Volunteer Opportunities
In Rochester and Red Wing, Minnesota
The kindhearted volunteers like you help fulfill The Salvation Army's promise to do the most good. Whether you have a specific talent to offer or simply an hour of your time, The Salvation Army is the place to turn your passion into action.
*Please note that all medical clinic volunteers must be licensed to practice medicine in the State of MN (ex. RN, MD). If you are licensed to practice medicine in another state or country, you may still volunteer for the dental clinic or as a medical receptionist for the pharmacy. If you have questions, please contact our medical clinic coordinator directly at 507-529-4100.
Please complete a volunteer application and background check online to initiate your volunteering here in Olmsted County, MN. With questions about volunteer opportunities other than the medical clinic, or about the application process, please call 507-288-3663 ext. 3800.
Our open volunteer opportunities are listed below. Volunteers must complete the above volunteer application and background check form to participate in any of these activities.
Salvation Army Social Services Center
Bread Pick-Up Volunteer
The Salvation Army bread shelf is open to the public, separate from our food shelf, every day in the hopes of always ensuring that food is available for people who come to us for help, even if they visit outside of food shelf or meal service hours. Volunteers help us by picking up donations of bread and pastries from Hy-Vee Crossroads and bringing them back to our social services building. We are seeking a volunteer to help with this on Wednesday mornings.
When: Wednesdays from 7-8am
Where: Hy-Vee Crossroads, The Salvation Army Social Services Center, 115 First Avenue NE, Rochester, MN 55906
Food Shelf Volunteer
The Salvation Army Food Shelf is open on Tuesdays and Fridays from 10am-3:30pm, and volunteers make it possible to keep this resource available to the downtown area. Volunteers are needed from 10am-1pm and 1pm-4pm.
The food shelf is also looking for volunteers to help stock Food Shelf shelves on Monday and Wednesday mornings. Please note this as an additional volunteer need.
When: Tuesdays and Fridays- between 10am and 4pm
Where: The Salvation Army Social Services Center, 115 First Avenue NE, Rochester, MN 55906
Social Services Front Desk Volunteer
These volunteers are critical to the success of our social services building. Volunteers check in our clients and assist with basic questions, in addition to helping our front desk staff with laundry and donation collection. Volunteer shifts are flexible.
When: Wednesdays and Every Other Friday, Between 8am and Noon
Where: The Salvation Army Social Services Center, 115 First Avenue NE, Rochester, MN 55906
Resource Room Volunteer
The resource room is located in our social services center, and provides all manner of basic needs items (clothing, winter outerwear, shoes, boots, new underwear, new socks, hygiene products, etc.) for our unsheltered homeless population. Donations come in regularly for this room, and we need volunteers to help us keep the room stocked, sorted, and organized. Volunteer hours are flexible.
-When: Monday-Friday, 8am-4pm. Volunteers shifts are flexible.
Where: The Salvation Army Social Services Center, 115 First Avenue NE, Rochester, MN 55906
The Good Samaritan Dental Clinic
Dentists, Dental Assistants, and Dental Hygienists Needed
The Good Samaritan Dental Clinic provides emergency dental care for uninsured and under-insured people needing tooth extractions and treatment for tooth pain. We are seeking dentists, dental assistants, and dental hygienists able to volunteer once a quarter to ensure that we are able to relieve our patients of pain as quickly as possible. We are currently seeing a large number of patients, and without additional dental professionals, more patients means a longer wait time before being seen and treated in our clinic.
For any questions about the Good Samaritan Dental Clinic, please call 507-529-4100.
When: Monday- Friday, Hours Vary by Week
Where: The Good Samaritan Dental Clinic, 120 N. Broadway Avenue, Rochester, MN 55906
The Good Samaritan Medical Clinic
Registered Nurses Needed
The Salvation Army Good Samaritan Medical Clinic serves the uninsured and working poor of Olmsted County. RNs are needed to support acute and specialty clinics.
For any questions about the Good Samaritan Medical Clinic, please call 507-529-4100.
When: Monday and Wednesday Evenings
Where: The Good Samaritan Heath Clinic, 120 N. Broadway Avenue, Rochester, MN 55906
Red Wing Thrift Store
Donation Takers and Floor Stockers
The Salvation Army Store in Red Wing, MN, is looking for volunteers to assist with accepting and sorting donated items, and keeping the sales floor clean and organized. The store is open from 10am-5pm Monday-Saturday. To speak to the store manager in Red Wing, please call 651-388-9270.
When: Monday-Saturday 9 a.m.-5p.m.
Where: 509 Plum St. Red Wing, MN 55066
Seasonal Volunteer Opportunities
Bell Ringing
Volunteers who register to ring a bell in Olmsted County, MN raise an average of $100 an hour, and all dollars raised stay in this community to support people in need of healthcare, housing, food, and other basic needs social services. We ring bells from the second Friday in November through December 24 (excluding Sundays) every year. To register to ring a bell, please call 507-288-3663. Registration opens every year on October 1.
Toy & Joy Shop
In Rochester, MN, The Salvation Army distributes Christmas gifts to nearly 1,000 children every year. Volunteers willing to help us set up our distribution space, sort Christmas gifts, and shop with families during the event truly make Christmas bright. The Toy & Joy Shop takes place either the week of or the week before Christmas, depending on where Christmas falls in the week. To register to volunteer for toy shop, please call 507-288-3663.
Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve Meals
The Salvation Army serves a meal on Thanksgiving day and Christmas Eve from 11:30am-12:30pm. The volunteer schedules for these meals do tend to fill quickly. To register to help prepare and serve one of these meals, please call 507-288-3663.