Service and Mission Opportunities
Members of Peace are involved in many service, mission, and outreach projects with a variety of service agencies. Below we have a listing of agencies that Peace is currently involved with. If you have anything that should be added to this list or if you have any questions, please contact the church office!
Bridging
What is it and what does it do?
Bridging serves approximately 3,000 families a year who are in transition by providing free beds, furniture, and household goods.
What are their needs and how can I help?
You can assist Bridging by donating items or money. Volunteers are also needed to assist in the warehouse, deliver and pick up furniture, organize events, or assist clients in their shopping.
Contact:
You may contact Lori Thomson at the church office or Bridging directly at 952-888-0745 or http://www.bridging.org.
Cornerstone
What is it and what does it do?
Cornerstone’s mission is to prevent domestic abuse. They support children and adults to live violence free lives by providing a helpline, safe housing, and meals, transitional housing, intervention services, services for youth and teens, individual appointments, and support groups.
What are their needs and how can I help?
You can provide your time as a volunteer and/or funds.
Contact:
Cornerstone may be contacted directly by phone at 952-884-0376, fax at 952-884-2135, or email cstone@bitstream.net.
Community Emergency Services
What is it and what does it do?
Community Emergency Services (CES) is a non-profit crisis relief and empowerment ministry that first and foremost glorifies Jesus Christ and extends His love to those in the inner city of South Minneapolis. Through prayer support, direct aid relief, advocacy, referral, and counsel, CES seeks to strengthen families and individuals during times of crisis in order to move them beyond the crisis to financial stability, emotional health, and spiritual strength and growth.
What are their needs and how can I help?
You can provide your time as a volunteer and/or donate funds.
Contact:
CES may be contacted directly at 612-870-1125.
Feed My Starving Children
What is it and what does it do?
Feed My Starving Children is committed to feeding God's starving children hungry in body and spirit. Our approach is simple: Volunteers pack nutritious meals made of rice, soy, vitamins and dehydrated vegetables, and we partner with relief organizations worldwide to distribute these meals to starving children. As a Christian non-profit, we hope to reduce the number of starving children throughout the world by working to instill compassion in a generation that hears and responds to the cries of those in need.
What are their needs and how can I help?
Volunteers are needed to package food. Monetary donations are also accepted.
Contact:
To volunteer, please go to the FMSC website at http://www.fmsc.org.
Kids Against Hunger West Metro (KAH-WM)
What is it and what does it do?
Kids Against Hunger-West Metro is a volunteer-driven organization whole purpose is to inspire, engage, and create communities for the common purpose of alleviating hunger. They do this by packaging highly nutritious meals made of a unique blend of rice, soy protein, dried vegetables, and flavoring fortified with 21 vitamins and minerals. KAH-WM is a satellite of Feeding Children International (www.feedingchildren.org) and an outreach ministry of Mount Calvary Lutheran, Excelsior, MN.
What are the needs and how can I help?
Volunteers are needed to package food. Monetary donations are also needed and accepted.
Contact:
Kathy Holm at kidsagainsthungerwm@yahoo.com, or Dave Dynneson (952) 829-9317.
Operation Christmas Child
What is it and what does it do?
For more than a decade, Operation Christmas Child has answered the call to share the love of Jesus Christ with hurting children around the world. In 2008, nearly 8 million show box gifts were collected internationally from the United States and 10 other countries.
What are their needs and how can I help?
Each fall, Peace Lutheran organizes an ‘Operation Christmas Child’ shoe box event to assemble and package gifts. Individuals and families are encourage to contribute to the event with their time and monetary donations.
Contact:
Jenifer Brolin, 952-944-6510
Robin’s Nest Children’s Home
What is it, and what does it do?
Robin’s Nest Children’s Home is an orphanage that ministers to the physical, mental and spiritual needs of Jamaican children. Located in Montego Bay, Jamaica, it was founded by Michelle Robinette of St. Paul, MN in 1998.
What are their needs and how can I help?
Monetary contributions are always welcomed. Volunteers are always needed and mission trips can be arranged through their US Trip Director: Kim Ellenbecker, at kim@carrouseltravel.com or 651-351-2787, ext. 2.
Contact:
Peace point of contact is Venita Ditlevson at 952-942-3349 or venita123@aol.com
Kaleidoscope
What is it and what does it do?
Kaleidoscope is a Phillips neighborhood after school and summer program sponsored by Messiah Lutheran Church at 25th and Columbus Avenues in Minneapolis. Its purpose is to offer educational and recreational activities to elementary age children in a safe, challenging, and nurturing environment. Kaleidoscope is funded by area churches, individuals, corporations such as General Mills and McKnight Foundation, and the Minneapolis Public Schools.
What are their needs and how can I help?
About 50 kids come to Kaleidoscope between 2:00 and 5:30pm each school day. Over 100 kids attend the day-long summer program which runs eight weeks. Volunteers are needed to tutor children in math and reading skills, help with homework, supervise games, and engage children in conversation. Volunteers receive training, and may come as often as they wish! Most volunteers come weekly. There is free, safe parking right outside Kaleidoscope’s building and the building is locked and secure.
