ALL VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
To apply for any of the volunteer opportunities, please fill out our Volunteer Interest Form.
You’ve Got Talent!
Can you juggle, play the piano, paint pictures or crochet? Is your dog truly man’s best friend and looking to be friends with others? If you have something special to offer that doesn’t quite fit into one of our listed volunteer opportunities, please let us know! Fill out the volunteer interest form and tell us more in the comments section.
Upcoming Opportunities
Director of Parking
If you enjoy directing traffic, taking people’s money, and telling people to park wherever you want them to, perhaps you should consider this volunteer opportunity. Booth Brown House, a shelter for youth, turns its yard into a parking lot during the Minnesota State Fair and needs your help in order to raise needed funds. 1 – 4 people are needed for each shift.
Dates: August 21 – September 1
Times: 8 a.m. – Noon, Noon – 4 p.m., 4 – 8 p.m.
Location: Booth Brown House, St. Paul
Lunch Baggers
Have an appetite for lunch? Enjoy the aroma of sandwiches being made? The sound of paper bags being opened? If so, follow where your nose is guiding you and volunteer to help The Salvation Army as they assemble sandwiches and bagged lunches for participants in a three-day cancer walk! Volunteers under the age of 17 must be accompanied by an adult. Needed volunteers: 20 per shift (Note: this is a great opportunity for groups!).
Dates: September 18 - 20
Times: 8 a.m. - Noon, 1 - 5 p.m.
Location: St. Paul Eastside Worship and Service Center
Tour Greeter
The tour greeter would be the first to greet guests as they arrive at Salvation Army Beyond the Red Kettle tours, held approximately 4-6 times per month at various Salvation Army program facilities in the Twin Cities. The greeter would introduce him or herself as a volunteer with The Salvation Army and usher the guest to the registration table where staff will greet the guest. It makes a powerful statement to the guest to have volunteers involved with the lunch and tours, and will be a unique and fun experience for the volunteer. Tour times are 12 – 1 p.m. The greeter should arrive by 11:30 a.m. and can stay for the whole program or leave early if they'd like. Lunch is included for the greeter.
Dates: Year round, Monday – Friday, 1 – 6 times per month
Time: 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Locations: Minneapolis, St. Paul, and/or Maplewood
Emergency Disaster Service
Emergency Disaster Services Volunteer Team Member
Our Emergency Disaster Services Team in the metro area needs help to support daily responses to emergencies (fires, search & rescue, etc.) Volunteers are also needed to be on-call for disaster assistance and clean up efforts on short notice. Training and support provided.
Qualities desired: Able to be on-call; able to lift 20 lbs., emotionally prepared to work in a stressful, high-activity environment; must be 18 years of age or older.
Dates: Year round, flexible
Times: On-call
Location: Twin Cities Metro Area
Social Services
Food Shelf Helper
Prepare well-balanced food bags for families and give the bags to families waiting for their orders. A minimum commitment is once a month. Qualities desired: Enjoy helping others; sensitive to families needs and aware of diverse cultural backgrounds and differences; understanding of family nutritional needs is helpful.
Dates: Year round, Monday – Friday
Time: Two hours or more during 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Locations: Minneapolis, St. Paul
Meal Service Assistant
Assist in preparing, serving and cleanup of meals at our Harbor Light Center, The Salvation Army's homeless shelter in downtown Minneapolis. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served everyday, year round. Individuals or groups of 5 - 6 volunteers are welcome.
Qualities desired: Feel compassion for others; sensitive to issues of homelessness and aware of diverse cultural backgrounds and differences; must be 16 or older; if under the age of 18, must be accompanied by an adult chaperone.
Contact the Harbor Light Center Volunteer Coordinator at 612-767-3108.
Dates: Year round, Sunday – Saturday
Times: 6:30 – 8:30 a.m., 11 a.m. – 2 p.m., 4 – 7 p.m.
