Volunteer
From Compassion to Action
Join Our Volunteer Team!
Are you over 55 years old, available 20-30 hours per week, and live at 125% of poverty level? Do you want to give back to your community? You may qualify for the National Able Program, where you are paid minimum wage to volunteer at our Thrift Shop or Food Market. For more information, email operations@basicneedsmn.org.
Doing Good Does You Good!
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Basic Needs Food Market
Food Market volunteers help provide barrier-free, dignified access to food for those in need in our community. Volunteers collect food rescue from stores in the area, sort food at the market, restock, and provide customer service. Join us to make this addition to our community a success!
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Basic Needs Thrift Shop
Thrift Shop volunteers are key to helping the community! Volunteers accept, sort, and display donations to ready them for purchase. Find your volunteer home here! 100% of Thrift Shop purchases support our mission.
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Food Rescue Drivers
Food rescue volunteers ensure nutritious food does not go to waste by picking up donated food from local grocers and transporting it to the Food Market in Cottage Grove. Volunteers must have a valid driver’s license and current insurance and sign our food rescue agreement.
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Events and Fundraising Team
Do you like planning and organizing events? Do you like talking with folks who support the mission of Basic Needs? We need you! Planning fundraisers, working at events, helping in the office, and thanking donors for their support are all ways you can help.
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Community Garden
Every year from May until October, we need volunteers to plant, water, weed, and harvest fresh produce from our Newport, MN gardens. The produce goes to the free Food Market to provide fresh produce to those in need. If gardening is your talent, this may be for you!
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Cleaning and Repairs
Have a talent for fixing or repairing? Like to clean? We can use your help! Our three locations often need repairs and need regular cleaning. If you can help, join our volunteer team!
Join our volunteer team!
From working special events, to helping at the Thrift Shop or Food Market, Basic Needs values our volunteers! Apply to volunteer using the links at the top of this page.
““I truly look forward to my Monday morning food rescue! The staff at Hy Vee and the library are so helpful and nice. And the folks waiting to receive the food are sincerely appreciative. It is only an hour of my day, but the “feel good” that I get from doing it, lasts a long time. It is a win-win, for everyone!””