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.

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

Catholic Charities Twin Cities is currently seeking licensed volunteer hairstylists and barbers—especially those with experience with curly & coily hair. Scheduling is flexible with daytime shifts available Monday through Friday.

Are you a hairstylist or barber interested in making a difference? Email us at volunteer@cctwincities.org to get started!

Providing a Haircut to Someone in Need

Catholic Charities Twin Cities volunteers do a wide range of things to help the agency serve people in need every day. And of the long list of daily services offered at the St. Paul and Minneapolis Opportunity Centers, haircuts are in high demand. For many people, a haircut can help you feel like yourself—and can make a difference in how the world treats you.

Meeting a Community Need

Alice Shea, a Roseville resident and former salon owner, brings over four decades of experience to her Monday morning volunteer shifts. While clipping hair in the Opportunity Center’s sun-filled personal care room, Alice shared her story, why she chooses to volunteer regularly, and emphasized the importance of a haircut.

“I retired from salon ownership and working a little over three years ago,” said Alice. Shortly after retiring, Alice heard about the St. Paul Opportunity Center’s new salon space through a friend. “She told me that this was just opening and that they needed volunteers” Alice explained.

Since then, Alice has been a regular volunteer. During the pandemic, when services like hair care weren’t available, Alice picked up volunteer shifts at the Catholic Charities Distribution Center.

Originally from Minnesota, Alice remarked, “I went to Barber School right here on Seven Corners! The Cossetta’s building used to house the Barber School that I went to.” Cutting hair in the same neighborhood fifty years later, Alice said, “I feel like I’m making a full circle here.”

Almost before she had finished speaking, Erik, a guest at the St. Paul Opportunity Center, showed up for his appointment with Alice and asked, “Hey, are you cutting hair? It’s been two years since I’ve had my hair cut.” Erik told us he had “been kind of going in with scissors” himself since his last haircut and described his hair as “a real mess”.

Unfortunately, not everybody in need of hair care can receive service each week. According to Alice, “there’s always people who come up and stop by to see if they can get a haircut”, who weren’t able to make an appointment.

Help Wanted!

Catholic Charities Twin Cities is currently seeking licensed volunteer hairstylists and barbers—especially those with experience with curly & coily hair. Scheduling is flexible with daytime shifts available Monday through Friday.

Are you a hairstylist or barber interested in making a difference? Email us at volunteer@cctwincities.org to get started!

An Unexpected Experience with Homelessness

Bill has been a member of the St. Paul community for a long time and worked for years to support people experiencing homelessness in different ways. He served on the Board of Directors for Westside Community Health (now known as Minnesota Community Care), volunteered regularly, and became familiar with services available to people facing homelessness.

In the Spring of 2019, Bill’s apartment flooded after heavy rains and snowmelt, and homelessness was something he began to experience himself. Bill and other residents of his building were forced to evacuate, and he had nowhere to go and couldn’t afford a new apartment. Fortunately, Bill knew where to turn for resources. Even with that knowledge, he was unprepared for the challenges he now faced. “I didn’t think it would happen to me,” Bill admitted, “but I knew what to do.”

Bill turned to Catholic Charities for help. At Dorothy Day Place in St. Paul, Bill found shelter, dignity, and hope. The facility provided meals, laundry services, and compassionate care. Bill had the support needed to rebuild his life.

Personalized Support for Vulnerable Neighbors

Bill’s path to stability was not without further obstacles. As he began to find his footing, the COVID-19 pandemic upended his plans. Catholic Charities relocated vulnerable neighbors, including Bill, from shelters to hotels for safety.

Dani’s personalized approach made Bill feel valued and supported as he worked toward rebuilding his life. With her help, he transitioned into permanent housing, a milestone that surprised Bill with its efficiency. “Transition is difficult the older you get – change is not easy,” Bill said. “But Dorothy Day Place is fantastic for any individual . . . tell them what you need, and they’ll help you.”