Location: Harbor Light Center, Minneapolis
Breakfast Preparation Assistant
Do you rise really early? Would you be willing to help with our breakfast program? Our St. Paul Citadel serves a hot meal Monday - Friday to an average of 250 homeless and working poor each morning. We are looking for a dedicated individual to come help prepare breakfast by setting up, receiving donations, stocking shelves, making toast, serving and then cleaning up. You must be able to stand and lift boxes. Dates: Year round, Monday – Friday
Time: 5 – 10 a.m. (flexible hours during that time), two or more mornings each week
Location: St. Paul Citadel Worship and Service Center
Warehouse Workers
The Salvation Army and its community partner, Hope for the City, are looking for groups of volunteers to prepare corporate surplus donations for distribution. Tasks include unloading, sorting, packing and loading donated items. Groups up to 50 people are welcome.
Dates: Year round, Monday – Friday
Times: 9 a.m. - noon and 1 - 4 p.m.
Location: St. Louis Park
Trash Collector
Mornings at St. Paul Citadel are busy with close to 300 people getting breakfast. A group of people that big generates a lot of trash! Someone with some muscle that can carry heavy bags from the cafeteria to the dumpster will make the breakfast program run even smoother.
Dates: Minimum once a week, Monday – Friday
Time: 7 – 9 a.m.
Location: St. Paul Citadel Worship and Service Center
Employment Specialist
The north Minneapolis location of the Salvation Army serves families with many of their basic needs. We now want to provide consistent, supportive employment services to individuals who are unemployed or underemployed working to achieve self-sufficiency. We believe that this opportunity for growth will help move this community in a positive direction for change. As a volunteer you will work and help develop a new computer job bank to assist clients and community members learn job search tools and find employment opportunities.
Dates: Year round, Tuesdays or Thursdays preferred
Time: 2 – 3 hours in the morning
Location: Minneapolis Parkview Worship and Service Center
Donation Pick-Up Driver
As a Donation Pick-Up Driver, you will assist with picking up food donations from Byerly's and Costco. The stores donate bread, bakery goods, fruit, vegetables, salads and sandwiches for Salvation Army clients. Volunteers will drive a Salvation Army van and must meet the motor vehicle requirements. Also, volunteers need to be able to lift 30 pounds for loading and unloading the van.
Dates: Year round, Mondays (Costco) and/or Tuesdays (Byerly’s)
Time: 9 – 11 a.m. approximately
Location: Harvest Worship and Service Center, Coon Rapids
Mentoring Adults
Family Mentor
Are you an individual, family, or group who wants to make a positive difference in someone else’s life through mentorship? Could you see yourself supporting others as they work toward their goals? Consider volunteering as a mentor for Project Break-Through, a program for families who desire to break the cycle of poverty in their lives. By matching two to four mentors with a family, our vision is families will become stronger, self-sufficient and less isolated.
Dates: Year round, flexible
Time: Flexible
Location: In the Twin Cities Metro Area
English as a Second Language Teacher
This unique ESL class meets the needs of adults who need to learn to speak English, and we are able to witness about the Gospel of Jesus Christ and His love. Volunteers will help adults complete required forms and course work. You need not know another language, but must be willing to learn about and accept cultural differences. Training is provided.
Dates: Mondays & Thursdays, will start again in September
Times: 1 - 3 p.m.
Location: Minneapolis Temple Worship and Service Center
Youth Activities
After-school Tutor
Do you remember your three “R”s? Can you help a child with his? Spend your afternoons tutoring elementary – high school age kids during the school year. If your favorite “R” is arithmetic, then your talents are in high demand!
Dates: September – May, Monday – Thursday
Time: 2 hours in the afternoon/early evening
Locations: Minneapolis and St. Paul
Venture Leader
Do you have some previous scout leader experience? Do you miss the opportunity to build and develop character in youth? Help The Salvation Army on Wednesday evenings teach youth valuable skills!
Dates: September – May on Wednesday
Time: 5:30 – 7 p.m.
