In 2010, Minneapolis – St. Paul came in 1st place, within the nation for volunteering. (Volunteering in America , 2010 )Last year, a little over 917,000 people shared their time in some way to a charity, school, or organization here in the metro area. And why not, a recent study by the University of Michigan cited that people who volunteer their time will go on to live a longer more satisfied life. (Watson, 2011) So, go and give a little of your time to an organization that interests you. Not only will you feel a part of your community, and will make some new friends, but you can enjoy a longer more satisfied life as well.
Here are a few charities in the Metro Area that are very involved with their communities, and are always looking for a helping hand.
PROP, Eden Prairie
PROP stands for “People Reaching Out to other People” and is a life line to families in the southwest metro area in need of food, household items, or financial assistance. In addition, PROP provides the support needed to regain self sufficiency. This unique charity has a wide variety of volunteer choices, from stocking food shelves, to a need for knitters and bakers. To get in touch with PROP and inquire about volunteer opportunities, there are two websites to check out. The first, www.propfood.org, is primarily to help out with their food shelf. The second, www.propshop.org , has a wide variety of volunteer needs.
Little Brothers – Friends of the Elderly
LBFE is a national charity, but with a strong ties in the Twin Cities area. Since 1972 their mission has been to provide friendship and social contact for those in the senior community, who are feeling isolated and could use a friend. There are many opportunities to give your time with LBFE, including monthly visits, support and advocacy, as well as holiday meal deliveries. To get more information, check out their website: www.littlebrothersmn.org .
If you’d like to see what other volunteer choices may be out there, here are two websites that can be a great resource. Both have great tools to find the opportunity that would be work for you. They are: www.HandsonTwinCities.org , and www.volunteermatch.org . Now, go out and make a difference!