Catholic Charities’ Homeless Elders program is a lifeline for individuals like Bill. This program addresses the unique challenges faced by older adults experiencing homelessness, who often struggle with physical health issues, limited financial resources, and the emotional toll of displacement.

Introduction Video: CEO Jamie Verbrugge

Jamie joined our staff to learn more about the organization’s work firsthand.

Bridging Gaps in Service During Winter Storms

When winter storms bring frigid weather, these dangerous conditions pose a serious threat to people experiencing homelessness in the Twin Cities. This month, temperatures remained well below freezing – with subzero windchills – for days on end. In response to this cold snap, Catholic Charities Twin Cities took measures to ensure that people had access to shelter from the elements. For Catholic Charities, this meant extending service hours across the agency to host warm spaces for those in need, making sure that cold weather essentials were readily available to shelter guests, and collaborating with other service providers, and both Hennepin and Ramsey Counties.

This is extremely important because many daytime shelters close their doors hours before evening shelters open. This leaves people with nowhere warm to go in conditions that can be life-threatening.

Homelessness in Minnesota

There are not enough overnight shelter beds in the Twin Cities to serve every person experiencing homelessness. This year’s Minnesota Homeless Study conducted by Wilder Research showed that, “in 2023, nearly one-quarter (23%) of the homeless population spent at least half of the previous month outside, compared to 13% in 2012.”

Catholic Charities Twin Cities has seen a comparable uptick in its emergency services division this year, the branch of the agency responsible for serving people at its daytime and overnight shelters, medical respite, and targeted mental health care programs. Working with community partners to bridge gaps in service this winter will ensure that more people have access to warm spaces on frigid days and nights.

Tom’s Family Seeks Support

Tom is a hardworking man who built a good life in Florida. There, he was close to his parents and was able to establish himself as a tradesman. His success as an HVAC contractor allowed him to live comfortably, be there for his parents, and support his daughter while she lived with her mother in Minnesota. But in just over a year, Tom suffered a series of devastating losses. The mother of Tom’s daughter passed away unexpectedly, and in the following year, Tom lost both of his parents.

Suddenly Tom was navigating the experience of being a single father without the support of family. He picked up extra jobs and worked overtime to make sure his daughter had everything she needed. But living without the support of family wasn’t sustainable for Tom. They started struggling to get by and he knew their situation needed to change. So, Tom and his daughter packed everything they had and drove to Minnesota, where Tom grew up. They planned to stay with a relative in the Twin Cities, but a house fire destroyed the home before they arrived. Tom was devastated when he heard the news. “It’s hard to take so many hits and keep getting up,” he explained, “but I didn’t have a choice.”

With nowhere else to go, Tom and his daughter turned to Catholic Charities for help – they moved into shelter at Catholic Charities Family Service Center in February of 2024.

Providing Thanksgiving Meals to People Experiencing Homelessness

Each Thanksgiving, many people have food on their minds — but what does this holiday look like for people who don’t have reliable access to food or housing? We spoke with Ms. Bev, chef at the Minneapolis Opportunity Center, to hear about how she serves people experiencing homelessness each Thanksgiving. After nearly twenty years with Catholic Charities, Ms. Bev has a reputation for her custom menus and her holiday meals are always a hit.

Over a week in advance, guests “started asking what I was going to cook for the holiday,” shared Ms. Bev. And after years of preparing Thanksgiving meals for hundreds of hungry Opportunity Center guests, it was no surprise that Ms. Bev already had a plan. “The menu this year is turkey and dressing, green bean casserole, fruit salad, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, assorted pies, punch, and coffee,” she explained.

One longtime volunteer, Anne Gallick, comes to the Minneapolis Opportunity Center each year the week of Thanksgiving with one goal: to peel all the potatoes. She helped peel potatoes by chance her first year and decided that it would be her specialty. She attends each year with her own peeler in hand — typically preparing more than 50 pounds of potatoes. Similarly, the Deeg family has a tradition of volunteering to come in each year and carve turkeys. Ms. Bev will start her morning at the Opportunity Center at 4:30 a.m. on Thanksgiving, where she will finish preparing 50 pounds of green beans, 50 pounds of stuffing, and guide her volunteers as they carve into 16 turkeys.

