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Volunteer Opportunities

Can we help spread the word about a volunteer opportunity in your organization? Send information by the 10th of the month for publication in the e-Bulletin for the next month to info@vital-aging-network.org. While we will make every effort to include what you send us, space is limited.

Normandale Center for Healing & Wholeness

Care Team Volunteers
Be a friend to an older adult who still lives independently at home!  Once trained, you will be a part of a team of four – four new friends for an older adult. This vital once-a-month time commitment of 2-4 hours will allow an older adult to stay connected to community and friends. You might visit, help with errands, or drive for an appointment. For more information, please contact Sue Schultz at 952-929-1697 ext. 31 or sue@normluth.org.

Metropolitan Area Agency on Aging (MAAA)

County Fair Outreach Project
Educate your community by joining the MAAA at the summer county fairs! Adult volunteers 18+ needed to staff an education booth, greet fairgoers and share important resource information on issues of aging. Free training provided along with paid admission and parking for each volunteer shift. Day, evening and weekend shifts available; minimum 20 hour commitment necessary. Consider signing up with a friend or bringing your child along to help!
 
Dates:
Anoka County Fair: July 23rd -28th
Carver County Fair: August 7th -11th
Dakota County Fair: August 5th - 11th
Scott County Fair: July 24th - 28th
Washington County Fair: July 31st-August 4th

For more information please contact Joy Vliem, Volunteer Coordinator, at 651-917-4638, jvliem@tcaging.org.

Junior Achievement

Volunteer with Elementary Students
JA connects caring adults with classrooms of elementary students. JA volunteers share their personal and professional experiences while facilitating lessons to help young people learn how to be good consumers, workers and citizens. The volunteer commitment is 4-5 total hours in one day facilitating the 5 JA lessons back to back with a partner while the classroom teacher is present. JA has 11 dates that needs volunteers between April 26-May 30th at schools all over the Twin Cites.  Download a flyer. Contact Karyn@jaum.org or call 651-255-0050.

Park Nicollet Methodist Hospital Lifeline

Volunteer Installers Needed
Install Lifeline equipment in homes of new subscribers and teach them to use the service. Installation is easy and consists of plugging the communicator into a phone jack and electrical outlet, and performing two simple tests. Lifeline depends heavily on volunteers to bring this service to our community. With a few hours of your time, you are helping a senior remain independent and comfortable in their own home. Installers are reimbursed mileage. Please contact Gwen at 952-993-5076 or gwen.havel@parknicollet.com for more information.

Valley Friendship Club

Social Activity Volunteer
Do you like to dance, cook, yoga, watch football, or play video games? Perhaps you love art or music? While volunteering for Valley Friendship Club (VFC) you can put your passions to work while helping with event planning, fundraising, and more. Valley Friendship Club, a nonprofit social club for children, teens and young adults with and without disabilities, offers social opportunities in the St. Croix Valley Area.

Volunteering with VFC also offers you the opportunity to have fun while you assist children, teens, and young adults with developmental disabilities in fun social activities. We are looking for volunteers of all experience levels to join in the fun and help mentor club members.

The mission of the Valley Friendship Club (VFC) is to promote and provide safe accessible social opportunities while fostering friendships. VFC aims to enhance community connections, empower club participants to strengthen important life skills and create greater social independence. Please contact valleyfriendshipclub@gmail.com or www.valleyfriendshipclub.org or 651-491-6486 for a list of activities.

DARTS

Volunteer to Befriend an Older Neighbor Living in Your Area
DARTS has received several requests from older adults living in Dakota County for a volunteer to spend some time visiting, helping with errands, or perhaps enjoying an activity together. Volunteer visitor opportunities are for weekly or every other week.

If you’re interested in making a difference in the life of an older neighbor through this volunteer opportunity or others at DARTS, contact Barb Tiggemann, 651-455-1560 or barb.tiggemann@darts1.org, or visit www.darts1.org.

DARTS is a nonprofit, volunteer-driven organization that serves older adults with practical, supportive services around the house and offers resources and support to family caregivers of elders.

Meals on Wheels

Build Your Community One Meal at a Time--
Deliver Meals on Wheels!
Make an impact in your community by delivering hot and nutritious Meals on Wheels to seniors and individuals with disabilities in your community. 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. Deliver meals and deliver independence!

Learn more at www.meals-on-wheels.com or contact kelsey@meals-on-wheels.com, 612-623-3363.

Kids 'n Kinship

Be a Friend for a Child
Looking for a way to make a difference for the next generation? Be a friend to a child! Kids 'n Kinship has served children in Apple Valley, Burnsville, Eagan, Farmington, Lakeville, and Rosemount for 40 years, matching children ages 5-16 in need of an additional role model with individuals, couples, or families for weekly fun & enriching activities, such as spending time outdoors, playing games, and going to places such as museums or the zoo. It's a wonderful way to stay active and involved in your community, and to make a difference in the life of a child. Many mentors are empty-nesters who just want to have children in their lives again. Training and on-going support is provided. For more information, contact Kids 'n Kinship at 952-892-6368 or visit www.kidsnkinship.org.

CommonBond

Conversation Volunteers
Come reach out to your neighbors for an hour of coffee, cookies and conversation. Share your stories while helping English language learners gain confidence in their language abilities! Language classrooms are more effective with multiple voices, and if you speak English, you can be an integral part of our program. In Conversation Group, you can tutor literacy to an elder learning to read, engage in discussions with people from all over the world, or even watch kids so that mothers can participate in our program. Our participants are mainly Vietnamese, Oromo, and Somali—be a part of an engaging hour of conversation while giving back to the community and building relationships at the United Nations of the Sky! Conversation Group is 5-6 every Thursday at Skyline Tower, 1247 St Anthony Ave in St Paul.To learn more, contact Lisa at 651-999-7528, or lisa.vogl@commonbond.org.

University of Minnesota Youth Development Leadership Program

Senior, Senior, Senior Volunteers
Want to help young people learn to be citizens in our democracy? Want to help blend the generations so young and old can learn and work together? This program matches a senior citizen (over 55) with a senior in college to form a team with a senior in high school to develop a civic engagement club. If you would like to be involved, please contact Rob Shumer (rshumer@umn.edu or call 612- 625-8129) or Jenna Sethi (sethi007@umn.edu) at the University of Minnesota Youth Development Leadership Program. Download a flyer with more information.

Metropolitan Area Agency on Aging

Medicare Phone Bank Volunteers
The world of Medicare can be a maze, and many seniors and persons with disabilities are getting lost! Become a Medicare Phone Bank Counselor and work one-on-one with individuals to help them understand their benefits and options within Medicare. You will receive ongoing Medicare training and support to assist older adults and caregiver callers to understand Medicare and make informed decisions. To find out more about this opportunity, please call Joy at 651-917-4638 or visit our website at www.tcaging.org.