Our Olivet congregation is a giving community! The Volunteer Corner is dedicated to providing opportunities for members of Olivet (as well as the wider community) to participate in a variety of community outreach activities. Most of the opportunities listed are derived from the “Grant-a-Wish” booklet published yearly by the Saint Paul Foundation, a trusted local non-profit organization. Opportunties are posted on a rotating monthly basis, with information on each organization and links to their respective websites. If you have ideas for new postings, please contact a member of the Community Works committee--we welcome your input.
These Volunteer Corner ideas come from the Minneapolis based non-profit ‘Doing Good Together’. Founded in 2003, Doing Good Together’s mission is to ‘inspire and help families volunteer’ with a vision of ‘building a culture of family service so that every child grows up knowing that the world is a better place’. More information can be found at www.doinggoodtogether.org
Five Ways to Serve in the Community
Want to get out in the community, partner with a local organization, and meet folks while you serve? Here are some ways to do that successfully, regardless of your interests, time constraints or ages of your children.
1. Deliver Meals
Metro Meals on Wheels Flexible Dates/Times: Any day, Monday to Friday, one hour during lunch time. Location: There are 40 Meals on Wheels programs throughout the Metro area so you can volunteer near your home and with your family.
Meals on Wheels in the Twin Cities needs your family’s help delivering hot, nutritious meals at lunchtime, Monday through Friday, to the elderly and those with limited mobility in our community. Our volunteers deliver much more than a meal - they bring a smile and kind words, they relieve isolation, and provide peace of mind for our clients and their caregivers. It only takes one hour for your family to help deliver meals and deliver independence. Bring your children or grandchildren to share in the experience, teaching them the value of good citizenship and service to their community while they are young.
Ages: A great family opportunity for all ages.
Time Commitment: About 1 hour. You can volunteer once a week or once a month or on a schedule that works for your family. Feel free to volunteer only for the summer months.
Contact: For more information or for other family-friendly opportunities, please contact Metro Meals on Wheels at info@meals-on-wheels.com or by calling 612.623.3363.
Location: Meet in the Wooddale Church (Eden Prairie Campus) Gym, Door 5 6630 Shady Oak Rd. Eden Prairie 55344 Just show up, choose from a variety of pre-planned volunteer opportunities and then go serve in the nearby community! Buses are provided to bring you (and your family) to/from the site you select. Show up at 8:30am to pick your site and you'll be finished by noon. It really is that easy! No pre-registration required.
Ages: This is a great opportunity for all ages to give.
Time Commitment: Just one Saturday morning, 8:30 am to noon.
Ask the volunteer coordinator at your local nursing home how you can help out. You might want to have them match your family with an elderly person you can visit regularly. Or consider giving a party for residents; assisting with celebrations, games and outings; planning and carrying out a craft night; sharing a hobby; helping with bingo; performing a family talent show; escorting residents on walks; or being a lunch buddy.
4. Organize a Collection
Organizing a collection can be a great family project -- whether you decide to collect cereal for a food pantry, cat or dog toys for a humane society, diapers for a crisis nursery, books for a family homeless shelter or anything else needed by a local nonprofit. Remember, talk with the agency to be sure they can use your collected items before you start collecting. Set a goal (how many items do you hope to collect?) and set a deadline (when will the collection be complete?).Decide whom to involve. Think about collecting in your neighborhood, among your friends, or in your school or workplace. Advertise! Ensure success by sending emails and making phone calls to family and friends, writing letters, making posters or fliers, posting on our Facebook page, or putting an ad in your local paper. Make it as easy as possible for potential contributors to donate. Decide whether folks are responsible for dropping off the items or whether you’ll do pick up. Be certain you have a place to store the items. Take a camera along when you drop off the items at the agency, then send the photo to everyone who participated, thanking them for their donations. Tell them how much you collected, too. Also share your collection drive experience (along with the photos) on our website: doinggoodtogether.org. Note what you learned and what you’d do differently. Then plan your next collection drive!
5. Mentor an adult with intellectual disabilities or an at-risk child
Include an adult with intellectual disabilities or an at-risk child in your family’s activities several times a month. The activities don’t need to cost money. Bake cookies together, go fishing, or play board games. These mentorships can make a big difference in someone’s life.
Looking for more ideas? Sign up for the free Doing Good Together newsletter at www.doinggoodtogether.org. Also, visit www.volunteermatch.org. You can narrow your search to find projects appropriate for your family. Under “advanced search” click on “kids” or “teens” (depending on the ages of your children), and you’ll get a list of possibilities
