If you’re looking for something to do this summer, it may be worth checking in with your favorite local volunteer group.
It takes all kinds to keep a community lively, but after two years of uncertainty, many have had their usual plans disrupted in one way or another. Some are seeking volunteers to build back up to full strength, while others are looking to make up for lost funds. In certain cases, higher demand for service has come more recently.
The McLeod Emergency Food Shelf, for instance, has had many individuals step up at its locations in Hutchinson (498 State Highway 7 E.) and Glencoe (719 13th St. E.). And at the height of COVID, though donations slowed from groups or organizations that stopped meeting in person, locals gave generously.
“People received stimulus money and didn’t need it and passed it on,” said Lennie Albers, the food shelf’s executive director.
But now, in the middle of the Minnesota FoodShare March Campaign (which runs through 1 p.m. on April 11), donations have slowed at a time when they can stretch the furthest. Food shelves receive additional funding for every dollar or food donation they receive during the campaign. As of this past Friday, donations were down about 25% compared to 2021.
“It doesn’t seem to be as robust as it has been,” Albers said. “That’s a sign of the times. People are stretched a little further and have been stretched for awhile. It catches up.”
This comes at a time when demand for the food shelf’s offerings appears to be on the rise. Albers said usage the past few years actually saw a bit of a dip. This past year, 561,000 pounds (roughly 431,538 meals) went out to families and individuals, serving about 8% of McLeod County. These past few months indicate a rise to what might have been expected in 2019 before residents began staying home more. New clients are beginning to arrive at the McLeod Emergency Food Shelf.
“The price of gas, the price of groceries, those are direct hits to people living paycheck to paycheck,” Albers said. “It’s hard to make it stretch further, so people are utilizing us. The need is there.
“There are people struggling with employment,” she added. “I’ve heard several people tell me they have a job, but the employer keeps hiring two or three part-timers instead of giving them more hours. Things like that are very impactful.”
Anyone who would like to donate can mail a check to either McLeod Emergency Food Shelf location or drop off a donation. Money and food are both accepted. Donations can also be given digitally at mcleodemergencyfoodshelf.org/donate.
COMMON CUP NEEDS VOLUNTEERS
In Hutchinson, many spiritual and financial resources are gathered into one “common cup” in order to stretch giving as far and as efficiently as possible. The organization responsible for this venture, Common Cup Ministry, maintains funds to help with warm coat distribution, diaper distribution, transportation assistance, temporary housing and more.
A banner program supported by Common Cup is the Hunger Free McLeod backpack food program, which discreetly sends food home in the backpacks of area elementary school students who qualify for free and reduced-price lunches. A regular stream of volunteers is needed to fill backpacks.
“We are so blessed,” said Bev Bonte, CCM director. “The calendar is totally full.”
More students are volunteering to help with the program, and because the hours it requires are not strict, it allows working people and families to help on evenings when they are home from work.
But not everything has gone so smoothly for Common Cup. Like many organizations, it had to make hard choices in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. For instance, Coming Together in Song was not held the past two years. The fundraiser tends to net about $12,000 in funds for the ministry.
To try and make up the difference, Common Cup hopes to bring in funds through The Thrift Shop, its thrift store at 712 11th St. E., Glencoe. The store, which offers gently used items, is open 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, but finding volunteers to help fill the schedule in the middle of the work day has been a challenge.
“That’s an area we definitely need help in,” Bonte said. “All the proceeds go right into our programs.”
Training is provided, shifts are four hours, and volunteers are encouraged to offer their time with a friend.
Additional on-call volunteers are also being sought to help pick up and drop off donations. For instance, if someone has a couch to donate to someone who needs a couch, but that person is physically unable to move it, there isn’t always someone available to help.
Common Cup can be reached at 320-587-2213.
ONGOING NEEDS AT ANIMAL SHELTER
The Heart of Minnesota Animal Shelter frequently seeks staff to fill positions in mornings and evenings. Just a few weeks ago, it was looking for paid staff to feed animals, clean kennels and give medications. But this past week it was at capacity. The fluctuation is nothing new for HMAS president Anthony Anderberg. He knows it will only be a matter of time until more help is needed.
“It’s kind of an ongoing thing,” he said. “It’s OK at the moment, but it will keep going.”
Just because the animal shelter has its shifts filled doesn’t mean a sudden influx of volunteers wouldn’t be welcomed. There are always fundraising and projects tossed around that aren’t feasible due to the amount of time or resources it would take.
“Like a lot of organizations, we tend to rely on the same group of people to do all the different events and so forth,” Anderberg said. “And people have got their own lives. You can only expect so much.”
One offering that could be possible with more volunteers, for instance, is the ability to host MN Snap, which offers low-cost spaying and neutering.
There were times these past few years when, due to COVID-19 lockdowns, HMAS was lacking help it needed. But like Common Cup, the lingering impact was the loss of major fundraising opportunities. In 2020, there was no pet walk or rummage sale. The events returned in 2021, but the schedule had to change from what residents expected.
“We’re hopeful this year that things will be back to a more normal situation,” Anderberg said.
Additional rummage sales are planned for 2022, with dates scheduled for May 13-14, June 10-11, July 8-9 and Aug. 12-13. Paws on Parade also returns Sept. 24.
GIVING VETERANS A LIFT
For many volunteer programs that need help during the work day, the pool of available people tends to be older residents with more free time. That’s an already limited pool, and one that grew even more limited during COVID-19 when older residents were advised to stay home to stay healthy.
The volunteer driver pool for the VA clinic in St. Cloud and Minneapolis is one program that faced this challenge. Staffed by Disabled American Veterans volunteers, it offers transportation to veterans within 50 miles of a VA. That means the program reaches into Meeker and Wright counties, and touches the very north of McLeod County.
“They can’t meet the volume of the need,” said Jim Lauer, McLeod County Veteran Services Officer.
McLeod County offers its own transportation services for veterans who need to visit the VA or local health care facilities. Those offerings are augmented with help from the local DAV, which has wheelchair accessible vans available for clients.
“They’re helping people get to and from their appointments, especially if the schedule doesn’t line up with things like Trailblazer,” Lauer said. “So people turn to the DAV as an alternative instead of going to commercial medical transport, which can get cost prohibitive.”
Much like the VA program, the local DAV is limited by the availability of volunteers.
Volunteers with the group also regularly maintain the giant green clothing drop-off bins seen around Hutchinson. According to the DAV website, there is also one in Brownton and Stewart.
“There is tons and tons of clothing that goes into those bins,” Lauer said. “And they’re emptying those several times a week. ... That takes some man and woman power to do. They need people to help with that.”
