Opportunities From: Volunteer Iowa

The Jones County Volunteer Center & RSVP offers an assisted transportation program for seniors (age 55+) who need rides to non-emergency medical appointments outside of the county. Volunteer drivers arrive at the clients home at a predetermined time, use their personal vehicles to transport the client to their appointment, wait for them there, and transport them back to their home. Volunteer drivers also provide companionship during the transport. You would be educated on other resources available to seniors in Jones County and can share that information as the need arises. The transportation program ensures seniors are able to stay living independently longer, while receiving quality medical care as needed. This volunteer activity requires a complete criminal background and motor vehicle records check. Volunteers must attend necessary orientation and annual training meetings, possess valid Iowa driver's license, Approved Motor Vehicle Records check from the Iowa Department of Transportation, present proof of automobile insurance each renewal period, have access to a safe and roadworthy automobile. You'll also need the ability to relate to older adults with empathy and patience, good listening skills, and potentially the ability to assist clients in and out of the car.  Volunteers in this program do receive mileage reimbursement. This is a great program to be involved with if you are looking for a way to engage with your local community while helping those who need it most.  Call us today for more information!

Travel Unity, a 501(c)(3) focused on increasing diversity in the world of travel, is seeking people ages 13+ to join its Youth Advisory Council. Applicants from all backgrounds and those with disabilities are encouraged to apply!

Youth Advisory Council members will work with one another and Travel Unity's staff, Board, and Advisors on Travel Unity's programs and mission.

Volunteers must be able to work on a team basis, communicate regularly, be proficient with meeting programs (Zoom, Google Meet, etc.), and enjoy the excitement of collaborative output.

This is a great opportunity to work with fellow youth from around the world who care about culture, travel, and inclusion, along with an array of professionals dedicated to creating a more equitable world. For more information, visit https://travelunity.org/TUYAC

Offenders and ex-offenders can be some of the most vulnerable members of our society Current criminal justice systems do not assist individuals to overcome the social and psychological challenges of either incarceration, or positive reentry into family and community life Individuals released from jail or prison often return to their communities with no employment, home, or support system Through a vast network of volunteer mentors and support groups, Catholic Charities? Jail & Prison Ministry program strives to prepare and support ex-offenders as they work toward positive re-entry into family and community life Mentors meet with offenders in prison or jail as well as after their release to provide the needed support to resist relapse into old habits and lifestyles The program helps ex-offenders establish positive relationships, experience healthy social activities, and connect with community resources that can aid in finding work, affordable housing, and meeting basic needs Mentors meet weekly one on one with ex-offenders and help them work to complete goals they have established for successful re-entry into the community Volunteer mentors meet with ex-offenders based on a mutually defined schedule which can include days, evenings, or weekends. Volunteers are needed on an ongoing basis As volunteers are available, and ex-offenders identify themselves the volunteers and ex-offenders are matched together | Volunteers must be 21 years old They must complete an application with Catholic Charities and a background check Volunteers will also ask to attend a 2-hour training session

To facilitate communication between parties who speak two different languages: patient and provider.  To do this by interpreting, translating and re-communicating both verbal and written messages from one language into another. 

Inside each child is the ability to succeed!

Volunteers are needed to assist children and teens in our inpatient programs - Psychiatric Medical Institute for Children (PMIC) and Intermediate Care Facility for Intellectual Disability (ICF/ID) with play activities and quiet time activities.

Programming takes place in a nurturing, home-like setting on the Tanager Place Main Campus and centers around developing social, coping and problem-solving skills. Our goal is to use trauma-informed care components to help youth reach their full potential and build positive, strong relationships so they can return home as soon as possible.

We are looking for individuals with a passion for helping children, and that can commit to meeting on a regular basis.  If you want to make a difference for a child - choose to invest 1 hour a week in a child that wants to learn yet needs a little extra help and encouragement.

Time slots available are: 
Monday-Thursday, 4:00pm-5:00pm
Monday-Thursday, 7:00pm-8:00pm

PMIC:  Children ages 5-17 who have ongoing mental health challenges and safety concerns in the home and/or school setting despite ongoing outpatient services. 

ICF/ID:  Children ages 5-17 who have mild intellectual disabilities and a mental health diagnosis. 

The mission of Tanager Place is to provide children and families with services that inspire, empower, and heal. We help children and families overcome challenges and find mental wellness.  Through a mix of prevention, treatment and outreach, we give families hope and children the tools to be successful

Amani Community Services is currently seeking applicates for our domestic violence and sexual assault crisis line. Volunteers will be apart of a rewarding experience providing counseling, victim advocacy and crisis advocacy. Volunteers answer the crisis line after business hours. Volunteers are required by the state of Iowa to complete a 20-hour online victim counselor training. For questions or to sign up please contact Sausha at Sausha@amani-cs.org

Amani Community Services is looking for individuals or groups to host a hygiene drive. This is a great way to give back to those who are less fortunate within your community.

Hygiene items needed: body wash, bath soap, men's and women's deodorant, tooth brushes and toothpaste, lotion, feminine products, shampoo and conditioner, combs and brushes and wash cloths.

Hygiene products are bagged and given to survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault.

Travel Unity, a 501(c)(3) focused on increasing diversity in the world of travel, is seeking people ages 13+ to join its Youth Advisory Council. Applicants from all backgrounds and those with disabilities are encouraged to apply!

Youth Advisory Council members will work with one another and Travel Unity's staff, Board, and Advisors on Travel Unity's programs and mission. 

Volunteers must be able to work on a team basis, communicate regularly, be proficient with meeting programs (Zoom, Google Meet, etc.), and enjoy the excitement of collaborative output.

This is a great opportunity to work with fellow youth from around the world who care about culture, travel, and inclusion, along with an array of professionals dedicated to creating a more equitable world. Express interest below or visit https://travelunity.org/tuyac!

Avalon Hospice is looking for direct care hospice volunteers that are looking to make a difference in the lives of others.  Avalon Hospice supports volunteers and appreciates the important role they play in hospice care.  We also prepare volunteers with specific training and takes no advanced medical training or great commitment. All hospice volunteers are given assigments that best suite their time, skills, and interests. The Direct Care Volunteer serves as an additional support to patients and families dealing with a terminal illness and end-of-life issues. Support is provided in a variety of ways, including the provision of companionship and socialization to patients, or offering respite to stressed caregivers. Direct Care Volunteers may also make tuck in calls to patients and families. All care provided by the Direct Care Volunteer is outlined in the Volunteer Care Plan and agreed upon by the Interdisciplinary Group (IDG).

The Community Support Advocates Board of Directors is seeking candidates for our volunteer Board Director position. Board Directors are elected to a 3 year term. The Board is responsible for

Expectations of Individual Board Members

Each individual Board member is expected to

Join a team of caring volunteers, amateur authors, welcoming writers, jolly jotters and more to become pen pals for Conversations for Life, an initiative of the Dakota County United Methodist Parish to write to area seniors who may be experiencing isolation and loneliness due to COVID-19.

