Volunteer
It takes many hands to run two houses of hospitality, so we're grateful for all the help we can get. Check the calendar for up-coming Work Days, when you can simply drop by and help out with projects. Call 507-454-8094 or 507-457-3451 to ask about other times or ways you can help out.
To volunteer in an ongoing way, consider joining one of our volunteer teams. People on these teams commit to regularly helping out at the houses in a particular area--usually several hours a month, although the amount of time is up to you. Here are some of the teams you can join:
Hospitality
We operate "open hospitality" from 4-7 p.m. Monday through Friday. During this time, people come to wash clothes, take showers, pick up pantry items, share a meal, and simply relax and socialize. Hospitality volunteers assist with all of these activities.
Maintenance/repairs
Our "fix-it" team drops by about once a month to handle small repairs and maintenance tasks as they crop up.
Lawn and garden care
This team helps with watering and weeding our gardens, and mowing the lawn at the Dan Corcoran House during the summer months.
Cooking meals
This team prepares evening meals for our guests during our open hospitality nights. Currently, we have no need of more regular cooks; however, if you have a group that wants to prepare a meal as a one-time volunteer experience, please contact us and we'll make arrangements.
Donate
We gladly accept donations of food and household items. Our houses need many of the basics that you need at your house (toilet paper, butter, household cleaners, and so on). In addition, we operate a small food pantry; non-perishable items that can be given away are always needed. You can check our latest list of current house needs to find out what we're especially in need of right now.
Some considerations:
Food. We do accept perishable items; fresh fruits and vegetables are especially appreciated. We also accept leftovers from events (company picnics, parties, and so on); please call before bringing over large donations of leftovers to make sure that we have adequate storage space in our refrigerators and freezers.
Household items. We appreciate "green" (nontoxic) household cleaners.
Send us money
Our houses are entirely run by unpaid volunteers; this, plus the many donations of food and household items we receive, keep our expenses quite low. However, we still incur the same expenses that any household does: property taxes, maintenance and repair, utilities, and energy bills (which soar in the winter).
You can send us money by check to our post office box (see "Contact us" in the lefthand column). Make checks payable to the Winona Catholic Worker. Please note that your donations to the Winona Catholic Worker are not tax-deductible. It's a Catholic Worker thing; you can find out more on our Q & A page.
Join us
Interested in joining us as a live-in volunteer? Find out how on our Join Us page.
Cooking meals
This team prepares evening meals for our guests during our open hospitality nights. Currently, we have no need of more regular cooks; however, if you have a group that wants to prepare a meal as a one-time volunteer experience, please contact us and we'll make arrangements.
Donate
We gladly accept donations of food and household items. Our houses need many of the basics that you need at your house (toilet paper, butter, household cleaners, and so on). In addition, we operate a small food pantry; non-perishable items that can be given away are always needed. You can check our latest list of current house needs to find out what we're especially in need of right now.
Some considerations:
Food. We do accept perishable items; fresh fruits and vegetables are especially appreciated. We also accept leftovers from events (company picnics, parties, and so on); please call before bringing over large donations of leftovers to make sure that we have adequate storage space in our refrigerators and freezers.
Household items. We appreciate "green" (nontoxic) household cleaners.
Send us money
Our houses are entirely run by unpaid volunteers; this, plus the many donations of food and household items we receive, keep our expenses quite low. However, we still incur the same expenses that any household does: property taxes, maintenance and repair, utilities, and energy bills (which soar in the winter).
You can send us money by check to our post office box (see "Contact us" in the lefthand column). Make checks payable to the Winona Catholic Worker. Please note that your donations to the Winona Catholic Worker are not tax-deductible. It's a Catholic Worker thing; you can find out more on our Q & A page.
Join us
Interested in joining us as a live-in volunteer? Find out how on our Join Us page.