Baking for Families in Shelter
A Meaningful Way to Volunteer
During the pandemic, Betty Swords was searching for a meaningful way to help. With more free time for baking, she quickly realized that the cookies and cakes were piling up at home. Wanting to put her skills to good use, she reached out to Catholic Charities to see if there was a way she could volunteer. The team helped set up an opportunity for Betty to bake for guests at Catholic Charities’ Family Service Center (FSC) in Maplewood.
Since then, Betty has volunteered more than 250 times, creating desserts for families experiencing homelessness in Ramsey County. Betty meticulously plans her recipes, adapting to available ingredients, food allergies, and preferences of shelter guests.
Her desserts are a small but meaningful source of joy for the families in shelter.
Supporting Families Experiencing Homelessness
The Family Service Center provides shelter, meals, and supports to families in crisis, helping them regain stability and find permanent housing. Volunteers play an essential role at FSC. For Betty, volunteering is a natural extension of a lifelong commitment to service. She encourages others to do the same: “Find your niche, something you enjoy. It makes it easy to keep going back.” Her desserts do more than satisfy a sweet tooth — they remind families that someone cares.
Catholic Charities relies on the generosity and dedication of volunteers, offering not just food and shelter but also dignity and community.
“Find your niche, something you enjoy. It makes it easy to keep going back.”
Volunteers Needed
Volunteering with Catholic Charities Twin Cities can take many forms, and our teams can accommodate anyone who wants to put their talents to use!
Getting started as a volunteer is easy, with daily shifts available at various program sites across the Twin Cities. We also offer opportunities for groups, families, youth, and student internships. To learn more, visit: cctwincities.org/volunteer
