Better Together: a family service event  

Doing Good Together

Date/Time: Friday, February 24, 5-8 pm

Location: Midtown Global Market, 920 East Lake Street, Minneapolis  

Better Together is a free, community-wide family service event hosted by the Midtown Global Market and Doing Good Together. Families are invited to come together to do simple, hands-on service projects, reflect on the importance of giving back, and learn about opportunities to get involved in their community. A diverse group of organizations (including Metro Meals on Wheels, The Family Partnership, Second Harvest Heartland and others) will be participating - each hosting a "station" with a kid-friendly service activity for families to complete. The organizations will also provide information about their mission and volunteer opportunities that are available for families. This event will be held in conjunction with Midtown Global Market's Family night, and will feature live, family entertainment from 5:30 to 7:30 pm. in the Market's Central Plaza.

Ages: All ages are welcome

Time Commitment: Come for as long as you'd like between 5pm and 8pm

Contact:  Rachel Chrastil at rachel@doinggoodtogether.org or doinggoodtogether.org/bettertogether  

www.doinggoodtogether.org 

Sandwich Makers  

363 Days

Date/Time: Ongoing opportunity

Location: Sandwiches can be prepared in your home or any location that is convenient for you and then delivered to one of the 363 Days local drop off sites 

Each year, many organizations put together programs for Thanksgiving and Christmas to help feed, clothe and take care of those less fortunate. There is a remarkable amount of time, energy and money that goes into these programs. But what happens the other 363 days of the year? 363 Days was established with those other days in mind. We depend on volunteers from all over the Twin Cities to make sandwiches that 363 days then delivers to the hungry and homeless in our community. This is a great volunteer opportunity for families with any age kids.  You can make them in your home or at a church (or just about anywhere), by yourselves or with a group. It is easier to feed 150 people than you might think. It simply takes one trip to a local grocery store to purchase the supplies, and the time and effort to prepare 150 sandwiches 

Ages: All ages can participate

Time Commitment: Flexible, commitment includes purchasing supplies, preparing the sandwiches and delivering them to a local drop off site 

Contact: Kari Warnke,651.210.1151, kari.warnke@gmail.com. To learn more and to sign up to prepare sandwiches, visit the 363 Days Instructions page

www.363days.org 

Make it a Good Life Gala  

Arc Greater Twin Cities

Date/Time: Saturday, February 11, Shifts are 3-4 hours and are available from 9:00 am until midnight. Please sign up for shifts by February 1

Location: Hyatt Regency Hotel, 1300 Nicollet Mall, in downtown Minneapolis  

The Arc Greater Twin Cities is a grassroots advocacy organization dedicated to serving people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. Intellectual and developmental disabilities include Down syndrome, autism, fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, cerebral palsy and other related conditions. The Arc's mission is to secure for all people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families the opportunity to realize their goals of where and how they live, learn, work, and play. Shifts are 3-4 hours and are available from 9:00 am until midnight. The following volunteer shifts are available:

• 9-11:00 am: Load Gala items into vehicles at The Arc Greater Twin Cities, 2446 University Ave W, Suite 110, St. Paul, and unload vehicles at Hyatt Regency Hotel  (3 volunteers needed)
• 2-4 pm: Staging of the silent auction area with auction items (2 volunteers needed)
• 2:30-5 pm: Set dining room tables, assemble goodie bags (2 volunteers needed)
• 7:30-11 pm: Help with packaging silent auction items together that need to be paid for and organizing of silent auction area (12 volunteers needed)
• 9:30-11:30 pm: Coat check (8 volunteers needed)
• 9:30-11:30 pm: Direct guests to auction pay area/clean up of Arc Gala (4 volunteers needed)

Ages: Families are welcome to participate. Minimum age is 13; must be accompanied by an adult

Time Commitment: Shifts are 3-4 hours

Contact: Michelle Theisen, Volunteer Development Manager, Program Services, michelletheisen@arcgreatertwincities.org, 952.915.3670, arcgreatertwincities.org/gala  

www.arcgreatertwincities.org 

Host a Birthday Bag Blitz  

Cheerful Givers

Date/Time: Flexible 

Location: Fill the bags at your home or other location, and then deliver them to a local shelter or food shelf 

Cheerful Givers helps families by helping to provide toy-filled birthday gift bags to food shelves and shelters so that parents living in poverty can give their child a birthday gift. This simple gesture boosts self-esteem, enhances self-worth, and strengthens bonds in families. Your family or group will assemble provide birthday bags with new toys for children ages 3-12 and deliver bags to a nearby shelter or food shelf. About 8-10 new items go into each bag, with a total value of about ten dollars. Each bag should include one "lasting" item like a plush animal or book. Click for directions for assembling birthday bags. This is a unique, fun activity for all ages! Please contact Cheerful Givers to tell them how many birthday bags you filled and where you donated them. If your group assembles more than 100 birthday bags within Minnesota, Cheerful Givers will arrange for pick-up.