It's a wonderful opportunity to use a short letter, a note or a card to connect with new people and brighten someone's day, week, or month.  It offers the additional benefit of being done in your own home or office.

To become a part of this great cause, respond here or e-mail Susan at seyfeds@yahoo.com. 

In the bin pricing department, our volunteers pull one pre-sorted bin from the shelf and price each item according to the dollar amount on the bin- using a pricing gun.  From there, the items get put out onto our shelves by a Housewares Stocking volunteer.  This is a great way to help support the missions that Overflow Thrift Store supports locally and globally. Thank you for considering!

We have an abundance of clothing that needs to be hung up and tagged-getting it ready to be put out onto the sales floor.  In the clothing hanging department, we have bins of clothing that are already sorted into price categories.  Clothing needs to be hung, then when the rack is full, it needs to be tagged.  We have a colored tag system that coincides with the price of the clothing.  This is a great way to help to support Overflow and our various missions that we support locally and globally.  We need you! Please come join our team-we'd love to have you. 

Donation Sorter volunteers sort incoming donations into different categories.  We have a great new system set up to sort donations at both of our locations. Each sorter has their own department to work in. 

We currently have openings all day Mondays and Saturdays from 10-4 and Tuesday-Friday from 10-6. Let us know if you want to join our donation receiving crew! It's so interesting to see what donations are going to come through our tables.  Items from stores all over the world find their way to Overflow.  Please consider blessing us with your time-we would love to have you!

Would you like to send a thank you note to the health care workers serving our community?

We have been so grateful for the outpouring of love and compassion from our community. We wanted to offer community members the opportunity to express their gratitude and support to the providers and staff at Genesis and UnityPoint Health.  Details to participate are below.

Send a thank you card or love note to the Genesis team at:
Genesis Health System
Attn: The Compassion Card Campaign
1401 W. Central Park Ave.
Davenport, IA 52804

#CompassionCounts #InThisTogether

Thank a Healthcare Hero - UnityPoint Health
Help our Healthcare Heroes feel loved and appreciated by sharing some positive thoughts or words of encouragement. Our UnityPoint Health doctors, nurses and countless other healthcare workers are working tirelessly to make sure people like you have the best care possible. So go ahead, share those positive vibes! We'll take them all and share them with our team. Thank you!

Mail a thank you card to:
Trinity Health Foundation
2701 17th Street
Rock Island, IL 61201

Or share your gratitude online at:
unitypoint.org/quadcities/thank-a-hero

Our shoe department continues to grow! We need regular volunteers who can be trained to sort, process and price shoes.  Some examples of processing are polishing shoes, cleaning shoe white walls and lightly cleaning the bed of sandals.  If you want to volunteer occasionally, the pricing and sizing of shoes always needs to be done and is easy to learn. 

If you have a family-this is a great way to find shoes to purchase for your family at amazing prices-all while helping to support missions locally and globally.

We are looking for clothing sorters Monday-Saturday!

Volunteer Clothing Sorters:

Let us know if you want to join our clothing team today!

Overflow Thrift Store is looking for volunteers to help in our Linens department. The sort of things you might do in Linens, would be sorting incoming donations and restocking items on the sales floor. Linens volunteers work with towels, materials, sheets, comforters and much more. Let us know if you are interested in this opportunity! we'd love to have you!

Overflow Thrift Store is looking for some help 2 hours or more per week in the housewares Department.  Duties would include stocking the store with housewares and straightening and organizing items as needed. The Housewares department is good sized and has quite a few categories but can easily be learned. Housewares includes picture frames, pots and pans, baskets, sporting good, DIY, vases and more.  

We have opened a second location in Ames and both of our locations sell housewares-so volunteers are needed at both locations.  Thank you for considering-volunteering in housewares is a great way to help out and it's also a great way to decorate your own home! Our affordable prices make it easier for our customers to afford and our volunteers can make purchases as well.

We are looking for volunteers to work with the District Court Mediation program in the Small Claims Court system. You will assist landlords and tenants as well as litigants with money claims  to resolve  their issues or differences.

We operate (5) five days a week with morning and afternoon sessions of up to 3.5 hours each. We can be flexible to accommodate your preferences for days and times. 

We  will provide you training with experienced mediators. This is an opportunity to continuously learn and provide a valuable service to the Court, litigating parties and the community. Please contact jseidlin@pcbaonline.org to get started in the most worthwhile opportunity.

The I Am Able IOWA radio program discusses the ability in disability the first and final Saturday of the month on KHOI 89.1 FM.  You can learn more about the radio program at www.iamableiowa.com.  We are seeking volunteers to help engage listeners with the program. This volunteer opportunity can include the following: market research, social media engagement (Twitter, no presence currently) generating ideas for contests and other ways of encouraging participation, finding guests, and other ways to get the word out about the program. 

The I Am Able IOWA radio program produced by the Iowa Able Foundation is seeking a volunteer to assist with confirming details with the guests a week prior to the show and day before the show. This volunteer will also help thank the guests for their appearance. 

This volunteer could also assist with requesting the photograph and bio for each guest to send to the website and social media person to post. This volunteer could also help with recruiting potential guests. 

The I Am Able IOWA radio program produced by the Iowa Able Foundation is looking for volunteers interested in helping write scripts, generate interview questions, write blog postings, write Twitter posts, write FB posts, and other writing projects. 

One of the I Am Able IOWA radio program hosts is a co-author of a children's book with the sales split between an arts organization in Ohio and the I Am Able IOWA radio program.  

We are seeking a volunteer to help with marketing, promoting and selling the children's book.

Be that open heart and extra hand working with children in our inpatient program, assisting with activities and homework in one of our inpatient cottages.

We have a great group of volunteers who test our electronics.  The next step is pricing the electronics. You will be provided with a pricing guide and your own station.  Special items can be looked up on Ebay, then priced according to our special pricing guide. It's actually pretty interesting to see all of the different types of electronics that come through the electronics station! Come join the fun-you will be a huge blessing to our community, to our staff and to the missions that we serve.   

Purpose/Objective: Love Box Leaders come alongside children in foster care, as well as their caretakers, but offering consistent support through intentional giving and building relationships.

Key Responsibilities: Love Box Leaders show up for a Foster family by providing a Love Box for an assigned foster family once per month. Additionally, volunteers work to build an impactful and intentional relationship with children in the home and foster parents. Typically, Love Box Leaders also recruit a group of Love Box members to pitch in money to purchase love box items, write notes, attend the child’s sporting events, and other supportive activities.

Qualifications: Volunteers must be 18 years old, rooted in the community, able to pass a background check, have reliable transportation, a desire to build a relationship with children in foster care, and have a coachable spirit. Volunteer positions are open to people with disabilities.

Objective: 

Responsibilities:

Training: No special training is needed beyond the orientation that will be provided by the Volunteer Coordinator. As mentioned above, clippers and loppers will be provided.

Impact of assignment: Removing the vegetation will make the recreational trails more safe and inviting for trail users. Also, removing the encroaching vegetation will allow the trail to dry more quickly after rains.

