Margaret’s Family Tradition of Volunteering
For Margaret Wall, giving back is a family tradition. “When my dad retired, he was president of the local food shelf for 15 years,” she shares. “My mom still recycles cards for the senior center. I’ve got the example of my parents leading the way with volunteering.”
Though Margaret has been lending a hand at Catholic Charities for over a decade, she was one of our most steadfast volunteers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Margaret showed up week after week to help prepare food that needed to be delivered to housing residents, and single-handedly sewed over 1,000 high-quality cloth masks to help keep staff and clients safe.
“Volunteering made me really appreciate that I had a house that I could lock down in. I had a freezer where I could store food—I didn’t have to rely on somebody bringing me a breakfast bag. As I was able to retire early, I figured I wanted to make something good come of it.”
Today, Margaret continues to volunteer regularly in the kitchen at our Distribution Center, and she encourages others to join her: “it’s so flexible and it can be very social. I’ve invited a college friend to come with me, and I’ve got at least five people from my church who have come in on occasion. When we had the holiday meals going, we had a whole group of us here at once—we did one morning shift and went out to Mexican afterward! This is a fun thing you can do with your friends and feel like you’re doing something good.”
Start with one shift—like Margaret says, it’s easy to sign up and there are flexible options to fit every schedule!
SO WHAT CAN COMMUNITY MEMBERS DO TO HELP?
Addressing our current homelessness crisis requires all of us working together to:
Support Our Neighbors Currently Experiencing Homelessness
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– Contribute financially to programs that provide pathways out of poverty.
– Donate high-need items that help people keep themselves safe & rebuild their lives.
– Volunteer at a program location, using your time to remind others that they matter.
Create Systems that Allow People to More Easily Attain & Sustain Stable Housing
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– Help us advocate for a more just community — it’s easier than you’d think to make a difference.
– Learn more about issues surrounding homelessness, and share what you learn with friends and family.
Thank you for your interest — together we can create a better future for all Minnesotans!
Digital Content Manager