Regular volunteering is associated with many physical and mental health benefits by keeping your mind and body active.  

Reach out to any of these organizations to find the volunteer opportunity that best fits you.

• Greater Twin Cities United Way www.gtcuw.org
• Catholic Charities www.cctwincities.org
• Volunteer Match www.volunteermatch.org
• Doing Good Together www.doinggoodtogether.org
• Open Arms MN  www.openarmsmn.org
• Salvation Army  https://centralusa.salvationarmy.org/twin-cities/ 
• Hands on Twin Cities  www.handsontwincities.org
• Feed My Starving Children www.fmsc.org/
• Science Museum of Minnesota https://www.smm.org/volunteer
• Minnesota Humane Society volunteer@mnhumane.org 
• Mississippi National River and Recreation Area  miss_volunteer@nps.gov
• East Side Learning  volunteer@eslcmn.org
• Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity volunteer@tchabitat.org

"Start where you are.  Use what you have.  Do what you can." - Arthur Ashe

Incorporate these simple activities into your day to keep moving:

• Start the work day with a quick, five minute walk
• Stand at your desk every hour for at least five minutes
• Walk to the furthest restroom, drinking fountain or copy machine
• Reserve five minutes of your lunch for a walk to re-engergize
• Park in the furthest parking spot in the lot
• Use the stairs when possible

Consider using some of these techniques to manage stress:

Breathing Exercises: use this breathing exercise to help calm your body and refocus your mind:

• Sit with your shoulders back, neck relaxed, feet on the floor and hands resting on your lap
• Close your eyes if you feel more comfortable and are able to at the time
• Inhale through your nose for the count of 4,3,2,1
• Hold your breath for the count of 7,6,5,4,3,2,1
• Exhale through your mouth for the count of 8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1

Repeat up to a maximum of five times.

Positive Self-Talk: Self-talk is one way to deal with stress. We all talk to ourselves; sometimes we talk out loud but usually we keep self-talk in our heads. Self-talk can be positive ("I can do this" or "Things will work out") or negative ("I'll never get well" or "I'm so stupid").
Negative self-talk increases stress. Positive self-talk helps you calm down and control stress. With practice, you can learn to turn negative thoughts into positive ones.

Click here for relaxation based apps.