Benefits to volunteer: Opportunity to get outdoors on the trails, to appreciate nature and to value the trail network. Learn the various trails, where they go, and how they connect within the trail network. Walking for exercise!

Qualifications: This is manual labor so there are no educational qualifications. Skills include the ability to manipulate a clipper or lopper, ability to walk or otherwise traverse the trail for at least 1 mile (walkers or electric chairs can be used). There is no age requirements nor background check.

Location: Various trails within Cedar Fall, Waterloo, Evansdale, Hudson or George Wyth State Park

Requirements: Bring gloves, wear sturdy shoes for walking, long pants and long sleeves are best for protection.

Safety protocols: Social distancing and mask wearing if more than a single person at a time. 

Milestones Area Agency on Aging has routes available in Scott, Clinton and surrounding communities. Volunteers are needed to deliver meals to home-bound seniors Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 12 p.m. Make an older adults day by delivering them a hot, nutritious meal! You can volunteer to deliver meals once a week, once a month, with a friend, with a group or on your own-whatever works for you.

Volunteer requirements include one year of driving experience, valid driver's license, auto insurance and reliable transportation. For more information contact Joni Osborn at 563-484-3108, or josborn@milestonesaaa.org

Background: Iowa Legal Aid seeks applicants to fill AmeriCorps member positions for its regional offices in Cedar Rapids, Council Bluffs, Davenport, Des Moines, Dubuque, Iowa City, Mason City, Ottumwa, Sioux City and Waterloo, subject to funding availability. Iowa Legal Aid provides free, high quality legal education, advice and representation to low-income and elderly Iowans with civil legal problems that most dramatically affect poor and vulnerable Iowans.

Responsibilities: Individual AmeriCorps members will help with various projects that can include: helping seniors, veterans, and low-income Iowans get legal help; enhancing our unified client intake system; increasing outreach to underserved veteran, minority, disabled and immigrant groups; advancing legal self-help education and financial literacy, helping seniors and people with disabilities get services to live independently, recruiting and managing volunteers; improving volunteer management practices; enhancing Iowa Legal Aid’s website; marketing and public relations activities.

Qualifications: We seek applicants who communicate well with individuals and groups, both verbally and in writing. Applicants should also have some or all of the following:

Opening/Closing Date: When filled, with members starting between September 1 - November 30, 2016.

Salary/Benefits: Full-time AmeriCorps members receive a modest living stipend ($12,530 for 11 month, full-time term), student loan forbearance, child care benefit, and can receive an education award of $5,775. Some half-time, quarter-time, and minimum-time positions will also be available.

Applications: Submit letter of application, including geographic preference, resume, and contact information for at least three professional references to:

Gail R. Klearman, Managing Attorney – Iowa Legal Aid

1111 9th Street Suite 230

Des Moines, IA 50314-2527

gklearman@iowalaw.org

515-243-1198 ext 1678 or 1-800-532-1503

TTY/Relay Iowa: 1-800-735-2942

Iowa Legal Aid is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Reasonable accommodations are available to qualified applicants upon request

Auxiliary aids and services are available in alternative formats

Iowa Legal Aid provides free, high quality legal education, advice and representation to low-income and elderly Iowans with civil legal problems. Disasters occur quite often in Iowa with devastating consequences to those living in its wake. Having an attorney available to address the critical legal needs of those affected by the disaster can make a huge difference in disaster survivors’ ability to recover from the disaster. Iowa Legal Aid is looking to recruit and train volunteer attorneys from around the state now before a disaster strikes. This would allow Iowa Legal Aid and volunteer attorneys to react immediately in the event of a disaster. If you would like a meaningful, dynamic, and professional volunteer opportunity, please consider volunteering with Iowa Legal Aid’s Coordinated Disaster Response Project.

COMMON DISASTER LEGAL PROBLEMS:

Disasters survivors face a wide variety of legal problems. Common areas that volunteers

may be needed are to:

Qualifications:

Training and Support:

Position Location:

Time Commitment:

Position Benefits:

If you are interested in this volunteer position, please contact Iowa Legal Aid at 1-800-532-1275.

For more information about Iowa Legal Aid, go to http://www.iowalegalaid.org/ and http://iowalegalaidfoundation.org/

Iowa Legal Aid is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Reasonable accommodations are available to qualified applicants upon request

Auxiliary aids and services are available in alternative formats

Volunteer language proficiency evaluators at Iowa Legal Aid play an important role in helping low-income Iowans with limited English proficiency (LEP) skills gain access to justice. Language proficiency evaluators will assess the translation and interpretation abilities of prospective volunteer translators and interpreters. In addition, they may also review and provide feedback on the materials translated by Iowa Legal Aid’s volunteer translators. We need volunteers to evaluate for languages of Iowa’s LEP low-income populations, including but not limited to Spanish, Arabic, Bosnian, Somali, Chinese, Vietnamese, French, German, Russian, Swahili and Laotian.

Qualified volunteer applicants will be language professors, translation studies graduate students and translators/interpreters holding certifications from government bodies such as state or federal courts or recognized professional associations such as the ATA, NAJIT, CCHI, NBCMI or RID.

Volunteer language proficiency evaluators may be asked to review materials such as website articles, outreach resources, legal forms or client letters. Based on their availability, volunteer evaluators will be given regular assignments which they can perform remotely.

http://www.iowalegalaid.org/resource/volunteers-wanted-at-iowa-legal-aid

The National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum is looking for periodic help at the museum for events and for day-to-day operations.

Our needs:

- Day-to-day clerical needs: answering phones, online merchandise orders, cleaning.

- Physical labor: moving and organizing heavy memorabilia in the basement.

- Cataloging: organizing and cataloging memorabilia.

Enjoy the open landscape and spring breezes while sprucing up our 76-acre farm near Swisher by helping us clean up our flower beds for fall/winter.  

Janitorial assistance needed at The Salvation Building.

Monday Nights Brass band teacher needed from 5pm-7pm. 10-17 students. 

We have Youth Fine Arts Night every Monday Night from 5pm-7pm. We need individuals who will teach youth a art project.

Stock shelves in food pantry. Age Requirement: 15+, Must be able to lift 20+ pounds. Must be able to work with minimal supervision.

Avalon Hospice is looking for a Veteran Hospice Volunteer that is willing to make a difference in the lives of other Veterans.  Veteran volunteers are a very valuable part of our care team and at Avalon Hospice we are developing a We Honor Veteran program which would have Veteran-to-Veteran volunteer programs.  The Veteran volunteer program would also make an effor to replace lost medals and awards and would provide emotional support and bereavement counseling. Avalon Hospice supports the volunteers and appreciates the important role they place in hospice care.  We prepare volunteers with specific training and it takes no advanced medical training or great commitment. Some volunteer opportunities include sharing a story, sending a card, listen/read/sing, making gifts for Veterans, run errands or perform light housekeeping for Veterans, administrative office support if needed, make phone calls, and attend community events.

