients. Volunteers take monthly phone calls as well as pack & deliver their groceries. If interested in becoming a volunteer or learning more about these opportunities, please visit the CES website: www.cesmn.org or email [email protected] to learn more.

 

Community Emergency Service (CES): CES has many ongoing and one-time volunteer opportunities such as: food sorter, kitchen helper, Meals on Wheels delivery driver, Home Delivery driver, Ani-Meals delivery driver, food shelf client interviewer/advocate, office volunteer, maintenance volunteer, and much more. For a full listing of opportunities visit: https://www.cesmn.org/help/volunteer#hands-on. Please contact Melanie LaPointe, Volunteer Coordinator at 612-870-1125 (ex.128) or [email protected].

Face to Face Health & Counseling Services: Face to Face Health & Counseling Services has numerous opportunities that volunteers can sign up for. They are inviting any interested individuals or groups to contact Mikaela Wolf at [email protected] to inquire about other ways to get involved. They are also providing a few events volunteers can sign up for:

Face to Face Neighborhood Clean-Up Day on September 18th. To sign-up, visit https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0c4dacaf23aafbcf8-face2  to fill out the form.

Providing Meals for Face to Face Hotel Shelter Program (ongoing timeframe). To sign up, visit: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0c4dacaf23aafbcf8-face to complete the form.

For more information, contact [email protected]

Good in the ‘Hood: Shoe Sorting Shoes is a volunteer opportunity where Good In the ‘Hood collects shoes and sort them at the Fridley, MN warehouse in order to provide people in need with quality footwear.  

Volunteering at Good In the ‘Hood’s 20+ food distribution sites are needed to help set-up and clean-up the site for the day’s distribution. Volunteers can also help distribute groceries to guests. Good In the ‘Hood always serves with a spirit of joy and look forward to having volunteers. Learn about upcoming volunteer opportunities through their events calendar, www.goodinthehood.org/volunteer. Check the website regulararly to see the most recent information on all Events and Volunteer Opportunities. You can also contact, Shawn Morrison at [email protected] to learn more.

Hope for the Journey Home: There are dinner and overnight shifts available for volunteers (sleeping position volunteers are needed 7 days per week). Position descriptions can be found at https://www.guardian-angels.org/hope/, or contact Patricia Brokman at [email protected] to learn more.

New Creation Baptist Church: New Creation Baptist Church has volunteer opportunities on Saturdays from 10:00 am until 2:00 pm. Contact [email protected] to learn more.

One Minnesota: There are several opportunities available at One Minnesota, volunteer opportunities are regularly posted on their social media or at: weareonemn.org. Contact Christopher Whidby at [email protected] to learn more.

Shiloh Cares Food Shelf: Shiloh Cares has volunteer opportunities for unloading and stocking each week on Tuesdays from 11 am to 3 pm. Contact Jalilia Abdul-Brown at [email protected] to learn more.

Shobi’s Table: Visit shobistable.org/volunteer to learn more about volunteering in Shobi’s Table kitchen or as a host at the food truck.

The Link: We have many volunteer opportunities that are ongoing. Please visit https://thelinkmn.org/volunteer/ for more information.

The Open Door: The Open Door is always seeking volunteers to stock our fixed-site and mobile pantries, help clients “shop” for food items, make client appointments by phone, or assist at our public events. To attend a training and informational session, please contact client and volunteer services coordinator Veronica Lind at [email protected] or 651-605-2886.

YouthWay Ministries: Are looking for volunteers on Mondays, Thursdays, and Fridays from 8 am to 8 pm, and Saturdays 7 am to 2 pm. There is no need to pre-register. Please contact Nancy Gregory at [email protected] for any questions.

360 Communities: 360 Communities is in need of volunteers at its food shelves to assist in stocking and distribution. Contact [email protected] to learn more.

At Home Volunteer Projects

Looking for ways to help your community during this unprecedented time while at home? At-home volunteer projects such as creating feminine hygiene kits for a local domestic violence shelter, putting together snack packs for children staying at a local emergency shelter, or sewing cloth masks for a local emergency shelter or clinic are easy and simple ways to provide support to your community during this time of need. Please refer to our in-kind needs list HERE for local agency needs. For a full list of volunteer project ideas and steps for each click HERE.

