Advent UMC serves in the Community for 5th Annual Advent Cares Day

Almost 150 volunteers worked at over 15 different locations across Eagan and the surrounding communities as part of its 5th Annual Advent Cares Day of service. On Sat., Aug. 19, volunteers gathered at Advent UMC in Eagan before spreading out across the community and beyond to help with projects at area organizations.

Volunteers did landscaping projects and park clean-up at Caponi Art Park, Lebanon Hills Park, several City of Eagan Parks and at Greenleaf Elementary and Glacier Hills Elementary. Volunteers at Pinewood Elementary assembled binders that will benefit students and teachers at elementary schools throughout District 196. At Feed My Starving Children in Eagan, a group helped to pack 106 boxes which will provide 22,896 meals (feeding 63 kids for a year). At Cub Foods Eagan East, a team provided complimentary grocery bagging.

Projects at senior living complexes in Eagan included conducting worship services at Brookdale of Eagan and The Commons on Marice in addition to an accordion concert at New Perspectives. Volunteers washed windows at Good Samaritan Society in Inver Grove Heights, a Living Well Disabilities Services home in Mendota Heights, and at Eagan Art House where they also did various other projects. At Dakota Child and Family Clinic, volunteers stripped and waxed floors while a team at Dakota Woodlands did cleaning projects.

At the church building, 3945 Lexington Ave. S, the church provided free document-shredding services for community members through Veteran Shredding. Over 78 people participated with an estimated 3,600 pounds of shredding. In addition, volunteers helped bag 306 pounds of donated dry dog and cat food at Advent UMC that was then delivered to the Open Door. As part of this year’s Advent Cares Day, school supplies were collected and donated to Northview Elementary and items for UMCOR (United Methodist Committee On Relief) Health Kits were collected and delivered to the Midwest Mission Distribution Center in Illinois.

Advent UMC first organized Advent Cares in 2013 in celebration of the church’s 30 year anniversary. Advent Cares Day continued for their 5th year with almost 150 volunteers helping on Saturday. Financial assistance to help with expenses during Advent Cares was provided by grants from the Eagan Foundation, Thrivent Action Team and Advent UMC’s Outreach Committee. Lunch and water were provided for the volunteers through donations from Byerlys/Lunds, Cub Foods, Kowalski’s and HyVee. A special thank you to the Eagan Girls Swim & Dive Club who provided additional volunteers.

It was an amazing day of helping in the community while also building relationships with organizations and individuals. Advent UMC was excited to give back to the community it calls home.