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News, Events, Northeast Minneapolis, St. Anthony, Columbia Heights, Hilltop

Volunteers

Little Brothers Friends of the Elderly Seeks Holiday Helpers and Calling Carolers

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According to their website: “Thank you for offering to share the joy of the holiday season with our older adult members who are at the greatest risk of feeling alone right now. Due to the wonderful outpouring of support from our community, all of our members have been paired with Holiday Helpers and Calling Carolers, and we have closed our 2020 holiday volunteer opportunities.”

Little Brothers Friends of the Elderly (LBFE) seeks volunteers to support its COVID-safe holiday programs aimed at reaching socially isolated older adults in Minnesota this holiday season.

Holiday Helpers: LBFE is looking for volunteer help in purchasing and sending special packages to more than 350 older adults across Minnesota during Thanksgiving and again for the December holidays. Volunteers can sign up to be paired with an older adult, then create a special holiday package containing treats, small thoughtful gifts, and a card with a personal and heartfelt message. After sign-up, each volunteer will receive an email with the name, address, and phone number of their assigned holiday friend.

Calling Carolers: LBFE’s post-Thanksgiving program will also involve volunteers singing favorite secular holiday tunes over the phone to older adults. Volunteers will be encouraged to invite their family and friends to join them in the telephone caroling.

LBFE has a rich 48-year tradition in the community of honoring the spirit of the season through fellowship, food, and fun. This year COVID-19 radically altered the way the organization can celebrate with older adult members, requiring COVID-safe alternatives. Volunteers for all programs can sign up online: littlebrothersmn.org.

Dunkin’ for Donors

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To celebrate National Blood Donor Month this January, Memorial Blood Centers is partnering with Dunkin’ to help spread awareness about the need for blood donations during the winter, which is a challenging time of year to meet the needs of local hospital patients. Dunkin’ will provide a voucher for a free medium hot or iced coffee to all presenting donors during January. Dunkin’ will also provide donors with free donuts every Thursday in January at donor centers throughout the metro. Plus, all donors through January 4 will receive a limited edition long-sleeve shirt. 38% of people are eligible to give blood, yet only 7% do. Memorial Blood Centers relies on the support of more than 2,000 volunteer blood donors each week to meet the needs of more than 30 hospital partners throughout Minnesota and northwestern Wisconsin.

Blood donors of all types, especially type O negative, are urgently needed to step up to ensure blood is readily available for patients in need this winter. You may be eligible to donate blood if you are: in good health, 17 years or older (16 with written parental consent), free of antibiotics for 24 hours, unless taken for preventative reasons, symptom-free for at least 72 hours following a cold or flu. While walk-in donors are always welcome, they encourage donors to make appointments in advance.

Wednesday, Jan. 22, Riverplace, 43 Main St., Ste 232, 9 am-1:30 pm.

NE Day Spot Friends needed

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Safe and engaging respite is vital for caregivers and the people they care for. East Side Neighborhood Services (ESNS) is accepting volunteer applications for NE Day Spot Friends. Your compassion and sense of community has a new place to shine at the NE Day Spot. Working with East Side staff, volunteers help create a community of care by being a NE Day Spot Friend. Spend your day engaged in a wide variety of fun activities with participants. Training is provided with a focus on working with people experiencing memory loss and their care partners. Shifts are from 9 am-3 pm on Fridays at ESNS, 1700 2nd St. NE. They ask that volunteers commit to two shifts a month so they become a familiar face to participants. Volunteers can expect to make a tremendous difference in the life of another and have fun while doing it.

Volunteer with Minnesota Fringe

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Minnesota Fringe, a nonprofit in Northeast that produces performing arts festivals in the summer, in addition to other year-round events and opportunities, seeks volunteers ages 12 and up. Help make adventurous art happen. Support Minnesota Fringe and their artists by volunteering as an usher or box officer at this year’s festivals. Volunteers will be showered with Fringe swag, free tickets, and gratitude for their assistance. Register at minnesotafringe.org/volunteers by July 25. Festival Programming runs July 26-Aug. 11. Contact Volunteer Services for more information: 612-872-1212, volunteer@fringefestival.org.

Volunteers needed in ESL classrooms

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Language Central, 2300 Central Ave. NE, is looking for volunteers to assist with ESL classes that are offered to immigrants and refugees in the community. Many of the ESL students are Spanish-speaking immigrants from Ecuador and Mexico. They also serve the Somali community. Volunteers will begin by observing the classes, then later given the opportunity to lead a class of their own (if desired). Other duties include registering new ESL students or meeting one-on-one with ESL students as conversation partners so that there is the opportunity to practice English skills outside the formal classroom. ESL classes meet Monday-Thursday, 2-5 pm. Info: manisha.languagecentral@gmail.com, 612-315-2058.

