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Volunteer

A circle of giving and receiving.

Strong communities are built by people who show up for one another.

More than 50 years ago, volunteers came together to create 360 Communities with a simple but powerful belief that when neighbors support neighbors, entire communities grow stronger. Their goal was to connect people with safety, stability, and opportunity. Along the way, they discovered something meaningful: giving back is fulfilling and a way to strengthen community bonds.

Whether you volunteer as part of a group or on your own, 360 Communities offers countless ways to turn your time and talents into real impact for local families and individuals. Your volunteer journey starts here. Fill out the form below to get involved.

Individual Volunteer Opportunities

Volunteering at a food shelf

There are many ways to make a difference at 360 Communities Food Shelves, whether you’re looking for an ongoing volunteer role or a one-time opportunity to give back.

Individuals who are interested in a regular volunteer commitment can join our team as a core volunteer, serving one shift per week in a variety of meaningful roles. Our food shelves are generally open during daytime hours each week, with some offering weekend or evening opportunities to get involved.

Opportunities include:

  • Food Shelf Volunteers help welcome guests, stock shelves, and assist with food distribution.
  • Warehouse & Distribution Volunteers sort donations, organize inventory, and prepare food for distribution.
  • Morning Rescue Drivers collect food donations from local grocery stores and community partners.
  • Resource Support & Navigation Volunteers help connect community members with programs, services, and resources that can support their goals.

If you’re looking for a way to help as a group, we also offer one-time service opportunities throughout the year. Community groups, businesses, schools, faith communities, and teams can support food drives, donation sorting events, warehouse projects, seasonal initiatives, and special community events. These opportunities are a great way to build teamwork while making a direct impact on local families experiencing food insecurity.

Whether you can volunteer weekly or just for a single event, your time and talents help ensure our neighbors have access to nutritious food and supportive resources when they need them most. We would love to help you find the opportunity that’s right for you.

Volunteering at the Lewis House

Lewis House offers meaningful volunteer opportunities for individuals who want to support individuals and families impacted by domestic violence. Whether you’re assisting behind the scenes or working directly with children, volunteers play an important role in creating a safe, welcoming, and supportive environment for shelter guests.

 

Lewis House Shelter

Shelter Volunteers help with a variety of projects and day-to-day needs within Lewis House. Volunteer activities may include sorting and organizing donations, tidying common spaces, assisting guests with groceries, and helping prepare rooms for new arrivals through painting, cleaning, and refresh projects. These opportunities are ideal for individuals who enjoy hands-on work and want to help create a comfortable and welcoming space for families in the shelter.

 

Shelter Advocate
This role provides compassionate, trauma-informed support to victims/survivors of domestic and sexual violence and their family members. Shelter Advocates offer crisis intervention, safety planning, emotional support, information, referrals, and supportive services to individuals staying at Lewis House, community clients, walk-in visitors, and callers seeking assistance through our crisis line.

 

Shelter Advocates work closely with residents and community members to provide holistic advocacy tailored to each individual’s needs and goals. This may include safety planning, connecting clients with community resources, providing education and support for adults and children, assisting with housing and financial stability, offering information about legal processes (excluding legal advice), helping build support networks, and coordinating other services that promote safety, healing, and long-term well-being.

 

Child Care

Child Care Volunteers provide support during evening support groups and advocacy meetings by caring for and entertaining children staying at Lewis House. Volunteers lead games, crafts, and age-appropriate activities while monitoring the children in a group setting.

 

Shifts are available on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 6:00 pm to 8:30 pm. Parents remain in the building throughout the volunteer shift, and volunteers are not responsible for diaper changes or restroom assistance. We provide a variety of supplies and activity materials to help volunteers create a fun, engaging experience for the children.

Whether you can volunteer regularly or participate in a one-time project, your support helps provide comfort, stability, and hope to individuals and families during a difficult time in their lives.

Court

 

Court Advocate
This role provides emotional support, information, and encouragement to victims/survivors as they navigate the court process. Court Advocates may accompany participants to both civil and criminal court hearings, helping them feel supported before, during, and after proceedings.

 

Hearings may take place virtually or in person at any of Dakota County’s three courthouse locations: Apple Valley, Hastings, or West St. Paul. Most hearings are scheduled Monday through Friday during regular business hours. Volunteers are typically notified of court accompaniment needs 3 to 7 days in advance.

 

Before serving in this role, volunteers must complete Minnesota’s required 40-hour domestic violence advocacy training. This training equips advocates with the knowledge and skills needed to effectively support victims/survivors and understand the dynamics of the legal system.

 

Hospital

 

Hospital Advocate
This role provides compassionate advocacy and crisis support to victims/survivors of sexual and domestic violence during forensic medical exams. Hospital Advocates respond to local hospitals in the South Metro area, including Burnsville and Hastings, to offer emotional support, explain available resources, and help survivors navigate the medical process during a difficult and often overwhelming time.

 

Hospital Advocates serve as part of a 24/7 response team and sign up for on-call shifts based on their availability. Volunteer opportunities may include evenings, weekends, overnight hours, and holidays, ensuring support is available whenever survivors need it.

