Hawthorne Helps
Mission: To provide support that affirms personal dignity, welcomes newcomers to our community, and encourages all students’ educational success.
Hawthorne Helps is a partnership between Rochester Public School’s Hawthorne Education Center and First Unitarian Universalist Church, with support from local faith, service, and business groups.
Hawthorne Education Center provides classes for 1000 learners, ages 17 and older, 85% live at or below the poverty. Most are people of color and many are immigrants. All are struggling to make a better life. Programs include English as a Second Language, literacy, GED, high school diploma, college prep, job training, computer skills, and citizenship.
Services: UU Volunteers staff a distribution twice monthly offering essential items that cannot be purchased with SNAP and other services. We are a welcoming presence cheering on the students.
Sign Up: ask to be added to HH Sign Up Genius for access to HH dates, sign up for a distribution shift & receive ongoing program updates.
Ways you can help:
Before signing up for volunteer shifts at Hawthorne, please email Sandy MacLaughlin because Rochester Public Schools requires a background check and other paperwork.
Hawthorne Helps – needs volunteers to take a shift once or twice monthly for distribution of essential items to Hawthorne Education Center adult students. Hawthorne Helps will provide training.
Distribution is the 2nd & 4th Tuesday of each month with the choice of three shifts:
8:30-11:00 am
11:00am-1:00 pm
1:00-3:00 pm
Sign Up for shifts is offered through Sign Up Genius.
Hawthorne Helps provides training on the job. It is a rewarding interaction with grateful students from many countries, speaking many languages.
Hawthorne Education Center is looking for volunteers for Tuesday Conversation Circles, one to one tutoring, computer lab helps & classroom volunteers.
Volunteer to assist with student sign-in for the Channel One Mobile Food Market at Hawthorne Education Center.
The Mobile Food Market is the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays. One shift only from 9:15 – 11:30 am. Training is on site day of Mobile Market.
Hawthorne Helps – needs one dedicated shopper to order/purchase essential items as needed from Target (order online), Menards, Walmart, and Dollar Tree under a tax exempt account with delivery directly to Hawthorne Education Center (Target items) or storage of the items in your home or car is temporary until either space is available at Hawthorne Education Center or items can be delivered on our 2nd and 4th Tuesday distribution dates (Menards, Walmart, and Dollar Tree).
Questions? Please email Sandy MacLaughlin
Ways you can help:
- check the eNews or Blue Barrel for a current list
- Gift cards – Aldi, Dollar Tree, Menards & Walgreens
- UU Handcrafted Bazaar Items
Questions? More Information? To Volunteer?
Contact: Sandy MacLaughlin
(507) 282-8496, (715) 580-0691
Mission: To provide support that affirms personal dignity, welcomes newcomers to our community, and encourages all students’ educational success.
Hawthorne Helps is a partnership between Rochester Public School’s Hawthorne Education Center and First Unitarian Universalist Church, with support from local faith, service, and business groups.
Hawthorne Education Center provides classes for 1000 learners, ages 17 and older, 85% live at or below the poverty. Most are people of color and many are immigrants. All are struggling to make a better life. Programs include English as a Second Language, literacy, GED, high school diploma, college prep, job training, computer skills, and citizenship.
Services: UU Volunteers staff a distribution twice monthly offering essential items that cannot be purchased with SNAP and other services. We are a welcoming presence cheering on the students.
Sign Up: ask to be added to HH Sign Up Genius for access to HH dates, sign up for a distribution shift & receive ongoing program updates.
Ways you can help:
- Shop for essential items or help with distribution on site at HEC
- Donate requested items to HH’s Blue Barrel near the church entry. Check eNews or Blue Barrel for items needed
- Share plants, herbs, and in season produce
- Invite HH speakers to your business or service group
- Sort, tally and pack up Blue Barrel items on Sunday (families welcome)
- Contribute to Share the Plate, an annual financial collection for HH
- Attend our annual fundraiser, the UU Handcrafted Bazaar, where volunteers staff a booth selling donated hand made arts and crafts
- Knit hats, scarves, and mittens for our pre winter student distribution
- Join with other UUs to pack Grab-n-Go bags
- check the eNews or Blue Barrel for a current list
- Gift cards – Aldi, Dollar Tree, Menards & Walgreens
- UU Handcrafted Bazaar Items