Our Hearts to Your Soles: An Important Tradition at Catholic Charities

For 17 years, Our Hearts to Your Soles has partnered with Catholic Charities Twin Cities and other community partners to bring high-quality footwear, socks, and foot care to our Twin Cities neighbors who are experiencing homelessness. Each year, volunteers from Silverman Ankle & Foot, and Red Wing Shoes work with Catholic Charities staff to fit and distribute hundreds of pairs of socks and shoes. Each year, the event takes place in November as cold weather begins to set in. “We’re grateful for our long-time partnership with the Our Hearts to Your Soles team of volunteers,” said John Marston, Interim President & CEO, Catholic Charities Twin Cities. “The group provides not only critically needed shoes and footcare to our neighbors in need, but they also bring a caring and generous spirit to this community event.”

Now in its 17th year in the Twin Cities, this remarkable event returned to the Saint Paul Opportunity Center providing a wide range of benefits to participants, including:

Deb’s Story: Building a Home at Dorothy Day Place

Deb is an independent single mother, veteran, and Twin Cities native. Deb and her dog Minnie live together in an apartment at Dorothy Day Residence, a Catholic Charities Twin Cities supportive housing program in St. Paul. The two of them have lived at Dorothy Day since 2019 when the building was renovated.

Deb’s journey has been marked by incredible strength in the face of overwhelming adversity. Her life turned upside down about 10 years ago when the person she was living with withheld rent payments leading to an eviction and homelessness. Deb has kept her struggles hidden, working seasonal jobs and moving around between shelters.

“I didn’t know about the resources that were available for the five years that I was homeless,” Deb explained. By 2019, she had reached a breaking point and decided to leave the unhealthy relationship with her partner at the time and move away from him. This ultimately left her with nowhere to go. So, Deb found her way to Catholic Charities Higher Ground Shelter in St. Paul.

Sandra Johnson’s Experience with Homelessness as an Older Adult

Sandra Johnson’s motto is, “I shall pass this way but once; any kindness I can do, let me do it now, for I shall not pass this way again.” And once you get to know her, you realize that she truly lives her life by those words.

More than anything else, Sandra cares deeply for other people. Family comes first for her, but that kindness also shines in her lifelong volunteerism and career in customer service.

Yet, Sandra’s life has also been full of battles. She lost her husband to a tragic accident at a young age, raised her four young children on her own, and fought cancer and chronic illnesses more than once. When her former employer outsourced most of their customer service work, she lost her job and began battling with something new: homelessness as an older adult.

The Importance of Deeply Affordable Housing

But in April of 2012, one of Sandra’s friends learned about her housing situation and recommended a deeply affordable place to live. That’s how Sandra discovered Catholic Charities Evergreen Residence, an 88-unit permanent housing program near Target Field in Minneapolis.

Sandra has lived at Evergreen since then, and has said that, “it has been like a safe haven for me; it provided stability in the midst of my instability.” Now, Sandra can engage even more deeply in her community. She enjoys cooking meals to share with her neighbors every Tuesday, continues to volunteer, and advocates for her community at the Minnesota Capitol.

“When I moved in here, I realized that my journey is not over,” Sandra said. “I know what it’s like to be homeless, and I know what it’s like to eat ramen 365 days a year. But now I never have to worry.”

Sandra Uses her Voice at the Capitol

Sandra brought her lived experience to the Minnesota Homeless Day on the Hill. Sandra explained, “I was there to make a difference, to make a change—to represent the homeless.” Sandra testified in a public meeting, was interviewed by the Star Tribune, and met Senator Scott Dibble. “As legislators, we look at legislation, we look at spreadsheets,” said Dibble. “And those are very important, but they’re a bit abstract. They become humanized and contextualized when we meet people.”