Ages: All ages will enjoy this project

Time Commitment: Will vary, depending on the time needed to purchase supplies, assemble and deliver birthday bags

Contact: Karen@cheerfulgivers.org or visit www.cheerfulgivers.org for more information

www.cheerfulgivers.org 

Peace Dinner

Liemandt Foundation

Date/Time: Tuesday, February 28, 5:30-8 pm

Location: Ascension School Cafeteria, 1726 Dupont Ave N, Minneapolis

Each month The Liemandt Foundation hosts a Peace Dinner and activities for families and youth in North Minneapolis. The goal of the event is to create a time and place conducive to mutual relationship building, where all voices can be heard, community and family treasures can be recognized and celebrated, and genuine needs can be served. This is a participatory and social volunteer opportunity. Volunteers are invited to be part of the community, participate in the activities, and socialize with the families in attendance while sharing a meal. Volunteers will engage in a variety of roles that can include greeting guests, helping guests with nametags, serving dinner, helping guests select a book and assisting guests with the evening's activity.   

Ages: All ages are welcome but may be more appropriate for children ages 5 and older. Young children need adult supervision

Time Commitment: 2.5 hours

Contact: Katie Chock, 763.228.5409, or katie.chock@liemandtfoundation.org

www.liemandtfoundation.org 

Make Play Dough for Our Kids!   

The Family Partnership

Date/Time: Anytime during February

Location: Drop completed batches of play dough off at any of The Family Partnership's six locations  

Since 1878, The Family Partnership has helped more than one million of our community's most vulnerable children and families. We are an accredited, human service nonprofit organization operating from our own six sites and hundreds of community locations throughout the metro, such as schools, churches, neighborhood centers, prisons and food shelves. We are looking for volunteers to make homemade play dough for us. Our therapists use it with their clients in play therapy and preschool teachers use it in our preschools. Please contact Kim Ferencik at 612.341.1611, or kferencik@thefamilypartnership.org, for our easy stovetop play dough recipe. This simple recipe can be made anywhere there is hot water. Volunteers provide the ingredients, flour, salt, cream of tartar, kool aid and oil. Each batch costs about $1 to make. Make as few or as many batches as you like. 

Ages: Any age, but be cautious of the hot water with younger children

Time Commitment: Varies

Contact: Kim Ferencik, 612.341.1611, or kferencik@thefamilypartnership.org

www.thefamilypartnership.org 

2012 Walk to Cure Diabetes  

Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International

Date/Time: Saturday, February 25. Walk start time is 8 am

Location: Mall of America, Bloomington  

Join thousands of others in supporting juvenile diabetes research while walking around Mall of America. The walk starts at 8 am. (Registration starts at 7 am) Walk for as long or short of a time as you'd like! Then stay for the post walk entertainment. 

Ages: All ages can walk (or ride in a stroller)

Time Commitment: A few hours

Contact: Kara Fischer, Special Events Manager; kfischer@jdrf.org, 952.851.0770, Click for online registration information  

www.jdrfwalktocurediabetes.org 

Deliver Food to Homebound Seniors  

Neighborhood House

Date/Time: Thursday, February 2, 10 am-noon

Location: 179 Robie Street East, Saint Paul  

Deliver food to homebound seniors living near Neighborhood House. The first Thursday of each month generous volunteers deliver food and enjoy friendly conversation with homebound seniors. This is a great volunteer opportunity for pairs of people to do together. Teach your children and grandchildren about the importance of service! Two delivery locations are available:  

1. The Dunedin apartments are located next door to Neighborhood House and do not require a car to get there
2. There are groups of seniors located in different residences throughout the West Side of St Paul so a car is required to deliver these meals

Ages: All ages, but an adult must accompany children under 14. Families are welcome

Time Commitment: Two hours

Contact: Riley Karbon, Volunteer Coordinator, 651.789.3626, rkarbon@neighb.org

www.neighb.org