Why we’re supporting the number 11
“Jesus wept.” It’s one of the shortest verses in the Bible and a verse that feels especially poignant as we mourn for Jacob Wetterling. The entire state and country is mourning. Yet in this time of mourning, Mr. and Mrs. Wetterling have posed a request: use the number 11 as a symbol of hope. They want people to make a commitment to bettering the world, which is why we’ve made a list with 11 ways you can be directly involved in positively impacting your community.
11 Easy Ways to Honor Jacob
Serve a meal or volunteer at a food pantry
We need help organizing donations so that our guests are able to shop and easily find the items they’re looking for. Plus, an organized food shelf helps our staff notice when we’re running low on kitchen staples. We also need help serving hot meals to hungry individuals and families. When we’re providing meals to hundreds of people daily, it’s all hands on deck. Learn about volunteering where you live.
Organize a food drive
It’s easy to do good and fight hunger alone, but it’s more fun with the help of others. Coordinate with local church groups or partner with office mates to collect non-perishables for a food shelf or meal service provider. The power of numbers can really come alive when those collection bins fill up fast. We recommend reaching out to your local Salvation Army and asking about their specific needs so donations are truly meeting the needs of our community. Find the location near you in the Twin Cities, Greater Minnesota, or North Dakota.
Create blessing bags
Making blessing bags is easy and a great activity for the whole family. Fill a plastic bag with basic needs items such as Chap Stick, granola bars, band aids, and more. Once the bags are filled, keep them in your car. The next time you see someone living on the street, offer one of the bags.
Become informed
A good start to making a positive impact in your neighborhood is to become more aware of the unique needs in your community. Additionally, it’s important to familiarize yourself with your city’s local programs that are working to help others. You can learn more about The Salvation Army, our programs and how we are helping others by exploring our website further.
Take to social media
You can easily help others by learning more, sharing your knowledge and celebrating the good works of others on social media. We invite you to follow us locally on social media.
Be part of our Coats for Kids distribution
You can be the one to help put coats in the hands of those who need them most. We have a variety of ways for volunteers to help – from answering phones at a phonebank to sorting donations or helping parents find coats for their kids. Visit your local Salvation Army page to find more information about this program.
Lend a helping hand at our family stores
Volunteer at a Salvation Army store. Help prepare merchandise for sale, organize shelves and racks, and remove older items that have not sold. The goods that are donated and the money spent in Salvation Army Stores fund programs that heal broken lives. See how we are helping others through the funds raised at our stores.
Help others when disaster strikes
We are always looking for people to join our disaster response team. Whether you’d like to help in a Salvation Army mobile kitchen or you can assist in a more specialized role, we have a place for you. You’ll find more information on our disaster volunteer team page.
Pick up a bell
Spread Christmas cheer while helping us raise money that will make a difference in the lives of people in crisis through food and housing programs, after-school activities for at-risk kids, and so much more. Visit the bell ringing page to learn more. Sign-up begins in the fall for two-hour shifts in November and December.
Strapped for time? Try microvolunteering.
Still strapped for time? Start small by engaging in microvolunteering opportunities. They can be as simple as holding the door for someone carrying groceries to donating extra produce from your garden. You could also lend a helping hand to an elderly neighbor by offering to mow their lawn. Be creative! These small acts of kindness help make our community a better place to live.
Donate money
Supporting The Salvation Army financially is one of the best ways you can team up with us to do the most good. For example, through our food partnerships, we are able to buy items for our food shelves at a discounted rate, which ultimately means that there’s more food to go around. What’s more, donations are routed by ZIP code to help funds stay within a local community to help hurting neighbors. Even a small donation can go a long way; just $20 can provide a day’s worth of nutritious meals for a family of four.
Whether you’ve volunteered with us before or are new to the scene, we’ve got something for everyone. Browse opportunities in your area when you visit the Volunteering page in your Community Menu and connect with us to get started.