2026 Fall Week of Caring

Over the course of this fall’s Week of Caring, our associates came together to support the people and places that make our communities feel like home. They partnered with local organizations, cared for public spaces, created handmade gifts, and spent time with neighbors who needed a friendly face. Every act of service, big or small, carried real heart behind it. Their collective efforts left a meaningful impact across the communities we love and reminded us of the difference we can make when we show up together.

Below is an overview of each project and the contributions made throughout the week.

• A Million Thanks: 33 volunteers spent 76 hours writing 263 letters for active-duty service members and veterans. 
• Lakes Area Habitat for Humanity: 9 volunteers helped with the exterior construction on a future home.
• Knit & Crochet for Essentia Health: 9 volunteers knitted and crocheted toys for pediatric patients, as well as sensory therapy tools for people living with dementia.
• Head of the Lakes United Way: 17 volunteers assembled hygiene kits for community members in need.  
• Lake Nebagamon Fire Hall: 14 volunteers refreshed landscaping and removed invasive species. 
• Damiano Center: 11 volunteers sorted donated clothing and household items. An estimated 700 items were placed in the Free Store for community members in need. 
• Valley Youth Center: 7 volunteers shared an afternoon of fun and food with kids.
• Adopt-A-Highway: 16 volunteers cleaned our adopted stretch of WI Highway 13, collecting 18 bags of trash.
• New Perspective Senior Living: 14 volunteers connected with residents through workout classes, craft activities, board games, and social hours.
• Humane Society of Douglas County: 10 volunteers lent a hand at their Pet Fresh event. 
• Western Lake Superior Habitat for Humanity: 15 volunteers helped prepare a property for future construction.

• Adopt-A-Highway: 16 volunteers picked up litter on our adopted two-mile stretch of WI Highway 2. 
• Neighbors Helping Neighbors: 2 volunteers organized donations at the food shelf and assisted customers as they selected items.
• United Way of Northeastern Minnesota: 11 volunteers packed 1,000 hygiene kits for students in need.
• Stevens County Humane Society: 3 volunteers cared for animals by cleaning their spaces and taking them on walks.  
• Morris Public Library: 9 volunteers cleaned and organized the local library. 
• Someplace Safe: 11 volunteers sorted donations and arranged items for display at the Morris location thrift store.  
• Veterans Sewing Group: 4 volunteers helped make quilts for patients at the VA hospital.  
• Mini Sota Agricultural Children’s Museum: 2 volunteers cleaned the children’s learning space.

• Benson Public Library: 3 volunteers brought creativity and heart to story and craft time with the kids.
• Benson Hats and Blankets: 3 volunteers made blankets for cancer patients and hats for NICU babies. 
• Scandi Haven Senior Living: 4 volunteers helped make the Scandi Fest Community Picnic a welcoming event.
• Sherburne County Area United Way: 7 volunteers wrote “coat notes,” small handwritten messages of kindness tucked into practical gifts.
• Thryve: 3 volunteers assembled giveaway kits for older adults. 
• Monticello Help Center: 9 volunteers organized food donations for the community. 

• City of Superior Parks & Rec: 12 volunteers stained a new boardwalk trail. 
• Veterans Memorial Park: 2 volunteers helped with landscaping by pulling weeds and collecting trash.
• Camp Knutson: 12 volunteers helped prepare the 30-acre camp for winter.  
• Adopt-A-Highway: 8 volunteers cleaned up our adopted stretch of Highway 371 in Baxter, MN.
• Camp Confidence: 5 volunteers helped with the annual garage sale fundraiser. 
• Headwaters Science Center: 19 volunteers made the space more inviting for visitors through fresh paint, creative window displays, and a clean gift shop.  

• Bagley Sheriff’s and Police Departments: 7 volunteers prepared thoughtful appreciation baskets for local law enforcement.  
• Bagley Senior Center: 7 volunteers filled 50 activity bags for seniors, and 2 volunteers delivered Meals on Wheels to community members.
• Bagley City Park: 4 volunteers spent 2 days giving Bagley’s recreation spaces some much-needed care.
• Brink Community Senior Center: 5 volunteers spent 4 days helping prepare food and create meaningful fellowship for older adults in the Baudette community.
• Littlefork Care Center: 3 volunteers created 40 one-of-a-kind cards for residents.
• Ranier Roost: 3 volunteers created 15 colorful fall cards for residents. 

As we reflect on this fall’s Week of Caring, we’re grateful for the generosity and dedication our associates brought to each project. Thank you to everyone who volunteered their time and talents to support local organizations, neighbors, and community spaces throughout the week.