Bereavement care is one of the services that make hospice services unique and aims to enhance the patient’s/family’s dignity and quality of life. Medicare regulations require every hospice to include an organized bereavement program that provides services for at least twelve (12) months after the patient’s death.  Kindred at Home and hospice affiliates provides bereavement support for thirteen (13) months after the patient has passed away. If a family member, friend or caregiver requires additional support beyond the thirteen months, our Bereavement Coordinators and team will work to provide the appropriate support and resources.  Bereavement volunteer is under the direct supervision of the bereavement coordinator (or designee).  The Bereavement Hospice volunteer can help with sending letters to bereaved and calling Bereaved as well. all assignments provided to the bereavement support volunteer must be pre-approved and assigned by the bereavement coordinator (or designee). 

The Vigil Volunteer offers companionship, comfort and presence to patients during the time immediately prior to their death. Support can be provided to patients who have no family to be with them or to provide support and guidance to families and caregivers, helping to relieve the unknown; this may also include staff if the patient resides at a facility. Support is provided in a variety of ways, including being a calm presence, talking and listening to the family/ caregivers, or sharing silence.

The Pet Therapy Volunteer serves as an additional support to patients, families and caregivers by making friendly visits with his/ her certified therapy animal. Visits may occur in the patient’s home or in a professional care setting (subject to the rules of the facility). Both the Volunteer and the certified therapy animal provide comfort, companionship and a welcome distraction from the illness. All care provided by the Pet Therapy Volunteer is outlined in the Volunteer Care Plan and agreed upon by the Interdisciplinary Group (IDG).

Pet: Majority of animals serving in this capacity will be a dog. The dog MUST be certified/ registered by an American kennel Club (AKC) recognized therapy dog organization. Other certified/ registered therapy animals will be accepted on a case-by-case basis. 

The Reiki Volunteer serves as an additional support to patients, families and caregivers by performing
Reiki to facilitate the body’s “relaxation response”. Provision of Reiki may promote a reduction in
anxiety, muscle tension, or pain, and can promote wellness and a greater sense of well‐being. The Reiki
volunteer may only perform Reiki to the head, neck, shoulders, arms and below the groin. Visits may
occur in the patient’s home or in a professional care setting. All care provided by the Reiki Volunteer is
outlined in the Volunteer Care Plan and agreed upon by the Interdisciplinary Group (IDG).

* Must be certifed as a level 1, Level 2 or Level 3 (Master) Reiki Practitioner and have at least 1 year of active, certified experience* 

Pillar of Cedar Valley is looking for volunteers to write letters to their residents. Click the black RESPOND button to the right of the screen if you are interested. You will be contacted by someone from Pillar of Cedar Valley to be paired with one of their residents to correspond with. This would be a great opportunity for families to write encouraging cards for seniors during this time. Below are some ideas

Purpose: To assist the Membership and Healthy Living department in executing our programs for adults with disabilities.

Responsibilities:

Training: Training, resources, mentor-ship, education, experience

Impact of assignment: 

OUR CULTURE:
Our mission and core values are brought to life by our culture. In the Y, we strive to live our cause of strengthening communities with purpose and intentionality every day.
Project EXPAND is literally about expanding this ideology to an undeserved population, disabled adults. Our program introduces wellness activities and education to the clients of our group agencies. Soon, we hope to grow this program for any and all adults within our community that live with a disability and would like to explore our Healthy Living programs and services.

Benefits to volunteer: 

Qualifications: 

Purpose: To engage with students after school through purposeful programming to build achievement, belonging and relationships.

Responsibilities:

Training: We will work with any volunteer who would like to offer a program and needs supplies to complete.

Impact of assignment: 

By offering our program participants meaningful programming, we are boosting the value of our care and engage a stronger realtionship with the youth of our community.

Benefits to volunteer: 

Qualifications: 

Safety Protocols:

Provided during Volunteer training.

Purpose: To engaging in meaningful relationships with student by engaging in Reading, Relationship Building Activities, and/or Homework Lab

Responsibilities:

Training: Resources for support will be provided as well as Volunteer training.

Impact of assignment: 

We strive to create meaningful relationships with the students in our afterschool program. Mentors are an intrigual part in creating and more-over maintaining those relationships.

Benefits to volunteer: 

Qualifications: 

Safety Protocols:

Will be discussed during our Volunteer training.

Help our future workforce figure out their path so their educational path is one that leads to positive outcomes. The Mentor Advantage Program (MAP), a state certified mentoring program, builds relationships between middle and high school youth and professionals. Mentors and mentees are matched based on personality, gender, and the mentee’s career interest. MAP's intent is to introduce youth to the mentor’s career and expose them to a “behind-the-scenes” look at how educational concepts are applied in a real-world setting. Matches are encouraged to spend time at the mentor’s place of employment, giving the mentee an apprenticeship-like experience, and explore what other opportunities might be in their areas of interest.

To find out how to get involved as a student or mentor, contact our Mentoring Coordinator, John Preston, at 515-243-4292 or john@cyconcepts.org . 

This opportunity is for a Spring 2021 internship

Support victims and survivors of domestic violence with advocacy, resources, safety planning, and support to help them move forward in their lives with Waypoint Services. 

Responsibilities:

Impact of assignment: Waypoint's Domestic Violence Victim Services Program works with over 2,700 victims/survivors each year. Volunteers and interns are crucial to ensure that we can provide individualized support to anyone who walks through our doors. 

Benefits to volunteer: Interns will gain direct experience working with individuals in crisis, knowledge of medical and legal advocacy and how they impact victim service providers and clients, knowledge of various community resources and how they partner with Waypoint to support those in crisis, and opportunities to develop other interpersonal skills

Qualifications and requirements: Interns must be at least 18 years-old and pass a criminal background check. We are looking for individuals with excellent communication and interpersonal skills, a positive attitude, the ability to work independently and collaboratively with others, and the ability to be non-judgmental, encouraging, and empowering for clients, staff, and other volunteers.

Purpose/Objective: To assist residents with various activities to ensure their quality of life

Responsibilities: 

Training: The Activities Department will assist with training all volunteers what is needed as how to implement any activities that are done.

Impact of assignment: It will give our Residents the opportunity to meet and create meaningful relationships that will assist their day to day life. It will give Pillar the opportunity to include more individuals in activities as their will be more help for the residents to get assistance. It will allow us to save money to purchase materials needed for the Resident use. This opportunity will give Pillar the opportunity to get our name out in the community, as we have only been open just a year and a half, and give us opportunities to assist others in our community.

Benefits to volunteer: Volunteering empowers a person to utilize their people skills. It gives you the opportunity to get to know, and learn to work with individuals with various different disabilities. Volunteering can enhance your ability to see just where it is you want to go with your career. Volunteering also is self fulfilling and give you a sense of pride and happiness that you will never forget, plus develop relationships that you never thought you would have.

Qualifications: 

Requirements: Must complete and pass a background check prior to volunteering. 