Location: Brooklyn Park and St. Paul
Junior Achievement Assistant
During Kid's Club time, youth still learning English need assistance with school work and English skills. Volunteers will be trained in the Junior Achievement program objectives of providing engaging, academically enriching and experiential learning. Be a tutor and help children learn to succeed in life!
Dates: September - May, Tuesdays and/or Thursdays
Time: 6 - 7 p.m.
Location: Minneapolis Temple Worship and Service Center
Bus Captain
The Salvation Army corrections department is seeking people to ride on a chartered bus and lead activities for children of incarcerated parents. Normally, there are 15-30 children requiring transportation who are coming to a special event at a Salvation Army facility. These special events are held 3 - 4 times a year in the Twin Cities metro area.
Dates: 3 - 4 times during the year
Times: Up to 6 hours per activity
Location: Salvation Army Divisional Headquarters, Roseville
Senior Services
Manicurist
The Adult Day Center in Maplewood is a gathering place for seniors where they promote participant wellness through an individualized plan of care and stimulating program of physical, social and recreational activity. The volunteer would provide manicures to those individuals that are interested. Volunteers must be at least 16 years old.
Dates: Year round, Monday – Friday
Times: 9:30 – 10:30 a.m. or 1:30 – 2:30 p.m.
Location: Lakewood Worship and Service Center, Maplewood
Musician
The clients at the Adult Day Center love to listen to live music and sing along with familiar songs and hymns (some from the 1930’s – 1950’s). Any kind of instrument, such as piano, guitar, trumpet or violin, or vocalists would be welcome. Musicians may be adults or youth.
Dates: Year round, Monday – Friday
Times: Between 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Location: Lakewood Adult Day Center, Maplewood
Senior Activity Assistant
Have you ever seen how much fun the clients at the Adult Day Center have throughout the course of a day? Have you ever wanted to participate in that kind of fun? The Activity Assistant is just the volunteer position for someone like you! The Activity staff of the ADC plan the activities. Our volunteers assist us in getting the clients involved and engaged in a variety of different activities. This position helps set up for different activities during the day and helps the clients participate in these activities.
Dates: Year round, Monday - Friday
Time: Minimum 1 hour between 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Location: Lakewood Adult Day Center, Maplewood
Outing Assistant
At least once a week clients at the Adult Day Center may choose to go on an outing to a show, program or museum. Past outings have been to the Como Park Conservatory, St. Paul Chamber Orchestra and Steppingstone Theatre. As a volunteer, you would be an extra set of eyes to make sure everyone is accounted for, and you could help walk with clients or push wheelchairs. You would also have the opportunity to enjoy the outing and get to know some great people!
Dates: Outings take place once a week, Monday – Friday (dates vary)
Time: approximately 4 hours between 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Location: Lakewood Adult Day Center, Maplewood
Seasonal Opportunities
Coats for Kids (October)
Imagine you’re 12-years-old, homeless, and without a coat. And it’s winter. Can you see yourself shivering in the cold, all alone; sitting huddled in the dark under a bridge? Now imagine that your family visits a Salvation Army Coat Boutique and is assisted by a friendly volunteer who hands your parent a warm coat, just your size. Now imagine being the volunteer who collected, sorted, and helped distribute that coat. Can you see the delight and hope that giving that coat brings? Each year, thousands of children residing in the metro area – from infants to 18 year-olds – receive a warm coat for the winter through Coats for Kids. You can be the one to help put the coat in their hands and a smile on their face.
Bell Ringer (November - December)
You, too, can be a red kettle-keeper, a bell-ringer, a bright smile-giver, this Christmas season. Join the tradition of giving and discover what a joy it is to know that you’re making a difference in your community. It is never too early to sign up to be a bell ringer! Sign up online or call 651-746-3519 to register.
Toy Shop Escorts (December)
This Christmas, escort parents of disadvantaged families while they select Christmas gifts for their children at the Toy Shop. Find an added meaning in restocking tables and bagging toys, knowing that because of your volunteered time and energy a child will have a brighter Christmas morning.
