Community Outreach
Ministry Beyond Our Walls
We extend our ministry outside the walls of St. Peder’s by supporting local, regional, and global organizations that help those in need: St. Peder’s Tabitta Kassen endowment fund is designated to provide financial support outside St. Peders’ walls. The Social Ministry Committee has allocated funds to support neighbors near and far this past year. We have shown our support to those struggling due to the pandemic, social unrest, war and the effects of climate change. In 2022, Social Outreach Committee supported Education First in Costa Rica and Peru, Wildflyer Coffee, Lutheran Disaster Response Eastern Europe, Hopewell Music Cooperative North, Black Table Arts, Lutheran Disaster Response, Minneapolis Area Synod Racial Justice Program, Capri Theatre, Community Emergency Services, Lutheran World Relief, South Minneapolis Meals on Wheels, Every Meal, Sheridan Story, Reconciling Works and Emma Norton Services.
Making a Difference in the
Longfellow Neighborhood and Beyond
LSS Safehouse
Every Monday, 52 times a year, St. Peder’s members make and deliver dinner for 8 to the Lutheran Social Services Safe House. The Safe House is a 30-day emergency shelter for homeless youth ages 16-20. At the Safe House, youth living on the streets are able to find a friendly, safe environment where they can begin the road to healthy, productive lives.
Sheridan Story
The Sheridan Story focuses on the weekend food gap, when children aren’t able to receive free and reduced meal programs at school. We are a mobile delivery solution, providing food to children right where they are – at school. Our broad network provides 4-5 pounds of substantive, nutritious food directly to the children – at the end of each school week we put the food into their backpack for them to take home. St. Peder’s volunteers go to Howe Elementary school twice a month to put food bags into children’s lockers.
Quilters
The quilters meet in person on the first and third Tuesday of the month from 9am—noon. Feel free to drop in and help them create beautiful quilts for Lutheran World Relief. No sewing experience required! They take a break for coffee and treats and would love if you joined in!
CES Meal Delivery
Rooted in God’s loving grace, Community Emergency Service transforms lives by serving neighbors, sharing resources, and becoming a community. St. Peder’s works with CES to delivery groceries every other month to our neighbors who are low income, isolated and unable to physically visit the CES food shelf.
Peace Coffee
As a complement to its commitment to social justice and global outreach, St. Peder’s supports Fair Trade by serving Peace Coffee during social hour, offering fair trade coffee and other food items for sale year-round, and holding an annual Fair Trade sale.
Meals on Wheels
Meals on Wheels provides a hearty, hot, dietary appropriate noon meal five days a week to homebound residents in our community. The program also serves as a daily check on clients to be sure they are all right. St. Peder’s works in partnership with 26 other southside churches to help deliver thousands of meals each year. Our volunteers deliver meals Monday-Friday, 6 times a year.
Hearts and Hammers
For more than 110 years, Greater Minneapolis Community Connections has served the Minneapolis area through programs including Metro Paint-A-Thon (PAT), which has served more than 7,000 low-income households over 35 years with home improvements and exterior home painting. Every August, a team of volunteers from St. Peder’s participates in this fun and fulfilling event.
American Red Cross Blood Drives
As a community-based humanitarian organization, the American Red Cross Minnesota and Dakotas Region prevents and alleviates human suffering in the face of emergencies by mobilizing the power of volunteers and the generosity of donors. St. Peder’s hosts blood drives and also partners with other area churches to help the Red Cross fulfill its mission.