Safety protocols: Pillar will provide training and all PPE, and safety information needed for each individual.

Time: We are flexible and can work around your schedule

Purpose: The purpose of this position is to assist Self-Help International with filing, copying, scanning, and other general office tasks.

Responsibilities: Filing, copying, scanning, and other general office tasks.

Training: Mentoring and training is provided.

Impact of assignment: Volunteers will help the organization meet record-keeping requirements so that staff can focus more on mission-oriented tasks.

Benefits to volunteer: Experience in office environment, basic clerical skills/knowledge.

Qualifications: 

Safety protocols: Masks and social-distancing practices are currently required.

Purpose: Meaningful service across the Cedar Valley

Responsibilities: 

Purpose: Volunteers will have the opportunity to assist with trail clean up by picking up trash along the recreational trails in the community.

Responsibilities:

Training: N/A

Impact of assignment: The trail network will be more attractive and more inviting when it is clean.

Benefits to volunteer: 

Qualifications: 

Safety Protocols:

Practice physical distancing while on the trails and if not, wear a face mask.

Purpose: To support our life-saving mission by helping to raise funds for research, professional training, public education and community service

Responsibilities:

Training: Once you are registered as a Team Coach on www.CedarValleyHeartWalk.org you will have access to sample e-mails for HeartWalker recruitment and donation requests. You will also have the ability to text as well as post to social media through the website. And, of course, your local Heart Walk Director will lead you through the process, provide additional ideas and resources and answer any questions you may have..

Impact of assignment: Heart disease is our #1 killer and stroke is #5. 1 in 3 Americans is living with heart disease. Pre-COVID the American Heart Association was only able to fund about half of highly-meritorious research grant applications. Now with COVID, the American Heart Association is also funding COVID research and training in addition to continuing heart and stroke related research, training, education and community service. More people need us now more than ever and we need you!

Benefits to volunteer: 

Qualifications: 

Purpose:

-To keep the financial records and prepare financial reports for the board.

Responsibilities:

-Pickup financial mail from the KUNI studio each month
-Prepare checks as instructed to be signed by the authorized signer on the account
-Make deposits as instructed.
-Reconcile the checking account monthly
-Forward monthly reports to the Chair and Treasurer, then forward to the Board.
-Send annual information to the CPA so they can prepare the audit and Form 990.
-File Biennial report with the state.

Qualifications:

-Background with financial bookkeeping, accounting software, and preparing reports.
-It's a way for someone to use their bookkeeping/accounting skills for the good of Public Radio.
-It's perfect for someone who prefers behind the scenes work.
-Flexible hours, do the work when you want.
-The people on the board are fantastic to work with.

Additional Information:

-The Friends Board is a fun and professional group with diverse interests in supporting Iowa Public Radio.

The Ottumwa Distribution Center is offering 2 shifts a month for food sorting at the Distribution Center. The shift would be 2-3 hours long. Volunteers must be 10 years or older. The volunteers will be sorting large quantities of food and also repackaging food into smaller quantities to be sent to food pantries to give to clients. 

Food Bank of Iowa is currently seeking volunteers to work the Oskaloosa Mobile Pantry. It's once a month, the second Monday of each month. Volunteers are needed from 3pm to 5:30pm to help organize food, sort food, pass out food, client intake and help clients to their vehicles. Volunteers must be 18 or older and have the ability to lift 25 pounds or more. 

The Beacon of Life transitional housing facility requires 24-hour staffing to support our clients. The Resident Assistant is the first and primary point of contact for meeting many of our clients' needs throughout their stay. RA shifts run from 12am - 8am, 8am - 4pm, and 4pm - 12am. We are always seeking volunteers to help out during these times or even to split shifts. 

RA duties include:

Respond to resident needs
Greet visitors and answer phone
Call residents on "pass" to verify whereabouts
Random drug and alcohol testing
Handle medications: dispensing, counting, checking in new medications and refills
Check indoor household chores
Light cleaning
Special projects as designated by Case Manager

Heartland Senior Services has many opportunities for volunteers. An ongoing need is for volunteers to deliver hot, nutritious meals to seniors in their homes over the noon hour in specific areas of Story County. Volunteers pick up the meals at a specified location after 10:30 am and deliver the meals to individuals in their homes. A list of recipients and directions are provided. 

We would love to inspire anyone to come down to Des Moines or a box pack if they are willing and able!

Please visit our website for up to date information regarding our efforts related to COVID-19. Donate today to help ensure we reach the kids out of school or workers with altered schedules. Volunteers are also in high need so please consider signing up for a shift.

We are in need of a few volunteers a week, once a week for about an hour, assist with free food service in the QC area.  It will be sorting food for all the people at risk, organizing the food in the pantry, and getting food to those who called for our services.

Join us at Habitat for Humanity of Central Iowa Store as we are growing, and we need more help.   We are practicing social distancing and safety as much as possible to keep our volunteers happy and healthy.   

Volunteers are needed to help out in the store, working with customers, sorting donations, repairing gently used items, and picking up donations and delivering purchases. 

Come work with a bunch of fun people and get a FREE T-shirt!

If interested please call Betty at 515-232-8815 or e-mail bbeisker@hfhci.org

Interested in helping those most vulnerable to COVID-19 in our community? If you have time to spare and a desire to make a difference, become a TRAIL volunteer! You can set your own schedule, perform the tasks most suited to your time and skills, and enjoy meeting TRAIL members who will truly value your services. 

Volunteer drivers are our greatest need, particularly for members with recurring medical appointments and other ongoing commitments.

*Please know that all members and volunteers will be asked to review and sign TRAIL's Volunteer Service Guidelines during COVID-19 Waiver before requesting and providing volunteer services.* 

Please call the TRAIL Office at (319) 800-9003 if you are interested in this opportunity to receive more information.

https://trailofjohnsoncounty.org

Fundraising Volunteer Position Description

Position Title: Fundraising Volunteer

Goal or purpose of position: The fundraising volunteer provides a range of support activities for Bethesda House Inc. The goal of the position is to assist in successful operations of the Bethesda House Inc. mission in order to ensure proper funding.

Major responsibilities (the following is a list of possible activities for a volunteer but not an all inclusive list nor is any volunteer expected to fill all of these roles.)

• Assisting in the development and implementation of a coordinated fundraising program.
• Planning for and managing of fundraising events.
• Handling donor acknowledgements and thank you letters.
• Identify donor prospects and research donor prospects.
• Data entry and maintenance of the data base.
• Solicitations of corporate sponsors, financial gifts, and gift-in-kind donations.
• Interacting with donors and conducting donor meetings.
• Development of donor materials, presentations, and mailings.
• Serves as an ambassador for the organization and promotes a positive image/ reputation of the ministry.

Qualifications (required, desired):

• Strong interpersonal skills.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Good listening skills.
• Available by phone and e-mail
• No previous felony convictions: subject to a criminal background check.

Time commitment: A minimum of 4 hours per month, however, more is preferred.