Group Volunteer Opportunities

Get your group or organization involved

360 Communities offers a variety of opportunities for groups, teams, faith communities, schools, and organizations to make a direct impact in the lives of local families and individuals and learn about our organization.

 

Groups can support our mission by organizing donation drives, assembling emergency food bags, creating birthday bags for children, making tie blankets for shelter and food shelf clients, building welcome home baskets for families moving into stable housing, or volunteering at our resource centers and shelters.

 

Whether your group is looking for a hands-on service project, a team-building activity with purpose, or an ongoing partnership, we can help connect you with opportunities that meet community needs while creating a rewarding volunteer experience.

 

Contact us to learn more about current group volunteer opportunities and how your team can help strengthen our community.

 

Internship Opportunities

Why Intern with 360 Communities?

360 Communities interns are valued members of our team. You’ll gain practical experience, learn from dedicated professionals, and contribute to programs that help create safer, healthier, and stronger communities.

 

How can I get involved as an intern?

360 Communities offers unpaid internship opportunities for students and emerging professionals who are passionate about supporting individuals, families, and communities. Internships are available within our Violence Prevention and Intervention program and Community Resources program. These internships are great for people seeking hands-on experience in the nonprofit or human services field.

Violence Prevention and Intervention Internship

Located at Lewis House in Eagan, Minnesota, the Violence Prevention and Intervention Internship provides an opportunity to gain experience across all areas of the program, including emergency shelter services, outreach, sexual assault advocacy, and community education. Interns work alongside trained staff, shadowing and assisting with a variety of activities as opportunities arise. Because no two days are the same, interns gain broad exposure to the realities of advocacy and victim services work.

 

The Minnesota-mandated 40-hour advocacy training is required before interns may independently participate in certain advocacy activities. To ensure a meaningful and comprehensive learning experience, interns are asked to commit to a minimum of 250 hours.

 

This internship is ideal for individuals interested in building their skills, deepening their understanding of victim advocacy, and making a positive impact in the community.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are volunteer shift times?

We offer a variety of volunteer opportunities throughout the week to fit a range of schedules. Most of our Food Shelf volunteer shifts take place during weekday daytime hours, with some locations offering evening and weekend opportunities.

Our Violence Prevention and Intervention programs provide a wide range of volunteer roles, including daytime, evening, weekend, and on-call shifts, depending on the position. Whether you are looking for a regular commitment or a more flexible opportunity, there are many ways to get involved and make a difference.

Are there age requirements?

Most volunteer opportunities are open to individuals ages 14 and older when volunteering with a parent or guardian, or ages 16 and older when volunteering independently. Due to the nature of the work, regular volunteer roles within our Violence Prevention and Intervention programs and shelter require volunteers to be at least 18 years old.

What does the volunteer onboarding process look like?

Getting started as a regular, ongoing volunteer is simple and designed to help ensure a safe, positive, and meaningful experience for everyone involved.

 

1. Volunteer Application

Complete a volunteer application to create your volunteer profile and share basic information about yourself, your interests, and your availability. This helps us identify opportunities that may be a good fit for you.

 

2. Background Screening

Interested volunteers will be contacted by our Volunteer Team to discuss opportunities and next steps. Following that conversation, a link to complete a self-service background screening through our third-party vendor will be provided.

 

Please note that background screening results do not automatically disqualify an individual from volunteering, nor do they guarantee placement in a volunteer role. Each situation is reviewed individually.
 

3. Training and Onboarding

All volunteers are required to complete onboarding and training activities, including:
  • Viewing a brief Civil Rights Training video
  • Confirming completion and understanding of the training
  • Reviewing the Volunteer Handbook
  • Completing and signing required volunteer waivers and agreements
These steps ensure volunteers understand our policies, expectations, and commitment to serving the community safely and respectfully.

 

4. Fingerprinting Requirement for Lewis House & Advocacy Volunteers

Volunteers serving within Lewis House or Advocacy programs must complete an additional fingerprint registration process through the Eagan Police Department before volunteering in those spaces.

This additional step helps maintain the safety, privacy, and security of the individuals and families we serve.

Questions about the onboarding process?

 

Double your volunteer impact
Did you know that many companies will match their employees’ generous philanthropy? Some will not only match financial gifts to charity, but also volunteer service hours.

If you don’t see your organization listed and aren’t sure, ask your employer about employee matching policies.

Matching Gift and Volunteer Grant information provided by
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Our Commitment to DEIB

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging

Thank you for your desire to give back to your community.
360 Communities is committed to building a workplace that reflects the communities we serve. We actively seek and welcome applications from people with disabilities and individuals of all backgrounds, identities, and lived experiences.  Diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging strengthen our work and our impact.
We work to create an accessible space for all people. Applicants are encouraged to share any accommodations that would support their participation in the volunteer onboarding process or in their volunteer position.
360 Communities appreciates the vibrancy of differences and strives to be accessible, diverse, equitable, and inclusive. We invite you to join us in making an impact in Dakota County!

Learn more about why DEIB matters.

 

VolunteerHub Login for Current Volunteers
Current 360 Communities volunteers can login to VolunteerHub using the link below.

Sign into VolunteerHub

Volunteer and Internship Interest Form

Please fill out the form below or call us at (952) 985-5300.