individual volunteer opportunities

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People Serving People is proud of and grateful for the community of dedicated volunteers who’ve supported the shelter and our guests in the four decades since we first opened. As the COVID pandemic has required us all to change the ways we live, it has also reshaped the volunteer program. While some of the volunteer opportunities that we previously offered may no longer be available, there are still plenty of opportunities to get involved at our shelter! We look forward to expanding our volunteer program in the years ahead.

Questions about volunteering? Contact volunteer programs staff at volunteering@peopleservingpeople.org or 612-277-0246.

CURRENT PROGRAMS

Meal Service

People Serving People’s meal program is one of the largest operations in the whole shelter, both in the number of people it serves each day and in the number of people needed to keep it running smoothly. Help ensure meals get to families on time serving meals in our dining hall. All volunteers must be 18+ or 13+ with a chaperone.

We are seeking individual and groups who are willing to commit to a weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly shift for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Shifts have space for 4-6 people depending on the meal. Shift availability may vary due to preexisting volunteer schedules. Shifts are available at the following times:

  • Breakfast: 7:30am – 9:30am daily
  • Lunch, 11:30am – 1:30pm daily
  • Dinner, 4:15pm – 6:30 pm daily

If you are interested in committing to a regular schedule, please contact us at volunteering@peopleservingpeople.org, or by phone at 612-277-0246 or check out our volunteer page at Meal Service at People Serving People.

Education & Childcare Volunteering (Multiple Locations)

Volunteers work one-on-one or in small groups supporting teachers and providing general classroom support. Volunteers should be able to administer general childcare and supervision, be a positive role models for kids, and provide age-appropriate entertainment and engagement. Prospective volunteers should be comfortable working independently under the direction of teachers, be able to physically keep up with children, and maintain a high level of patience throughout each shift. Volunteer opportunities are available in our Early Childhood Development program, K-12 Afterschool program, and our Center of Excellence.

Early Childhood Development offers placement into one of our 3 classrooms (Infant, Toddler, or Pre School). Shifts are available Monday through Friday, and hours vary depending on the classroom. The K-12 program works with children ages 5-18 (majority 5-12) and engages kids in classroom activities and homework assistance. Shifts are available Monday through Friday 3:00pm-6:00pm. The Center of Excellence provides licensed, high-quality care for infants through school-aged children. Shifts are Monday through Friday, 9:00am-12:00pm or 3:00pm-6:00pm. All volunteer opportunities ask for a weekly commitment over a 3-month period.

If you are interested in volunteering, please fill out our Education & Childcare Volunteer Interest Form. Our Volunteer Coordinator will connect with you about next steps after receiving your interest form.

For any questions related to volunteering, please contact our Volunteer Coordinator at volunteering@peopleservingpeople.org or call us at 612-277-0246 or check out our volunteer page at Education & Childcare Volunteering at People Serving People.

PAST PROGRAMS

People Serving People has previously welcomed volunteers for a wide range of activities, including the following:

  • Resident Resources Assistant
  • Reading Partner/Roving Reader
  • Self-Defense Class Teacher
  • Mock Interviewer/Resume Reviewer
  • Building Beautification/Housekeeping
  • Alcoholics Anonymous Meeting Leader
  • Technology Center Volunteer
  • Academic Mentoring Volunteer

We have also welcomed church groups, school groups, and work or professional groups for one-time projects such as hanging holiday lights or repainting our dining hall. Partner organizations have also volunteered via consulting projects related to workplace culture, website development, organizational tax structure, and more. Due to the ongoing pandemic, in-person group volunteering is unfortunately unlikely to be available at this time.

For any questions related to volunteering, please contact our Volunteer Programs team at volunteering@peopleservingpeople.org or call us at 612-277-0246.

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Create a VolunteerHub profile to see current opportunities

Check out more volunteer opportunities at our Center of Excellence site by clicking here.