In celebration of MLK Day, HandsOn Twin Cities hosted a virtual event in which we discussed ways volunteering can be an effective tool for creating an equitable community. The panel was be moderated by Seena Hodges, Founder and CEO of The Woke Coach. Panelists included Johnathan Palmer, Executive Director of the Hallie Q. Brown Community Center, Laverne McCartney Knighton, Area Development Director for UNCF, and Nadege Souvenir, Senior Vice President of Operations & Learning for the Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation.  The topics included avoiding "voluntourism", the connection to education and action, how to be an anti-racist volunteer, and more. A video recording of the event is available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0Ua2F9Mx54. The tool Steps Towards Meaningful Engagement is also available as a supplement.

Click here for volunteer opportunities: Do you have a random volunteer photo that could go here?

As a health care organization, we recognize good health habits start early, which is why each year we partner with Free Bikes 4 Kidz MN, a non-profit organization geared toward helping all kids ride into a healthier, happier childhood by providing bikes to those in need.

Thanks to the help of more than 650 volunteers, Allina Health’s 10th year of partnership with Free Bikes 4 Kidz MN was a resounding success. On Saturday, October 3 employees volunteered at 42 Allina Health locations to collect more than 7,000 bikes in four hours that were donated by employees and community members during our bike collection event for Free Bikes 4 Kidz.

Resilience is the theme for CVC this year and we heard first-hand how we – as a corporate responsibility network – must lean into 2021 by recalibrating and reimagining our programs in order to make a sustainable impact in our communities moving forward and away from 2020.

Tomme Beevas shared his personal and professional journey in supporting the Twin Cities community with food and with healing during COVID-19 pandemic and the murder of George Floyd.  

At the end of January, two of my colleagues and I had an opportunity to participate in a Peer Consulting Process through the Twin Cities Corporate Volunteer Council. Our company, RBC Wealth Management (RBC), was selected as the Feature Company.

I still remember when the e-mail from CVC arrived in my inbox announcing the opportunity to apply. RBC Wealth Management had just finished our fiscal year (RBC’s fiscal year-end is October 31) and we were beginning to lay out our goals and priorities for the year ahead. I felt like CVC had read my mind – we had a clear path of some of the key things we wanted to do to enhance our programs and usage, but needed insight and best practices to help us get there. Needless to say, I applied that day!

On May 18, 2021, the Corporate Volunteerism Council hosted a program, “Ways We Can Help: Rebuild Our Communities” with guest presenters, Tracy Nielsen from HandsOn Twin Cities and Eva Song Margolis with Greater Twin Cities United Way. Following is a recap of the program, a link to the presentation and ways you can engage to help our communities rebuild.

HandsOn Twin Cities

From the time I was a young child, I was fortunate to learn firsthand the importance of helping others.

My father was a police officer and, at that time, many social services were not available in our small town. Police officers, like my dad, often volunteered to help individuals in need. It was not uncommon, for example, for my parents to provide a warm meal or temporary shelter to people and animals. To this day, my parents still receive a Christmas card every year from a family in Mexico that stayed with us for two weeks after they were robbed.

KARE 11, owned by Tegna Inc., is the NBC affiliate in Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minn. The station’s mission is to serve the greater good and make the community a better place. Recognized for outstanding journalism, a commitment to excellence, and dedication to the community; KARE 11 is Minnesota’s Own.

KARE 11 is passionate about causes and issues facing our community and choses to sponsor a variety of community events and programs each year. KARE also awards grants to qualifying non-profits. Grants are awarded through the TEGNA Foundation, a corporate foundation sponsored

Sunrise Banks’ mission is to be “the most innovative bank empowering the underserved to achieve.” The bank seeks to radically change the way urban communities and underserved people thrive by empowering them to achieve their aspirations.

Sunrise Banks is devoted to using business as a force for good through financial products and services, employee volunteerism, corporate philanthropy and more. Throughout all of the bank’s actions, Sunrise Banks strives to create strong relationships and looks for multiple ways to make an impact in the community.