A sunny, 70-degree Saturday in May served as a perfect backdrop for Spruce Up Day, a volunteer-led effort to refresh the outdoor playground of Simpson’s Passage Community for the summer months.
A team of twenty-one Bright Horizons volunteers, led by Bright Horizons employee and long-time Simpson volunteer Jill King,
Simpson volunteer Gerry, a retired teacher and salesman, has been serving meals to guests at Simpson’s shelter with several faith communities for 20 years. With a chuckle, Gerry illustrates how long he has been at Simpson: “When I started volunteering with Simpson, the sinks in the kitchen were the only way to wash the dishes.
Simpson literacy mentor Mallory, employed full-time and serving on the boards of several nonprofits, has been matched with eight-year-old Faye for the past six months. Mallory first learned of the Simpson literacy program through a Simpson staff member. “I was a little nervous at first because I hadn’t spent that much time with kids.
Modo Yoga Minneapolis, owned and operated by Phil Doucette and Ryann Doucette, has been sharing the mission of yoga with its health-minded clientele for eight years. Central to Modo Yoga are its six pillars – Be Peace, Be Healthy, Live Green, Live to Learn, Be Accessible, and Community Support — all of which guide the business’ decisions and build a tangible experience of community within and beyond the studio.
Luanne started volunteering at Simpson’s shelter four months ago when she saw a post on Simpson’s Facebook page requesting meal serving volunteers. She enjoyed her first volunteering experience and made the commitment to helping as a shelter support volunteer on a regular basis. One evening per month, Lu helps with daily activities that keep the shelter running smoothly for guests.
1 in 3 youth are growing up without a mentor
You can make a difference by becoming a mentor today.
The first step to becoming a mentor is to attend one of our Introductory Sessions where you’ll learn more about the different opportunities and our strategies for success. Join us at a informational sessions to learn more:
Mentoring is a critical component in young people’s lives, helping them make the decisions and connections that lead to improved opportunities. Research confirms that quality mentoring relationships have powerful positive effects on young people in a variety of personal, academic, and professional situations. Click here to read more.
Joshua Kortgard is not your average 14 year old boy. Sure, he likes playing tennis, video games, but he also spends his time collecting toiletries to donate to Simpson’s Shelter.
It all started a few years ago on a family trip to Chicago. Josh saw people on the streets and started asking questions:
“Where do they sleep?”
“Can they come live with us?”
“How do they brush their teeth?”
“Can we buy them a house?”
His mom,
When I look back on the past 17 years of working with families and youth experiencing homelessness, I have come to firmly believe two important things that have been proven time and time again through the lives of the hundreds of young people I’ve gotten to know. The first is that children and youth are miraculous in their ability to be resilient in the face of hardships and the second is that relationships are where the magic happens.
