World Relief Minnesota

current volunteer opportunities

“I think the family just really appreciates our friendship – having people here, especially not from their own culture, who want to hang out with them and have fun.”
–New Neighbor Volunteer in Exit Questionnaire

For information about our general ongoing opportunities, please see our Volunteer Job Descriptions Page.

Along with our ongoing volunteer opportunities, we have recently received some specific volunteer requests:

1. A single Somali man arrived to Minnesota in November and is currently living in Minneapolis with other single male roommates.  He speaks English and is looking for a friend who is willing to help orient him to the community, practice English, and assist with job search.  To learn more about requirements for this opportunity, please refer to the New Neighbor Volunteer Position Description.

2. An Afghani family arrived in January and is living in Fridley. The father of the family speaks great English and is very eager to learn how to navigate the community, search for a job, and understand the many nuances of American/Minnesotan culture. This may be a good opportunity for someone who has a flexible schedule and could sometimes visit more than once per week at first. To learn more about requirements for this opportunity, please refer to the New Neighbor Volunteer Position Description.

3. A Somali family of 6 arrived in November and is living in NE Minneapolis.  Most of the family members speak English and would like additional practice.  One family member would like assistance applying to college. To learn more about requirements for this opportunity, please refer to the New Neighbor Volunteer Position Description.

4.  There are several families from Burma arriving this month who will live in St. Paul and would benefit from  a New Neighbor to help with practical, every-day tasks as they resettle in MN.  To learn more about requirements for this opportunity, please refer to the New Neighbor Volunteer Position Description.

5. Bus Guide – Many of our refugee families in both St. Paul and Minneapolis are looking for help learning the bus particularly to and from their English classes and employment counselors. They are very eager to start their lessons and job search, but must learn how to get there first! WRM is looking for volunteers who are patient, good at communicating with a language barrier, and willing to travel by bus around the cities to assist these families.

Each of these opportunities would be a weekly commitment. To learn more about the general description and requirements, please refer to the New Neighbor Volunteer Position Description.

Contact Katie Day at kday@wr.org or 612-746-5634 for more information.

“The thing that really stands out for me is how kind the family has been to me. They really respect my
time and always express gratitude for my efforts to help them, and they always offer food too. They’re very sweet.”
–New Neighbor Volunteer in Exit Questionnaire

Getting Started:

You can utilize the “volunteer” button in the sidebar to the right to start the process of volunteering with World Relief Minnesota. For more information on the on-line application process, visit the “Volunteer Application Process” page.

For more information about volunteer opportunities, contact our Volunteer Coordinator: mnvolunteers@wr.org or 612-798-4332

“Before this experience, I really didn’t know much about refugees and why they have come to the US. I used to think it was just to escape poverty, but it is so much more than that. So my eyes have been opened to understanding people who are coming from those situations and to appreciate how fortunate I have been to be born in a country where I know that I can go about my day and know I will be safe and free. “

–New Neighbor Volunteer in Exit Questionnaire