Feminine Hygiene Kits

Items Needed Per Bag:

  • 1 Sandwich Size Ziploc Bag
  • 4 Tampons (regular or pocket size)
  • 2-4 Pads (depending on size/thickness)
  • Craft Paper
  • Scissors
  • Markers

*To figure out how many of each item to purchase depends on the number of kits you would like to make. For example, for 10 kits you would need about 40 tampons and 20-40 pads. The number of boxes of each item depends on what size and kind you get. Many places offer bulk packages of each. These kits can also be customized depending on how much money you would like to spend on each bag, adding less or more of each item.

Instructions:

  1. Take one sandwich-sized Ziploc bag and place 2-4 pads (depending on what type you get – overnight ones will be thicker and take up more space. Daily one’s will be thinner and take up less space so you can fit more in) in it.
  2. Then take 4 tampons and place them in the bag. (Putting the tampons vertically and over to one of the sides of the bag instead of laying it diagonally across the bag works best to make sure they fit and take up less space).
  3. Now take your craft paper and scissors and make small squares to write empowering, supportive, and positive notes on for the women that will receive these kits.
  4. Squeeze out all of the excess air in the bags and then place the completed bag in a box or paper bag to be used for easy drop off.
  5. Repeat steps 1-4 for however many kits you would like to create.

Organizations In Need of Feminine Hygiene Kits

 

Kids Snack Packs

Items Needed Per Pack:

  • 1 Brown Paper Lunch Bag
  • 2 Fruit Snacks
  • 2 Granola Bars
  • 1 Apple Sauce Cup
  • 1 Mini Water or Juice Box
  • 1 Mini bag of Gold Fish (individual packets)
  • 1 Plastic Spoon

*To figure out how many of each item to purchase, depends on the number of kits you would like to make. Just take the number of each item and multiply it by how many bags/kits you would like to make to get the total number for each item needed.

**Bag can be customized depending on how much you would like to spend on each kit. Some ideas for additional items are: individual pack of crackers, individually wrapped fruit leathers, individual bag of mini pretzels, individual mini cereal boxes, mini Slim Jim sticks, cracker and cheese dip pack, to-go Jif peanut butter packs, to-go pack of hand wipes, etc. Just make sure all items are nonperishable foods.

Instructions:

  1. Take 1 brown paper lunch bag and place 2 fruit snacks, 2 granola bars, 1 applesauce cup, 1 mini bag of gold fish, and 1 mini water bottle or juice box in the bag.
  2. Then add 1 plastic spoon or any other utensils to the bag to accommodate for all scenarios and to make it portable.
  3. Fold the top of the bag over horizontally twice to close the bag and place the completed bag in a box for easy drop off.
  4. Repeat steps 1-3 for how every many packs you are creating.

Organizations In Need Of Kids Snack Packs

 

Outreach Kits 

Items Needed Per Kit:

  • 1 Reuseable Plastic Water bottle with Twist Top (See photo for example). The Dollar Store and Amazon have many options.
  • 1 Pair of New Unisex White Socks
  • 1 Mini Roll-on Deodorant
  • 1 Mini Body Wash
  • 1 Mini Mouthwash

*Please note that this kit can be customized and changed as you see fit and depending on how much you want to spend on each kit. Some ideas for additional items include: mini-floss, Band-Aids, hand sanitizer, Chapstick, mini-travel toothbrush, mini-toothpaste, rain poncho, etc.

Instructions:

  1. Take 1 plastic reusable water bottle and place 1 pair of new unisex white socks in it. Rolling them first helps them to fit in the top of the water bottle opening.
  2. Then place 1 mini-deodorant, 1 body wash, and 1 mini-mouthwash inside the water bottle. Place any additional items in it at this time as well.
  3. Place completed water bottles in a re-useable bag, paper bag or box for easy drop off.
  4. Repeat steps 1-3 for as many kits you would like to create.

Organizations In Need Of Outreach Kits

For a full list of volunteer project ideas and steps for each click HERE.

Volunteer in Your Spare Time

Open Your Heart receives almost all funds from individuals and uses social media as a way to get more donors without diverting funds from agencies to fundraising. Any of the below actions help Open Your Heart spread awareness and involve more people in our mission!

Volunteer by Throwing a House Party

Like to party? Like to raise money for a good cause? Throw a house party!

Hosting an Open Your Heart House Party brings awareness and raises funds for people who are hungry and homeless in our community.

Who do you invite? Your family, friends, neighbors, coworkers, friends of friends, anyone you want!
Where do you hold it? Your home or wherever you would like to host the event (library, church basement, community center, bowling alley, etc.)
What would you need to do? You are responsible for cost of location, invitations, and food/beverages. OYH can provide background materials on the organization (e.g. brochures, video, and signs), help through the process, and a speaker!

Interested in learning more? Contact [email protected].