- A place where people come hungry, and leave hopeful
The commitment can be one time, once a month or once a week. We will work around your schedule.
As a CES volunteer, you help the expand the reach to over 117,000 neighbors – whether you are delivering groceries to isolated seniors, sorting and packing non-perishable food items, providing prayer and advocacy during a food shelf visit, delivering pet food or making sure seniors receive nourishing meals.
The role you play is vital to our community.
“Too often we underestimate the power of touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.”
– Leo Buscalgia
Volunteer opportunities are available in all our program areas. If you want to interact with people, provide administrative support or do some heavy lifting, we can find the right fit for you.
Food Shelf is open to residents in need of supplemental food. Neighbors can visit the food shelf once a month. Volunteers assist neighbors by helping them shop in the food pantry, provide advocacy and resources, sort food donations and stock shelves.
Home Delivery is designed for our neighbor who are low income and unable to physically visit the food pantry. Volunteers prepare individualized groceries and/or distribute to each client.
Meals on Wheels is an important solution to those in need of nutritional and social support, many whom are homebound. With the help of volunteers, CES serves of 350 South and North Minneapolis residents with a smile and prepared, nutritious hot or frozen meal.
Ani-Meals provides pet food to our Meals on Wheels and Home Delivery clients who might otherwise give up a share of their delivered food to feed their companions. Volunteers sort donating food, pack food for delivery and distribute pet food to clients.
More Details on these opportunities are available HERE!
Getting started is easy…Complete an online registration form, meet with a team member to discuss different opportunities, attend an orientation and sign-up for open shifts. Please reach out to nsmalley@cesmn.org with any questions.
Visit the Volunteer Information Center (VIC) to update your profile, view and manage your volunteer schedule, post-service hours, and stay up-to-date on CES news.
Are you looking for a volunteer experience for a group of friends, a team of colleagues, or youth groups?
CES would love to get you involved in volunteering to support our mission. With advanced planning and creative thinking, we can find the ideal opportunity for you. Start by completing the group volunteer registration form.
How can I learn more about volunteer opportunities? More details on volunteer opportunities can be found HERE.
How do I sign-up to volunteer? The first step is to complete a Volunteer Registration Form. Once your form is received, a CES staff member will reach out to you via phone or email.
Where is CES located? We are located six blocks south of US Bank Stadium. Our address is 1900 11th Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55404. When you arrive, the door may be locked, press the CES intercom (on the left side of the double glass doors which face the parking lot) to reach a staff member who can buzz you into the building.
Can I complete my service-learning hours through CES? We will make every effort to accommodate requests. We have a minimum hour commitment of 10 hours.
What is the minimum age to volunteer? Most of our opportunities require you to be at least 16 years of age unless accompanied by an Adult.
Can groups/families volunteer together? Yes, we can accommodate group of up to 10 people. We ask one person to be the primary contact and complete the Group Registration Form.
Where Should I park? Volunteers and staff park on the surrounding side streets so we can keep the parking lot available for our neighbors visiting the Food Shelf.
What should I wear? We encourage volunteers to dress comfortably, wear close-toed shoes and leave valuables at home. If you are volunteering at CES, a nametag is provided on your first day.
Do I need a background check? Background checks are conducted for on-going volunteer roles at no cost to the volunteer.
How do I sign in? Volunteers will sign in when coming for their shift. You are not required to sign-out unless your shift is shorter or longer than your scheduled time. CES uses hours for reporting and fundraising purposes. Meals on Wheels drivers will sign in using the kiosk at the main entrance and all other volunteers will use the kiosk located in the warehouse.
Each volunteer has a unique Pin # to sign in for your shift. The list of volunteers and Pin numbers is located at each kiosk station.
When will I receive training to my role? Training for your role will occur on your first day either by a staff member of lead volunteer.
How do I make changes to my schedule? CES uses a self-scheduling tool called Volunteer Information Center (VIC). This is your personalized site where you can add or remove yourself from a schedule. Volunteers can remove themselves on the site up to 48 hour prior to your shift.
