Celebrating National Volunteer Week

The Hennepin County Board of Commissioners recognized April 21-26 as National Volunteer Week at their recent meeting. The county would like to thank the employee and community volunteers who allow the county to better serve residents – at libraries, clinics, shelters, community events, and more. 

Last year, 2,767 citizens spent a total of 80,753 hours volunteering with Hennepin County – an increase of 343 people and 12,237 hours from 2023. Their contributions help the county live into its vision of being a place where all people thrive.

This National Volunteer Recognition Week, the Lowry Avenue Bridge was lit blue on April 21 as a symbol of gratitude. 

Employee volunteering opportunities

Volunteering as an employee is not only a great way to serve the community but also promote team building. 

Volunteer Services arranges volunteer opportunities for employees, whether individually or in groups such as departments and ERGs. The organizations Hennepin partners with are heavily vetted. Before establishing a partnership, the Volunteer Services team examines the organization’s mission and structure, checks for potential conflicts of interest, and volunteer with the organization. Learn more about these partners on the Employee Volunteer site.

One of the most popular ways to get involved is speed volunteering. These fast and fun events let groups make a difference while making connections with colleagues. Most events take just 30 minutes, and Volunteer Services provides all the materials.

Start volunteering 

If you’re interested in volunteering as an employee, visit the Employee Volunteer site. Supervisors and employee resource group leaders can fill out a request form to plan a group volunteering event. If you have any questions, please contact Lisa Hackett.

If you would like to volunteer in your community, visit the citizen volunteer page to learn more about Hennepin County departments that have ongoing volunteer opportunities.

Have an idea for a volunteer program in your department? Volunteer Services is here to help. If your team has a need for volunteers, please contact volunteering@hennepin.us.