Pastor Jeremy needs assists in:
- Filing
- Organizing Events
- Office Administration

AlRazi Academy is in need for volunteers to help students with reading and/or math skills. More than 75% of our students are either low income, refugees and or immigrants and they cant afford extra help in reading or math skills. Most of the younger kids are English learners and having volunteers help with more reading time can be a great help for them and their teachers  to develop their reading and communication skills. 

Apply here: https://www.girlsontheruniowa.org/coach

NAMI Central Iowa has a few projects that a handy-person could help with.  

1.  Shelves:  We have a closet that has brackets for shelves, however, we need shelves cut out of wood.  

2.  TV Mount:  We need a small flat screen TV mounted to a wall.  

The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) is the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for those affected by mental health conditions. We are currently recruiting presenters for our Ending the Silence program. Ending the Silence is a 50-minute presentation on signs and symptoms of mental illness designed to change misconceptions and “end the silence” surrounding mental health. It gives participants information and first-hand accounts from two presenters.

NAMI IOWA is seeking individuals over the age of 18 who are comfortable with public speaking and have a connection to mental illness (through yourself or a friend/family member) to fill two different types of presenter roles – 1) lead presenter (over 18 to lead the PowerPoint presentation using personal experience) and 2) young adult (between the ages of 18-35 to speak about their story after the PowerPoint). Given the novel coronavirus, presentations may occur either virtually or in-person. Incentives are offered for presenters. 

Please fill out this google form if you are interested: https://forms.gle/righoG9HbfvcYMDR6

You may also reach out to Nina Richtman at Nina@namiiowa.org directly.

Siouxland Youth for Christ is seeking committed, compassionate men to work with at-risk youth.  This is an ongoing volunteer need to make a lasting impact on the youth we serve.

Volunteers are need to help on Tuesdays and Thursday from 4:00 to 6:00 PM.

The Reiki Volunteer serves as an additional support to patients, families and caregivers by performing
Reiki to facilitate the body’s “relaxation response”. Provision of Reiki may promote a reduction in
anxiety, muscle tension, or pain, and can promote wellness and a greater sense of well‐being. The Reiki
volunteer may only perform Reiki to the head, neck, shoulders, arms and below the groin. Visits may
occur in the patient’s home or in a professional care setting. All care provided by the Reiki Volunteer is
outlined in the Volunteer Care Plan and agreed upon by the Interdisciplinary Group (IDG).

The Pet Therapy Volunteer serves as an additional support to patients, families and caregivers by making friendly visits with his/ her certified therapy animal. Visits may occur in the patient’s home or in a professional care setting (subject to the rules of the facility). Both the Volunteer and the certified therapy animal provide comfort, companionship and a welcome distraction from the illness. All care provided by the Pet Therapy Volunteer is outlined in the Volunteer Care Plan and agreed upon by the Interdisciplinary Group (IDG).

The Vigil Volunteer offers companionship, comfort and presence to patients during the time immediately prior to their death. Support can be provided to patients who have no family to be with them or to provide support and guidance to families and caregivers, helping to relieve the unknown; this may also include staff if the patient resides at a facility. Support is provided in a variety of ways, including being a calm presence, talking and listening to the family/ caregivers, or sharing silence.

Bereavement care is one of the services that make hospice services unique and aims to enhance the patient’s/family’s dignity and quality of life. Medicare regulations require every hospice to include an organized bereavement program that provides services for at least twelve (12) months after the patient’s death.  Kindred at Home and hospice affiliates provides bereavement support for thirteen (13) months after the patient has died. If a family member, friend or caregiver requires additional support beyond the thirteen months, our Bereavement Coordinators and team will work to provide the appropriate support and resources.  A qualified Bereavement Coordinator provides oversight and supervision of the bereavement program.  The Bereavement Hospice volunteer can help with sending letters to bereaved and calling Bereaved as well.

Avalon Hospice is looking for a Veteran Hospice Volunteer that is willing to make a difference in the lives of other Veterans.  Veteran volunteers are a very valuable part of our care team and at Avalon Hospice we are developing a We Honor Veteran program which would have Veteran-to-Veteran volunteer programs.  The Veteran volunteer program would also make an effor to replace lost medals and awards and would provide emotional support and bereavement counseling. Avalon Hospice supports the volunteers and appreciates the important role they place in hospice care.  We prepare volunteers with specific training and it takes no advanced medical training or great commitment. Some volunteer opportunities include sharing a story, sending a card, listen/read/sing, making gifts for Veterans, run errands or perform light housekeeping for Veterans, administrative office support if needed, make phone calls, and attend community events.

Avalon Hospice is looking for administrative hospice volunteers that are looking to make a difference in the lives of others.  Avalon Hospice supports volunteers and appreciates the important role they play in hospice care.  We also prepare volunteers with specific training and takes no advanced medical training or great commitment. All hospice volunteers are given assigments that best suite their time, skills, and interests. The volunteer coordinator will help you discover the best fit for you based on your interests. Some volunteer opportunities include share a story, send a card, listen/read/sing, make gifts for patients, run errands or perform light housekeeping, share flowers/bake, administrative office support, make phone calls, and attend community events. The Administrative Volunteer provides support to office personnel through clerical and administrative functions. An Administrative volunteer may assist with answering telephones, filing, making copies, data entry or helping to create admission packets. An Administrative Volunteer might help with compiling and mailing Bereavement letters, sympathy cards or the planning of the Annual Memorial Service.

Avalon Hospice is looking for direct care or administrative hospice volunteers that are looking to make a difference in the lives of others.  Avalon Hospice supports volunteers and appreciates the important role they play in hospice care.  We also prepare volunteers with specific training and takes no advanced medical training or great commitment. All hospice volunteers are given assigments that best suite their time, skills, and interests. The volunteer coordinator will help you discover the best fit for you based on your interests. The Direct Care Volunteer serves as an additional support to patients and families dealing with a terminal illness and end-of-life issues. Support is provided in a variety of ways, including the provision of companionship and socialization to patients, or offering respite to stressed caregivers. Direct Care Volunteers may also make tuck in calls to patients and families. All care provided by the Direct Care Volunteer is outlined in the Volunteer Care Plan and agreed upon by the Interdisciplinary Group (IDG).

The volunteer bookkeeper/accountant primarily serves as an advisor and auditor (not data entry) of the regular accounting of VolunteerSiouxland, including reviewing and advising on QuickBooks setup, financial record keeping and transactions, including accounts payable, receivable and general ledger.  The ideal volunteer with have advanced experience with QuickBooks and some experience working with nonprofits.

COMMITMENT:

Approximately 4-6 hours per month on average.  Days/times extremely flexible and much can probably be done remotely.

DESIRED SKILL SETS: 

 DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

IMPACT:

Accurate financial records is essential for VolunteerSiouxland to pursue its mission.  By helping keep accurate records an provide accurate reports essential for funding and daily operation, the volunteer will enable VolunteerSiouxland to continue serve hundred of organizations and thousands of volunteers.

