Celebrate! 

Doing Good Together

Date/Time: Friday, October 14, 6- 9pm

Location: Dorsey and Whitney LLP, 15th Floor Atrium, 50 South Sixth Street, Minneapolis

 If you would like to learn more about our organization while enjoying the company of others interested in raising compassionate children through family service, please join us!  We will be featuring complimentary hors d'oeuvres, desserts and wine from Isaac Becker of 112 Eatery and Bar La Grassa, the James Beard Foundation's 2011 Best Chef in the Midwest; a live and silent auction; and a Big Wall of Wine Raffle. This celebration is a fundraiser for Doing Good Together, however, no minimum donation will be requested.  All are welcome! 

Ages: Most suitable for adults, but all ages are welcome

Time Commitment: As long as you'd like, up to 3 hours

Contact: For further information, www.doinggoodtogether.org/events. Space is limited. To reserve, call 612.822.6502 or email rachel@doinggoodtogether.org

www.doinggoodtogether.org

Clean Out Your Closets 

The Family Partnership

Date/Time: Anytime during October

Location: For drop off information, please email Kim at kferencik@thefamilypartnership.org

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 new or gently used clothing donations for children and youth in our early childhood centers and adult clothing for parents in our support programs. In these difficult economic times, our children and families need our help more than ever. We are especially looking for: new underwear and socks (ages 1-18), boots, shoes, sweatpants, and sweatshirts. We don't have room to store clothing so we are only able to accept fall and winter items at this time.

Ages: All ages can participate

Time Commitment: Varies

Contact: Kim Ferencik, 612-341-1611, kferencik@thefamilypartnership.org

www.thefamilypartnership.org/

Ike's Creek Restoration Event 

Great River Greening

Date/Time: Saturday, October 8, 8:30am-12:30pm

Location: 2401 East 86th Street, Bloomington

Is it hard to imagine a viable trout stream with headwaters across the street from the Mall of America? Sign up for our October 8th volunteer planting event and see it for yourself! Ike's Creek lies within and adjacent to one of the largest urban wildlife corridors in the country, the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge. The creek has experienced consistent invasion by invasive species, such as garlic mustard and buckthorn, which diminish the stream's water quality and in stream habitat for reproducing populations of native trout species. With your help, we can maintain and restore natural resources like Ike's Creek that are still present in the metro area. Come contribute a day's work towards a great cause at Ike's Creek, one of only 12 trout streams in the metro area. Your hard work will help restore a native trout fishery in Bloomington, through the removal of invasive species like buckthorn and garlic mustard.

Ages: All ages can participate

Time Commitment: Four hours

Contact: You can register online or contact our Volunteer Programs and Events Manager, at volunteer@greatrivergreening.org or 651-665-9500 ext. 11

www.greatrivergreening.org

Safe House Make A Meal 

Lutheran Social Service, Metro Homeless Youth Programs

Date/Time: Ongoing opportunity, pre-schedule one or more dates to deliver a meal.
Meals are needed Monday-Friday at 7:30pm; Saturday & Sunday at 6pm

Location: Midway area of St. Paul

Prepare a nutritious and delicious meal off-site for around 8 hungry young adults and drop it off at our emergency shelter for homeless youth. Volunteers are needed to prepare dinner for youth staying at Safe House, a thirty day emergency shelter for homeless youth ages 16-20. The shelter provides a friendly, safe environment where youth living on the streets can begin the road to healthy, productive lives. Meals that can feed 8 hungry adults are prepared off-site and dropped off at the shelter at 7:30pm Monday-Friday and at 6pm on Saturdays and Sundays. Options for meal are endless: throw some extra burgers and brats on the grill and drop off a backyard barbecue meal, pick up some pizzas for the youth on a night when it is too hot to cook or drop off items for a taco or make your own sub bar. This is a great opportunity to involve the whole family and to teach children about meal planning, nutrition and giving back to others. All meals must be scheduled in advance.  

Ages: All ages, but children under 13 must be accompanied by an adult

Time Commitment: One time or ongoing

Contact: Annie Harm, annie.harm@lssmn.org or 651-470-8801, LSS Homeless Youth Services

www.lssmn.org/

LOVE IN[DEED] 

Wooddale Church

Date/Time: Saturday, October 15, 8:30 am-Noon

Location: Wooddale Church Gym, Door 5, 6630 Shady Oak Road, Eden Prairie

Join Love In[Deed] in making a difference in the Twin Cities. Just show up, choose from a variety of pre-planned volunteer opportunities, and then go serve the community. Buses will be provided to transport volunteers to sites they select.  

Ages: All ages are welcome

Time Commitment: 3.5 hours

Contact: For more information visit www.wooddale.org/loveindeed.  To contact the church regarding Love In[Deed] please email them at  loveindeedwc@gmail.com

www.wooddale.org

Clothing/Toy Drive  

Families Helping Each Other 

Date/Time: Anytime in October

Location: 758 Chatsworth, Saint Paul or these community drop sites 

Families Helping Each Other is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that gathers resources to assist families during challenging times. They reach out to the community by networking and passing along items to meet their current needs. Your family can help by cleaning out your closets and donating clothes, toys, books and other items that you no longer use. Items that are currently being requested include: 

· gently used clothing-all shapes and sizes
· household goods
· shoes & boots
· toys
· games
· books
· baby supplies-diapers, wipes
· unused personal care products
· school supplies
· working computers

Ages:  Everyone can help out 

Time Commitment: On your own time

Contact: Julia Sonnen 612-235-9336, or info@familieshelpingeachother.org  

www.familieshelpingeachother.org 

Fall Yard Help 

Hammer

Date/Time: Flexible; will work with families and/or individuals to determine date/time that works for you

Location:  The homes are located in the western suburbs of the Twin Cities: Wayzata, Minnetonka, Eden Prairie, Edina, Bloomington, St. Louis Park, Golden Valley, New Hope, Crystal, Maple Grove, and Plymouth

Hammer provides adults and children with developmental disabilities the opportunity to experience life to its fullest. Hammer has served adults and children with developmental disabilities since 1923 and currently provides residential services, in-home support services, and case management supports to over 600 adults and children in the community. Hammer homes need volunteers to help with fall yard work. Come help, get some exercise, and make a difference all at the same time!

Ages: Minimum age is 10

Time Commitment: Two hours per site

Contact: Katie Bottiger, 952.277.2427 or katie@hammer.org

www.hammer.org

Rake a Difference Day 

Community Thread

Date/Time: Saturday, October 22

Location: Homes are located in the St Croix Valley communities of Afton, Bayport, Hugo, Lake Elmo, Mahtomedi, Marine, Stillwater, Oak Park Heights and Woodbury

Rake A Difference Day is a Community Thread service initiative that takes place in conjunction with the national Make A Difference Day. This initiative takes place across the St. Croix Valley, and connects groups of volunteers to seniors and people with disabilities who need assistance raking their yards. Groups rake on or around the date of national Make a Difference Day. Last year we engaged over 500 volunteers in raking the yards of over 65 people in need in our community! This year will mark the 13th year of Rake A Difference Day in the St. Croix Valley.

Ages: All ages can participate

Time Commitment: Depends on the number of yards your family or group is able to rake

Contact: Elena Ballam, 651-439-7434 or elena@communitythreadmn.org.  Rake a Difference Day volunteer applications are available online at Rake a Difference Day

www.communitythreadmn.org