Minnesota Community Service

Community Service
Written By Abe Lomri
✅ Verified court-approved 🛠️ Eligible — confirm with your officer

Minnesota Community Service & Volunteer Programs

This directory lists community service organizations commonly accepted by Minnesota probation, parole, and pretrial supervision. Always confirm with your supervising officer before starting hours.

Northwest Minnesota

Becker, Beltrami, Clay, Clearwater, Hubbard, Lake of the Woods, Mahnomen, Norman, Polk, Red Lake

✅ Verified Commonly Accepted Providers

Becker County Food Pantry
Sorting donations, stocking shelves, distribution support.
Detroit Lakes
Beltrami County Humane Society
Animal care, cleaning, outdoor maintenance.
Bemidji
Clay County Food Shelf
Donation sorting, packing, and volunteer distribution.
Moorhead

🛠️ Eligible Officer Approval Required

Habitat for Humanity — ReStore (Northwest)
Furniture sorting, warehouse help, donation intake.
Polk County
Norman County Fairgrounds
Seasonal cleanup, grounds support, event setup.
Norman County

Northeast Minnesota

Carlton, Cook, Itasca, Koochiching, Lake, St. Louis

✅ Verified Court-Accepted Organizations

CHUM Duluth
Shelter support, meal service, donations sorting.
Duluth
Second Harvest Northern Lakes
Food sorting, packing, warehouse help.
Hibbing
Lake County Humane Society
Cleaning kennels, walking dogs, facility care.
Two Harbors

🛠️ Eligible Confirm Before Starting Hours

Salvation Army — Duluth
Sorting clothing, donation processing, meal prep.
Duluth
Carlton County Schools Volunteer Program
Grounds cleanup, classroom support (non-student contact).
Carlton County

Metro North (Twin Cities)

Anoka, Hennepin, Sherburne, Wright

✅ Verified High-Demand Service Sites

Second Harvest Heartland — Brooklyn Park
Food packing, warehouse work; widely accepted by courts.
Brooklyn Park
Feed My Starving Children — Coon Rapids
Packing meals for global relief; accepted in most MN districts.
Coon Rapids
Salvation Army Harbor Light
Shelter support, kitchen service, cleaning tasks.
Minneapolis

🛠️ Eligible May Need Officer Approval

Habitat for Humanity Twin Cities — ReStore
Warehouse volunteer work, donation intake.
New Brighton
Wright County Parks System
Park cleanup, trail maintenance, seasonal work.
Wright County

Metro South (Twin Cities)

Dakota, Ramsey, Scott, Washington

✅ Verified High-Volume Community Service Sites

Channel One Food Bank
Sorting food items, warehouse support.
St. Paul
Loaves & Fishes Minnesota
Meal service, food packing, kitchen support.
Metro Area
Animal Humane Society — Woodbury
Animal care, cleaning, laundry, outdoor tasks.
Woodbury

🛠️ Eligible Approval May Vary by District

Dakota County Parks Volunteer Program
Trail maintenance, park cleanup, outdoor projects.
Dakota County
CAP Agency Food Shelf
Stocking, sorting, and client support.
Shakopee

Central Minnesota

Benton, Cass, Crow Wing, Douglas, Kanabec, Mille Lacs, Morrison, Otter Tail, Pine, Stearns, Todd, Wadena

✅ Verified Commonly Accepted Providers

Salvation Army — St. Cloud
Food shelf, meal service, thrift store sorting.
St. Cloud
Habitat for Humanity ReStore — Brainerd
Furniture sorting, donations, warehouse help.
Brainerd
Wadena County Humane Society
Animal care, kennel cleaning, outdoor upkeep.
Wadena

🛠️ Eligible Officer Approval Required

Otter Tail County Parks Department
Trail cleanup, park projects, seasonal work.
Otter Tail County
Kanabec County Fairgrounds
Grounds cleanup, event support, maintenance.
Kanabec County

Southwest Minnesota

Counties: Lyon, Nobles, Murray, Pipestone, Redwood, Rock, Cottonwood, Jackson

✅ Verified Court-Accepted Providers

Salvation Army — Mankato
Food shelf, thrift store sorting, community support programs.
Mankato
United Community Action Partnership
Food shelves, community cleanup, thrift support.
Marshall
Southwestern MN Opportunity Council
Food pantry, clothing center, community outreach.
Worthington

🛠️ Eligible May Require Officer Approval

Pipestone Public Library
Shelving, cleaning, program assistance; confirm with probation.
Pipestone
PAWS Jackson Humane Society
Animal care support; approval varies by county officer.
Jackson

Southeast Minnesota

Counties: Olmsted, Winona, Fillmore, Houston, Wabasha, Dodge, Goodhue

✅ Verified Approved Service Providers

Channel One Regional Food Bank
Food packing, warehouse sorting, distribution.
Rochester
Winona Volunteer Services
Food shelf, clothing center support, community outreach.
Winona
Red Wing Area Food Shelf
Sorting, packing, client support roles.
Red Wing

🛠️ Eligible Requires Officer Approval

Houston County Animal Rescue
Animal care and cleaning; approval varies by judge/probation.
Houston County
Wabasha Area Food Share
Food distribution support, pantry restocking.
Wabasha

Statewide Programs

Available across Minnesota

✅ Verified Statewide & Multi-Region Providers

Second Harvest Heartland
One of the largest food banks in the Midwest. Sorting, packing, warehouse support.
Statewide
Goodwill–Easter Seals Minnesota
Thrift store sorting, donations, community events. Widely accepted statewide.
Statewide
The Salvation Army — Minnesota
Community centers, food shelves, thrift processing, shelters.
Statewide

🛠️ Eligible May Require Officer Approval

Habitat for Humanity ReStore (Multiple Locations)
Donation sorting, warehouse support, store operations. Approval varies by county.
Statewide
Local Minnesota Public Libraries
Shelving, clerical tasks, cleaning. Acceptance depends on local probation policy.
Statewide
Local Humane Societies
Animal care, cleaning, donation sorting; must confirm due to safety restrictions.
Statewide

Important: Community service acceptance is not guaranteed by OACRA. Always verify with your supervising officer before beginning any hours.

OACRA does not provide legal advice and is not affiliated with Minnesota DOC or any government agency.

Abe Lomri
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