Contact:
The Kaleidoscope Volunteer Coordinator number is 612-871-9268.
Loaves and Fishes
What is it and what does it do?
Loaves and Fishes has a mission of feeding the hungry of the Twin Cities. Every evening approximately 1,200 guests are served a free meal at seven sites.
What are their needs and how can I help?
Peace prepares and serves a meal the third Tuesday of even numbered months. Peace serves at Creekside Community Center on 98th and Penn Ave So. The work shift for most people will run from approximately 5:15pm to 7:00pm, however a few people will be needed earlier to prepare the main dish. Participants should be at least 12 years old. This could be a great opportunity for confirmation groups, small groups, families, etc. Sign up sheets are at the information booth.
Contact:
You may contact Dave Dynneson at 952-829-9317.
Lutheran Partners in Global Ministry
What is it and what does it do?
Lutheran Partners in Global Ministry is a mission advocacy organization that connects individuals and congregations with global opportunities. Based on partnership concepts of both giving and receiving, Lutheran Partners encourages people to grow in faith and witness by expanding their worlds. LPGM works with congregations in global mission education and advocacy, partners with existing churches and organizations throughout the world in worthwhile projects and exposes individuals directly to mission through travel and relationship building.
What are their needs and how can I help?
If you like what LPGM does and want to be a part of it too, there are non-financial ways that you can get involved. We are always adding people to our mailing list, looking for people to share with LPGM is about with their friends, family, and churches, and we are always looking for volunteers to assist with specific projects.
Contact:
You can contact LPGM directly at 612-823-5058 or email them at office@lutheranpartners.org. You may also contact John Noltner at 952-887-4195 if you have any questions.
Peace House Africa
What is it and what does it do?
PHA (formerly known as Peace House Foundation) is a US based nonprofit organization working to help children who have been affected by the AIDS pandemic in East Africa. We believe that every child is full of promise and, with a quality education, can build a better future for themselves, their community and their nation. Working in northern Tanzania, PHA is pursuing three strategies to best help children in need:
1. Provide educational and basic needs of AIDS orphans so they can live with extended family or foster parents while attending school in their community. In 2007, PHF will be providing financial support for over 500 students.
2. Support existing organizations to provide for the basic needs and education of street children and other kids separated from their family.
3. Build and operate boarding schools for secondary school age orphans and vulnerable children, to provide them with a quality education in a caring community with a special focus on the development of entrepreneurial business skills.Peace House Foundation has built the Peace House Secondary School near Arusha, Tanzania. Peace House Secondary School's first phase will educate and care for 640 students.
What are their needs and how can I help?
Central to Peace House Secondary School's (PHS) mission is the belief that personal involvement can provide an experience that enriches the lives of both volunteers and the children they help. We provide a variety of volunteer opportunities in Tanzania with the goal of creating meaningful experiences that are beneficial and rewarding to everyone involved. Financial donations are also accepted.
Contact:
You may contact Dana House at 952-884-9205 or you can visit the website www.peacehouseafrica.org for further information.
Open Arms
What is it and what does it do?
Open Arms serves meals to people living with breast cancer, HIV/AIDS, MS, ALS or other chronic illnesses. With the help of hundreds of volunteers each week, we prepare and deliver nutritious, delicious meals to those living with illness, as well as their dependent children and caregivers. It's more than just food - it provides independence for some who may not otherwise be able to live in their own. There's also a portion of dignity, comfort and care in each meal that gets delivered to their clients.
What are their needs and how can I help?
Volunteers are needed to prepare and deliver meals. There are also office needs as well as special event opportunities
Contact:
You may contact Jane Sandness at 952-944-8471 or you may visit the Open Arms website: www.openarmsmn.org for more information.
Tuesday Quilters
What is it and what does it do?
These energetic women sew blankets, talk about life, and drink de-caf coffee! Their creations are then donated to various social service agencies where they will be put to good use! In 2010, 41 quilts were donated to various charities.
What are their needs and how can I help?
You are welcome to join them on Tuesdays from 9:30 to 11:30 in the fireside room from September to May. Fabric donations are also appreciated.
Contact
If you have any questions, please call the church office at 952-944-6510.
VEAP
What is it and what does it do?
VEAP is a Human Service Agency with programs focusing on the problems of hunger (Food Services), ongoing effects of poverty (Personal Support Services), isolation and disability (Transportation Services), and ongoing effects of poverty, hunger, and disability (Seasonal Services). VEAP serves residents in the communities of Bloomington, MN, Edina, MN, Richfield, MN, and the portion of Minneapolis south of 50th Street and west of Cedar Avenue.
What are their needs and how can I help?
Be a volunteer in one of VEAP’s programs or events. Donate food or organize food drives, toy drives, or back to school drives for families in need in the community. Donate funds directly to VEAP.
Contact:
You may contact Cindy House at 952-884-9205, or contact VEAP directly at 952-888-9616. You may also visit their website at http://www.veapvolunteers.org.
© 2008 Peace Lutheran Church
All Rights Reserved
Last Modified: June 11, 2010
P