Volunteer
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Urban Immersion Service Retreats networks with dozens of homeless shelters, food shelves, domestic abuse programs, and other charities in and around the Minneapolis/St. Paul area. Below is a listing of some of the agencies that retreat-goers may visit during their retreat. Most sites require work clothes so plan to wear long pants, closed toe shoes and clothing that can get dirty. Aeon Alexandra House
Ascension Place The Bridge for Youth Bridging, Inc.
Catholic Charitiesis one of the Twin Cities' largest private providers of social services, working to strengthen families and reduce poverty in the Minneapolis and St. Paul metropolitan area. Retreat volunteers serve at one of many Catholic Charities locations, such as cleaning at the Dorothy Day Center in Saint Paul, or the serving food at the Ramsey County Family Service Center. Central Lutheran Churchfacilitates the running of a Clothes Closet, prepares and serves Monday morning meal and offers referrals, worship and support for homeless and low-income people in our community. Volunteers help prepare lunch and sort and organize clothing for the clothes closet. Community Emergency Assistance Programis a community-based, non-profit agency that partners with other resources to assist people in need. Retreat volunteers assist with fall leaf raking. Dakota Woodlandsprovides a safe, nurturing environment for women and children who are homeless and in need of assistance. It seeks to help women improve their lives and become self-reliant. Retreat volunteers help out with children's activities or do shelter maintenance and cleaning. Families Moving Forwardprovides a safe and nurturing environment for homeless families through a network of interfaith congregations in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area of Minnesota. Retreat volunteers assist the agency in a variety of ways but almost all of the work is behind the scenes. Most retreat groups help with cleaning, painting, and the sorting of donated supplies. Goodwill/Easter Sealsprovides services for people with barriers to education, employment and independence in achieving their goals. Retreat volunteers assist with sorting and merchandising goods in a store, maximizing dollars earned to support more people with disadvantages to find meaningful jobs with livable wages. Great River Greeningleads and promotes community-based restoration of natural areas and open spaces. Their restoration efforts help preserve natural areas, protect clean air and water, and increase urban residents' access to natural areas and sustainable open space. Retreat volunteers help with a variety of outside yard work, such as weeding, potting trees, planting, and tilling. GMCC's HandyWorks(a program of the Greater Minneapolis Council of Churches) helps seniors live independently at home by matching them with others who can help with housekeeping, minor home repairs, and outdoor chores. Retreat volunteers complete chores such as snow removal, lawn mowing, window replacement, and housecleaning. The Jeremiah Programis a broad-based collaborative community initiative, designed to assist low-income mothers with children to help themselves complete their education and achieve economic self-sufficiency through access to affordable housing, childcare, health care, support services and meaningful employment. Volunteers assist with childcare. Kaleidoscopeprovides creative, educational, and nurturing environment for children from the Phillips neighborhood to learn and grow in character and community. Retreat volunteers assist in cleaning and sorting. Neighborhood Involvement Programpromotes independence by providing low-cost home maintenance services and to prevent isolation through recreational/social opportunities. Retreat volunteers will help with low-cost home maintenance services such as routine housecleaning, seasonal jobs, lawn care, snow removal and minor repairs aimed at helping seniors living in their homes (individuals 60 and over). Our Saviour's Housingprovides a safe and clean shelter for 30-40 men and women each night in south Minneapolis. Retreat volunteers assist with shelter painting and other general maintenance. GMCC's Metro Paint-A-Thon(a program of the Greater Minneapolis Council of Churches) helps the elderly remain independent in their homes and improves neighborhoods by rallying volunteers to paint the homes of low-income seniors and people with disabilities. Park Housewww.allina.com/ahs/anw.nsf/page/park_house_home exists to enhance the quality of life, maximize human dignity, promote the independence, and minimize hospitalization and institutionalization of persons living with HIV/AIDS. Retreat volunteers assist with organizing, and engage clients in conversation. Pastor Paul's Missionprovides groceries to registered families, seniors, and individuals with disabilities. Retreat volunteers sort and/or distribute food as needed. Peace Houseworks not for the poor, but with the poor by providing a safe peaceful atmosphere built on prayer, acceptance, a sense of belonging, friendship, dignity and mutuality of service. Retreat volunteers assist with cleaning and sorting, as well as engage community members in conversation over lunch. People Serving Peopleis the largest homeless shelter in Minnesota and ensures a safe, sober, respectful environment for homeless families and individuals. Retreat volunteers help with cleaning, painting, and assisting with food preparation. St. Anne's Placeprovides temporary transitional housing for women and children. Retreat volunteers do activities with the children. Bring supplies for any activities. Third Way Networkis working to place low-income individuals and families ready for independent living into stable, affordable housing. Volunteers often work on rehabbing homes and doing landscaping. Tubman Family Allianceprovides shelter for victims of domestic abuse. It advocates for violence-free families and communities. Retreat volunteers help with general shelter main- tenance and work with children. Twin Cities Habitat for Humanitybuilds homes in partnership with families who demonstrate need and willingness to work with Habitat for Humanity by helping to construct their own housing. Retreat volunteers assist in home construction. Urban Homeworksrenovates condemned homes to help inner city families by providing low-cost, quality housing. Retreat volunteers assist with a building project (painting, cleaning, etc.).
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Ascension Place www.ascensionplace.org
Mission: To provide women in crisis or transition with a stable environment and the opportunity to explore options for their future.
Service: Assisting with general shelter maintenance, cleaning, painting, and donation sorting.
The Bridge for Youth www.bridgeforyouth.org
Mission: Offers a safe and enriching environment for youth in crisis by providing shelter, building life skills, and assisting families in conflict.
Service: Helping with taking inventory or sorting and possible assisting with yard work.
Bridging, Inc. www.bridging.org
Mission: To provide the economically disadvantaged with a one-time gift of quality furniture and household items which helps to stabilize and improve their lives while effectively using community resources.
Service: Working directly with families (helping them to select items that would like at their new home) or working behind the scenes moving and organizing furniture and other household items.
