Virtual Volunteering

Are you looking for a way to stay involved in your community during the COVID-19 pandemic? If so, the Breck Service Council recommends the following ways for you to stay engaged:

Make cloth masks for yourself or to donate

The CDC is recommending folks wear masks in public. Want to learn how to sew your own? Are you interested in sewing masks for family/friends/neighbors or other organizations? Directions for making the masks can be found here. Have masks but don’t know where to donate? Ms. Schmidt can help.

Calling visual artists! 

One of Ms. Schmidt’s all-time favorite nonprofits, 826 MSP (formerly the Mid-continent Oceanographic Institute), is a free creative writing and tutoring center for Twin Cities youth. They are looking to honor their Young Authors’ Book Project with line drawn portraits of each young author to be featured alongside their work in their upcoming book. Get in touch with Cristeta, the Program Manager, if you want to lend your drawing skills! 

Check in on your neighbors

Use your phone to check on elders in their homes, on behalf of Senior Community Services (SCS). Breck partners with SCS for our fall leaf rake event. They need help calling seniors during the COVID-19 crisis to see how they’re doing and if they need help with anything. We’re just asking for volunteers to communicate over the phone; SCS will coordinate any necessary follow-up. Contact Breck parent Jill Prevost if you’d like to sign up to help.

Boxtops for Education — Digital Style!

The General Mills Boxtops for Education have gone DIGITAL! We know many of you are doing your grocery shopping online. This is a great moment to get into the habit of scanning your online receipt for "boxtops" on General Mills products. Click here for more information.

Messages for Hennepin County Medical Center Patients and Healthcare Staff

Hospitals are not allowing hospital visitors because of the virus outbreak, which means thousands of patients are unable to spend time with friends and family. To help alleviate feelings of isolation and loneliness, we're collecting messages that will be delivered to either patients or healthcare staff at HCMC: letters, notes, poems, art, or anything else that you can think of. Please do NOT include personal info; these should be anonymous. 

Drop off (just drop and go) or mail to one of these collection spots: 

Edina: Dr. Graham - 4700 Townes Road, Edina, MN 55424

Bloomington: Anders Dean - 5900 Mt. Normandale Drive, Bloomington, MN 55438

Wayzata: Jimmy Koch - 18535 8th Ave North, Wayzata, MN 55447

St. Paul: William Phillips Longley - 819 St. Claire Ave, St. Paul, MN 55105