St. Anthony Earth Day Clean Up

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Help clean up St. Anthony parks.  Supplies will be available at St. Anthony parks to pick up litter and/or do some yard work. Show up anytime Saturday, April 27, 9:30 am-Noon. Salo Park will be trash clean up and yard work. Silver Point Park, Central Park and Emerald Park, will be kid friendly. Trillium Park will be yard work only. Dress appropriately and bring gloves if you have them. Contact Citizens for Sustainability with questions, info@citizensforsustainability.org. 

Columbia Heights Streets get a Spring Cleaning

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Columbia Heights Lions International and HeightsNEXT are organizing volunteers for an Earth Day cleanup along University and Central Avenues. Volunteers’ efforts will freshen up local streetscapes and prevent trash from drifting with spring’s melting snow through storm drains into the Mississippi River. Meet at 8:30 am on Saturday, April 20, in the parking lot of Murzyn Hall, 530 Mill St. NE, Columbia Heights.
Bags, safety vests and trash pickers will be available to aid in picking up litter. A group photo will be taken to commemorate the team’s work that day and each set of volunteers will be assigned a section of road where they will pick up litter. After volunteers complete their cleanup assignments, they are invited to meet back at the parking lot of Murzyn Hall to return equipment and enjoy light refreshments until roughly 11 am.
The cleanup will occur “rain or shine,” so participants should dress for the weather. To volunteer, email info@heightsnext.org so organizers know how much equipment to reserve for the event.

Volunteers Sought to Help with Homelessness Study

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Wilder Research has asked regions across the state to count the number of people experiencing homelessness in their communities, and Anoka County is seeking volunteers for this effort, which will take place Thursday, Oct. 25 at various locations around the county. Training will be provided on how to conduct face-to-face interviews with the homeless at 1-2:30 pm, Monday, Oct. 15, and 2-3:30 pm, Tuesday, Oct. 16 in room 552 of the Anoka County Government Center, 2100 3rd Ave. Visit anokacounty.us/2018MnHomelessStudy to sign up for training or for more information about this initiative. Self-guided training is available for those who have participated in past studies and is posted on the 2018 Minnesota Homeless Study webpage.

The data collected will be used to guide program development and support requests for funding at the federal, state and local levels to combat homelessness. People who volunteer for this study will help shape the future in a positive way for individuals in need of stable housing.  After training is complete, participants will have options as to where and for how long they’d like to volunteer. Those who take part in the study will be paired with other volunteers who have experience working with the homeless. For people experiencing homelessness, the study is completely voluntary, and for those who choose to participate, a $10 stipend is awarded.

HeightsNEXT Columbia Heights cleanup

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Columbia Heights Lions International and HeightsNEXT are organizing volunteers for a fall cleanup along University and Central Avenues. Volunteers’ efforts will freshen up local streetscapes and prevent trash from drifting with next spring’s melting snow through storm drains into the Mississippi River. Interested volunteers should meet at 8:30 am on Saturday, Oct. 13, in the parking lot of Murzyn Hall, 530 Mill St. NE, Columbia Heights. Bags, gloves, safety vests and trash pickers will be provided by the City of Columbia Heights to aid in picking up litter. A group photo will be taken to commemorate the team’s work that day and each set of volunteers will be assigned a section of road where they will pick up litter.

After volunteers complete their cleanup assignments, they are invited to meet back at the parking lot of Murzyn Hall to return equipment and enjoy light refreshments until roughly 11:30 am. The cleanup will occur whether “rain or shine,” so participants should dress for the weather. To volunteer for the clean-up, email info@heightsnext.org, so organizers know how much equipment to reserve for the event.

Volunteers Needed: Support Adventurous Art at Minnesota Fringe

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Volunteers needed to help run the 25th Annual Minnesota Fringe Festival, an 11-day celebration of the performing arts in the Twin Cities. Northeast Minneapolis venues include Minnsky Theatre, Strike Theatre, the Ritz Theatre, and Logan Park. Work as a box officer or as an usher and receive tickets to see any of the 120+ productions for free. Register by July 27th at minnesotafringe.org/volunteers. Info: 612-872-1212, volunteer@fringefestival.org.

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