We have established a Tuesday through Thursday schedule and we’re asking all volunteers to call in advance so we can schedule them as needed as well as allow us to limit the number coming into the building at any one time.   

We will have two shifts each day:  10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.  and   1:00 p.m. to 3:00 pm.

PLEASE NOTE:  Please only volunteer if you are feeling healthy, have not been ill in the past 7 days, are not exhibiting any symptoms of COVID-19 (cough, fever, etc.), have not traveled outside of the United States in the past 14 days or come in contact with a sick person in the past 14 days, and have been practicing social distancing.    

We are a Lutheran congregation on the east side of Des Moines. Across from Stowe School near the Fairgrounds. We are willing to pay the $60 to sponsor Pr. James and Nyandit.

We have a Sudanese American married couple who are in need of whom we are sponsoring. Their names are Pastor James and Nyandit Puotyal. He is a Lutheran pastor who is undergoing Dialysis three times a week at Methodist Hospital. They live in the Basement of Nyandit's cousin. They only own a bed to sleep on. Nyandit works at Hormel in Nevada. Pastor James began working at Mosaic Ministries and can no longer work. Nyandit's cousin's wife wants them to move out as soon as possible. We have a possible apartment in Altonna, a income restricted one. They need furniture, etc.

Click Respond to get more information.

This is open to any veteran of Jefferson County, age 55+, who would like to connect with youth and share their military experiences to help better acquaint youth with what such service entails.  It will deepen their understanding while providing an inter-generational contact.  (While younger veterans may participate, they would not be "on board" as   RSVP volunteers.)  Connections as to where to give presentations are in the planning stage with the Scouting movement as well as Iowa State Extension youth programs.  This program will resume when corona virus restrictions have been lifted.

Milestones in Marion, a program of Aging Services, is looking for a compassionate individual to spend time with participants in a small group setting. This opportunity could involve working on a puzzle in the library, listening to music while visiting with participants or playing a card game. This is an opportunity that will surely build relationships!

Milestones in Marion serves adults 18+ who need medical care, socialization, or have other needs during the day and return home in the evening. This opportunity is available Monday through Friday from 3-5 pm. You are welcome to volunteer one day a week or multiple days a week.

Volunteers are fully trained and complete background checks.

We are excited to talk to you about this opportunity! Aging Services is a certified Service Enterprise agency...join our efforts and learn more about how we support our community as a team!

Milestones in Marion, a program of Aging Services, is looking for an energetic and positive individual to spend time with participants in the  main activity area. This opportunity could involve assisting with crafts, helping with group games, or assisting the Activity Coordinator when special guests come to visit. This would be a great opportunity for individuals who are outgoing and enjoy getting to know new people!

Milestones in Marion serves adults 18+ who need medical care, socialization, or have other needs during the day and return home in the evening. This opportunity is available Monday through Friday, with flexible times between the hours of 10 am-3 pm. You are welcome to volunteer one day a week or multiple days a week.

Volunteers are fully trained and complete background checks.

We are excited to talk to you about this opportunity! Aging Services is a certified Service Enterprise agency...join our efforts and learn more about how we support our community as a team!

The position of the Volunteer Shop Associate is to run the Girl Scout store for Girl Scouts of Eastern Iowa & Western Illinois, supporting the organization’s mission of building girls of courage, confidence and character who make the world a better place.  The Volunteer Shop Associate represents the organization to the public who visit the organization’s Cedar Rapids store.

This position is flexible based on the availability of the volunteer.  Days and times to be determined by the volunteer.

Cedar Rapids Milestones, a program of Aging Services, is looking for a friendly individual to play a variety of card games with individuals.

This volunteer opportunity is available Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday. Times are very flexible between the hours of 9 am-5 pm. The length of this opportunity would be an hour to an hour and a half. You can join us for a day or more than one day during the week. This is a great chance to meet some awesome people in our community and build meaningful relationships.

Cedar Rapids Milestones serves adults 18+ who need medical care, socialization, or have other needs during the day and then return home in the evening. If you enjoy meeting new people and making a difference, we would love to talk to you about all of the fun things happening at Cedar Rapids Milestones.

Volunteers are fully trained and complete background checks.

We are excited to talk to you about this opportunity! Aging Services is a certified Service Enterprise agency...join our efforts and learn more about how we support our community as a team!

Cedar Rapids Milestones, a program of Aging Services, is looking for a friendly individual to help individuals with manicures. This would include assisting participants by applying nail polish, along with creating simple designs if they are interested. This is a great opportunity to get to know some of our awesome clients in a relaxed setting.

This volunteer opportunity is available M-F, and times are very flexible between the hours of 10 am-5 pm. The length of this opportunity would be right around an hour, depending on how many individuals are interested in having their nails done.

Cedar Rapids Milestones serves adults 18+ who need medical care, socialization, or have other needs during the day and then return home in the evening. If you enjoy meeting new people and making a difference, we would love to talk to you about all of the fun things happening at Cedar Rapids Milestones.

Volunteers are fully trained and complete background checks.

We are excited to talk to you about this opportunity! Aging Services is a certified Service Enterprise agency...join our efforts and learn more about how we support our community as a team!

Cedar Rapids Milestones, a program of Aging Services, is looking for a creative individual to assist participants in the art room, including completing and developing inexpensive and beginner type crafts. This is a great opportunity to help others learn how to express themselves through art and to build lasting relationships. This volunteer opportunity is available M-F from 10 am-11:30 am. You can pick just one day to volunteer or volunteer as many days as you would like!  

Cedar Rapids Milestones serves adults 18+ who need medical care, socialization, or have other needs during the day and then return home in the evening. If you enjoy meeting new people and making a difference, we would love to talk to you about all of the fun things happening at Cedar Rapids Milestones.

Volunteers are fully trained and complete background checks.

We are excited to talk to you about this opportunity! Aging Services is a certified Service Enterprise agency...join our efforts and learn more about how we support our community as a team!

Milestones in Marion, a program of Aging Services, is looking for an energetic person to help in the kitchen with after lunch dishes, general kitchen cleaning and dining room duties. The hours needed are 11:30-1:30 pm, Monday-Friday. You will receive guidance about specific duties from the Kitchen Coordinator. The ability to stand for over an hour is needed for this volunteer position.

Milestones in Marion serves adults 18+ who need medical care, socialization opportunities, or have other needs during the day. Participants then return home in the evenings. If you enjoy meeting new people, spending time with some awesome folks while making a difference, we would love to talk to you about this opportunity. 

Volunteers are fully trained and complete background checks. 

Aging Services is a certified Service Enterprise agency. Join our efforts and learn more about how we support our community as a team! 

* In Order to Volunteer please sign up on the Food Bank of Iowa's Website*

Description:

Volunteers will pack food supplies for families in boxes or bags to be distributed at mobile pantry sites to accommodate the need for drive-thru and pick up models. This is an emergency response for the effects of COVID19.

Key Responsibilities:

Qualifications:

Support/Training: Instructions will be provided on-site at the beginning of the shift.

