Volunteerism: connecting and supporting thousands of seemingly un-related causes and activities.

Kind of like a clothesline - that tiger-print Hawaiian shirt really has nothing to do with that pair of 10-year-old acid-washed jeans next to it, but without the line supporting and connecting both of them, they'd be in seperarate little damp piles of questionable fashion in the backyard. And that would be tragic.

One of the many comfortable articles of civic engagement supported by clothesline of volunteerism is Event Planning. From school dances with their volunteer chaperones, to charity auctions with their volunteer auction assistants, to smaller-scale Community Organization parties with their volunteer food servers - so many of the events that we attend to celebrate, build community, and/or enjoy snacks, are made possible by volunteers.

Event volunteers sometimes have a long-standing relationship with the organizer, but this is not always the case. There are many events happening year-round in the Twin Cities that put out an open call to volunteers. Take the upcoming "A Perspective of Hope" - a fundraising Gala for Perspectives Family Center, on October 26. There's still a need for volunteers like you to come and greet guests, help run the charity auction, and eat the free pizza that will be provided to you because you are a wonderful volunteer. Just by being friendly and helpful, you can assist Minnesota's largest supportive housing program.

So many ways to be involved. And at least some of them come with free pizza.

Hands On Twin Cities, always striving to stay at the forefront of volunteerism in the Metro Area, recently sent 4 employees (including both halves of this blog) to participate in Project Homeless Connect this past Monday, October 1st, at the Minneapolis Convention Center.

The first thing we have to say is WOW. That's also the second and third things we have to say. There were 850 volunteers on hand to help 1800 guests navigate the various rooms and hallways that were filled to the brim with housing information, social services, employment information, on-site dental and eye care, clothing donations, and more. This was, without a doubt, the largest volunteer event we've ever been apart of.

For those of you who don't know, Project Homeless Connect is a giant event where Social Service Providers of all types come together under one roof so that, for one day at least, people experiencing homelessness can check out the services they need without having to travel all over town. At Project Homeless Connect, people can get a State Photo ID, visit with a lawyer, get a dental checkup, and get a hot meal all in a matter of a few hours. Each guest is assigned a volunteer who helps them to navigate the event and get the services they need as quickly as possible.

This is a truly amazing event that will connect you with neighbors you never knew you had. And luckily, there are two coming up in 2008! The first is on April 28th. Orientation is required, so register early if you want to participate. All the info you'll need is available here: http://www.homelessconnectminneapolis.org