Advent UMC Serves the Community for 6th Annual Advent Cares Day

About 120 volunteers worked at over 18 different locations across Eagan and the surrounding area as part of its 6th Annual Advent Cares Day of service. On Sat., Aug. 18, 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, Eagan Art House, Eagan High School, Greenleaf Elementary, Glacier Hills Elementary and Northview Elementary. Volunteers worked on projects at the District 196 Training Center. At Feed My Starving Children in Eagan, a group helped to pack 106 boxes which will provide 22,896 meals (feeding 62 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 Augustana Health Care Center. At New Perspectives in Eagan, volunteers cleaned wheelchairs and performed a piano concert. Volunteers washed windows at Good Samaritan Society in Inver Grove Heights and at a Living Well Disabilities Services home in Mendota Heights. At Dakota Child and Family Clinic, volunteers did cleaning and painting projects. A team also did painting projects for the Open Door.

At the church building, 3945 Lexington Ave. S, the church provided free document-shredding services for community members through Veteran Shredding. Over 109 people participated with an estimated 3,600 pounds of shredding. In addition, volunteers helped bag 269 pounds of donated dry dog and cat food at Advent UMC that was then delivered to the Open Door. They also prepared crayons for Crayons for Cancer. As part of this year’s Advent Cares Day, school supplies were collected and donated to Northview Elementary and to 360 Communities.

Advent UMC first organized Advent Cares in 2013 in celebration of the church’s 30 year anniversary. Advent Cares Day continued for their 6th year with over 100 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 Cub Foods and Kowalski’s. A special thank you to the Eagan 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.