Age Requirement: Minimum age of 10

Dress Code: Closed-toed shoes are required; no exceptions. Dress comfortably. Gloves will be provided.

Location(s): Food Bank of Iowa has two volunteer centers

For more information contact Michaela Devaney at MDevaney@foodbankiowa.org or click Respond.

* In Order to Volunteer please sign up on the Food Bank of Iowa's Website*

Food/care packages for youth:

Due to Covid-19, we are unable to hold weekly groups where youth were provided at least one meal and at times food to take home. More concerning is the fact youth aren’t attending school where they were getting the majority of their nutrition. Many of the youth we serve are at risk of not having their daily food needs met and this is an especially challenging time for them. Our goal is to drop off bi-weekly food baskets/care packages for the most needy youth in our programs. 

Specific needs: The Program is seeking food donations that would consist of items that could be refrigerated, frozen, or that have preservatives. Ensuring that youth have food for several days. Overall, anything will help and is appreciated.

Note: In order to follow government safety protocols for Covid-19, we will work with each donor on a drop off site that they will be able to safely drop the donation without having any contact with anyone. Once they leave; we will have a team member get the food and distribute it accordingly. 

If you would like to learn more about this opportunity, please do not hesitate to reach out to the Director of the ManUp Iowa Mentoring Program, Zach Smith @ zachsmith@manupiowa.com or by cell @ 515-988-9358 (text or call) 

We work with Milestones Area Agency on Aging to deliver meals to homebound seniors, Monday through Friday. Most volunteers commit to volunteering one day a week, time commitment is about 1 hour each time. 

international Experience (iE), with US Department of State support, is planning to welcome exchange students to the US for the 2020-21 school year.  We continue to monitor recommendations from the CDC, WHO and Department of State, and will adjust our program as necessary, always acting with student and host family health in mind.  Reaching out for more info or even registering on our website does NOT obligate you to host if your family should reconsider later this summer.

So now that all of my disclaimers are out of the way... let's jump in to what we're looking for! 

A volunteer host family fills the place of a parent during a student's exchange year/semester abroad.  We're looking for families/adults/empty nesters/single adults/parents with toddlers/parents with teens (there are LOTS of types of families!) who will provide a safe & caring home environment, basic room & board (3 meals/day and a permanent bed - can share a room with a host sibling of the same gender within 3 years of age), and reasonable transportation (to & from team practices, rides to the mall, pick-ups from a friend's house, etc).

We have a vetting process for host families to ensure the safety of all - including an online application (www.ie-usa.org), a criminal background check (for any family member 18+ living at home full time) and in-home interview.  We also call references as provided in the application.  Students go through a similar vetting process, and also need teacher's recommendations and a English proficiency exam.  iE requires a minimum English language score in order to gain admittance into the program.

Students come with a willingness and openness to learn - about a new culture, a new high school, a new family, a new city/state - and also to share about their country and way of life.  Host families can gain a relationship that can truly last a lifetime.

We have several Local Coordinators in your area who would love to help you with this experience!

Reach out today for more information or just to have a conversation about what hosting could look like for your family.  Call/text Regional Director Judy at 920-241-3878 or email j.hintz@international-experience.net.  If hosting isn't right for you but you know someone who would make a PERFECT host family, make a referral on our website and earn $200!  https://www.ie-usa.org/make-a-referral/host-family-referral-200/

Ankeny Dollars for Scholars is an all-volunteer organization that provides scholarships to graduating students of Ankeny Community School District.  The 2020 - 2021 school year marks the organization's 38th year!  ADFS is a clearing house for donations from generous individuals, businesses, organizations; all donations are used to fund scholarships -- 100% of every donation goes to scholarships.  With over $1 million in scholarships awarded to date, volunteers fundraise to cover all administrative costs, facilitate the application and matching process, work with donors and potential donors, fundraise to add to scholarship donation monies, promote post-secondary training and education, and more.  

The organization welcomes potential volunteers to consider attending a meeting to learn more about the committees that make ADFS successful.  Committees include Fundraising/Finance, Marketing/Communications, and Scholarships.  Each committee meets either monthly or bi-monthly for approximately one hour at a time; at certain times of the year, depending on activities, more or less time is helpful.

Professionals in areas of marketing, accounting, fundraising who would like to volunteer yet utilize their skills are welcome; no professional experience or prior experience in volunteering in these areas, though, are required.   

Are you an expert at origami?  A master gardener?  An avid reader and amateur presenter who loves a good story?

Girls Inc. is looking for volunteers interested in supporting the online programming Girls Inc. is offering to their members during the COVID-19 pandemic.  Usually consisting of 30 minute sessions online at 4:00 each afternoon, the presentations have included everything from yoga, to biscuit making, to science experiments, to storytelling.

If you'd like to share your expertise, interest area, or passion with the girls - or just have an idea you'd like to throw out there - please respond here or contact Program Director Melissa Ortiz at melissa@girlsincofsiouxcity.org. 

America’s blood centers need donors #NowMoreThanEver. The COVID-19 pandemic is devastating our blood supply: blood drives have been canceled and donors are afraid to visit centers. The American Red Cross has recommended hospitals reduce blood product utilization by 25%. This is a deadly shortage that affects millions, including anemic, transplant, cancer, surgery, sickle cell, trauma, and pregnant patients. There is no alternative for blood.

In response, we have launched our COVID Code Red campaign to support blood centers and the healthcare system. The goal of this campaign is to start a social movement to bring greater awareness and rally young people nationwide to advocate for their local centers. UBI leadership would provide support to those volunteers or Code Red Responders. Responders have the opportunity to make a substantial impact on the health of their community and give back during this hard time.

Click here to sign up. 

Food Bank of Iowa is in search of volunteers to sew donated T-Shirts into tote bags using the instructions we provide. These bags are used at mobile pantries to provide a safe drive-thru model that serves families in need. 

Instructions Link: https://www.foodbankiowa.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/DIY-TShirt-Tote.pdf

TShirts must be picked up and dropped off at our Ottumwa facility. Every TShirt saves FBOI a box or a bag and it keeps our purchasing power focused on food!

Assist lunch providers as needed and help maintain a clean and organized kitchen.

Hello Friends of Mosaic! 

We are hunkered down and working diligently to keep everyone, safe and happy! You can help us!  The need for fabric face masks is great across the Mosaic network. If you are able to support us in this way, we are urgently requesting your help! Please share this need with your congregation, circle of friends, virtual networks or maybe you have been looking for a new hobby - now is a great time to learn how to sew... :)  

Here are a couple easy patterns to follow from Craft Passion (http://ow.ly/ceyr30qrEen) and Sweet Red Poppy (http://ow.ly/zSQp30qrEeq). 

We are able to arrange pick up or items can be dropped off at our Urbandale office. Please contact Katie Flippen if you need further information! Katie's contact info is 515-868-0602, katie.flippen@mosaicinfo.org. 

Thank you for your support!

Mosaic in Central Iowa Office

11141 Aurora Avenue - Bldg. #3

Urbandale, IA  50322