How you can help

Wingspan Life Resources serves adults with developmental and other disabilities. Help paint gourd birdhouses that will sold in a silent auction in spring. Birdhouses will be supplied. Volunteers bring painting supplies and artistic creativity. www.wingspanlife.org/

Assist Community Emergency Service with Meals on Wheels. Routes are in south and north Minneapolis. Pick up meals at 10:30 a.m. and deliver to five to eight seniors. www.cesmn.org/

The Amherst H. Wilder Foundation partners with St. Paul Public Schools on Achievement Plus, a classroom support program at Bruce Vento Elementary. Volunteers will help students K-5 and assist classroom teachers. Must be at least 18 years old. Training provided and background check required. www.wilder.org/

Help Neighborhood Network for Seniors in giving lifts for medical appointments, deliver groceries or run errands for seniors who are living independently but unable to drive. Volunteers required four hours a month. Schedule is flexible. www.neighborhoodnetworkforseniors.org/

Camp Odayin operates specifically for children with heart disease. Cabin counselors are needed for residential camps in Crosslake, Minn., and Elkhorn, Wis. Counselors will work in pairs, live in a cabin and supervise a group of six to eight campers. Training for the five-day camp session is provided. Full medical staff assistance onsite. Variety of dates available. www.campodayin.org/

SparkPath (formerly Success Beyond the Classroom) works to ignite curiosity and learning among students through various events and conferences such as Knowledge Bowl, Young Authors Conference and Creativity Festival. Wide range of opportunities available. www.sparkpath.org/

Walk-In Counseling Center in Minneapolis provides high-quality counseling to people with urgent needs. Coordinate services during clinic hours. Volunteers must have good interpersonal skills and commit to a regular evening or afternoon shift for at least six months. Some background in psychology or the social sciences is helpful. walkin.org/

Assist Second Harvest Heartland with its Senior Hunger program, which distributes nutritious food to seniors in need. Must be able to lift 30 pounds. The weekly three-hour shift Monday through Thursday is for six months in Brooklyn Park. www.2harvest.org/

Help PRISM’s food shelf in Golden Valley as a food rescue driver. Using PRISM’s vehicle, pick up donated food from specific west metro stores. Volunteers must have a valid license and insurance. Must be able to load and unload the vehicle with items weighing 30-plus pounds. www.prismmpls.org/

Reach for Resources serves people with developmental disabilities. Help in the Minnetonka office with administrative tasks, filing, scanning and data entry. www.reachforresources.org/

Friends & Co. works to end isolation among seniors in Minnesota. Volunteers will be matched with an isolated older adult and will need to maintain contact through regular phone calls and conversation. Training and support provided. www.friendsco.org/

Through education programs and preventive services, Ready, Set, Smile works to make sure children care for their oral health. Dentists, assistants and hygienists needed to assist with underserved communities. www.readysetsmile.org/

Appetite for Change focuses on making fresh food available and accessible for those in north Minneapolis. Assist with youth and workforce development programs, meal boxes, urban agriculture and cooking workshops. www.afcmn.org/

Hammer & NER supports individuals with developmental disabilities. Volunteers will be matched with an individual and meet with the person once a month and do a variety of activities together. Numerous metro locations. hammer.org/