Ongoing Local opportunities
HOPE 4 Youth supports young people, ages 16 to 24, who are experiencing homelessness. They provide assistance with basic-needs case management, stable housing, education and employment. You are welcome to serve by cooking meals, sorting supplies, mentoring and more at the Drop-in Center
HOPE Place is a 12-unit Coon Rapids transitional housing facility that offers supportive services to young people who are experiencing homelessness. You can serve by becoming a Volunteer Greeter. They are stationed at the front desk to create a welcoming environment for residents and guests.
For more information about all HOPE 4 Youth programs, go to https://www.hope4youthmn.org
CHAIN OF LAKES LOCAL IMPACT TEAM organizes volunteer service opportunities serving the community around Chain of Lakes Church through local partners such as Hope for Youth, Stepping Stone Emergency Housing, River Trail Learning Center, Feed My Starving Children, and other organizations and service projects. There are 2-4 events every week that you can get involved with and help impact the world. Whether it’s packing groceries, organizing supplies, serving a meal, or just talking with people, we are called to serve.
The featured events will be kept updated in this space. The ongoing opportunities are shown after the featured events.
FEATURED
Serving is foundational to our faith life. Many of the service opportunities can be done as a family. Children are welcome to participate.
Feed My Starving Children on July 16
Please come for another joyful opportunity to volunteer at Feed My Starving Children, 401 93rd Ave, Coon Rapids, July 16 at 7:15pm. We are hoping to get 40 volunteers for this event. Adults and children are welcome, and there are tasks for those who need to sit rather than stand. Please put your name on the sign up sheet in the Commons area.
HOPE 4 Youth ‘Pack the Pantry’
July – August, 2025
Chain of Lakes has a goal of filling 100 bags of food for HOPE 4 Youth by the end of August! Help us meet or exceed our goal by grabbing a few bags and a wish list in the Commons and bringing back your gift. Contact Ann Turner with any questions.
The wish list can also be found on this site: https://www.hope4youthmn.org/wish-lists-2025/
The Local Impact Team is looking for volunteers to help at HOPE 4 Youth in Anoka on the second Saturday of every month between 9am and noon. People will help move donated items to the appropriate spaces. This is an excellent opportunity for families or people who want to connect with friends. Sign up in the following ways:
- Help out on July 12, 9am – noon
- Organize a group of people to join you on an upcoming Saturday on an upcoming month..
Pick a month to help on the sign-up sheets in the Commons Area at church, or contact info@colpres.org.
River Trails Learning Center – 12/16/24
Bags were filled with groceries to serve the families during the holiday break.
Bags were filled with groceries to serve the families during the holiday break.
Chain of Lakes had the biggest group at the HOPE 4 Youth Darkest Night of the Year 4k fundraiser 10/4/24. See more photos on the Chain of Lakes FB page.
Summer, 2024, Kick-Off Challenge Fundraiser
Yay, God! Congratulations to the congregation for raising over two thousand pounds of food for HOPE 4 Youth during their summer food drive. This is an amazing response – the congregation brought in a ton of food for hungry kids! Thank you!
Hope for the Community is a humanitarian organization in Blaine that feeds hundreds of families each week. To accomplish this, individuals are needed to serve Wednesday 12-2:30pm or Thursday from 9am- 5pm.
You will receive a warm welcome whenever you are able to serve. For more information go to hopeforthecommunity.com
IF YOU NEED FOOD –
Hope Church, Hope for the Community
1264 109th Ave NE
Blaine, MN 55434
Food Pick up Times:
Thursday ~ 10am – 5pm
If you are in line before the end time, you will receive food, while supplies last
Stepping Stone Emergency Housing
3300 4TH AVENUE NORTH, ANOKA, MN 55303
PHONE: 763-323-7006
https://steppingstoneeh.org
A shelter for adults for a few nights or a few months. Stepping Stone residents are treated with dignity and respect while having their basic needs met – a bed and linens, three meals per day, showers, laundry facilities, clothing, toiletries when needed. Personalized plans are developed with each resident to move toward self-sufficiency. Stepping Stone provides residents a “home,” while helping them establish a home of their own.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
Front Desk 3-hour shifts, Monday-Friday, 10am-1pm or 2pm-5pm
Answering phones, answering the door, assisting Shelter Advocates with resident intakes, retrieving mail, checking off chores for residents, and assisting Shelter Advocates with daily tasks.
Kitchen
2-hour shifts, Monday-Friday, 10:30am-12:30pm or 5pm-7pm
Help kitchen manager with meal prep, serve meals to residents, assist clean-up
Food Pick Up – Donations
Pick up food donations from a local business and drop off at the shelter.
2-hour shift, FRIDAYS ONLY, 1:30pm-3pm
Must be able to lift up to 30 pounds, pick up food donations from two separate locations within the Anoka area, bring donations back to Stepping Stone, and assist Cafeteria Manager with unloading.
30-minute shift, TUESDAYS, AND FRIDAYS 10:15am-10:45am
DONATIONS NEEDED
Lunch or dinner, Sunday-Saturday
Drop off a cooked meal (must be prepared in a licensed commercial kitchen) or retail-purchased meals .You can stay and serve the donated meal if you are interested.
Hygiene Products/Toiletries for Men and Women (full size only)
Shelter needs vary, so contact Stepping Stone
Gift Cards
Gift cards of any amount are always appreciated, especially to Walmart, Target, Costco, and Cub Foods
LINENS & BEDDING
Twin ex-long twin blankets (no tied around the perimeter) new pillows, bath towels, wash cloth
FOOD ITEMS
Instant grit packets, individual fruit snack packets, individual packaged snacks: granola bars, bottled water (16.9 oz preferred), fresh fruit: apples, cuties/mandarins, navel oranges, bananas, peaches, pears, bulk canisters of lemonade/pink lemonade and other powdered drink mix, individual packets of instant hot cocoa (made with hot water), tea bags, 10-oz disposable bowls
CLOTHING FOR MEN & WOMEN
Coats, Jackets, Hoodies, Slippers, Hats, Gloves, Mittens, Scarves (new or gently used)
Threshold to New Life Ministry
Serving Breakfast Downtown Minneapolis
They are looking for 2-3 individuals to serve with regular volunteers setting up and serving breakfast daily to individuals experiencing homelessness. The location is the Salvation Army-Harbor Lights building at 1010 Currie Ave Minneapolis. Arrival time is 5am. You will be done by 7am.
For more information go to www.richardbahr.com
Ending Homelessness Through Partnerships
The Local Impact team wants to be part of a movement that ends homelessness among youth and adults in Anoka County. The team does this through partnerships with groups who directly help serve homeless youth and homeless adults.
Since its existence Chain of Lakes has established partnerships with the following schools:
- Blaine High School
- Anoka Regional High School
- Anoka Technical High School
- Spring Lake Park School District
- River Trail Learning Center at L.O. Jacob
The Local Impact Team has organized many events to help serve at:
