Opportunities From: Volunteer Iowa

Join Volunteer Iowa as a Volunteer Onboarding & Engagement Pilot Tester and help shape a smoother, more welcoming volunteer experience. Test our new internal volunteer engagement process and the Amplify Galaxy platform, share practical feedback, and influence how thousands of Iowans connect and get started with service.

Help us keep the parade route safe and sound by setting up and taking down barricades. You'll be making sure everyone enjoys the parade in a secure environment.

Be the friendly face that greets our runners! Help with handing out race packets and managing day-of sign-ups so everyone is ready to run.

Cheer on runners and point them in the right direction out on the course. Your energy will keep them motivated and on track.

Before the race, help us set up barricades and cones. A perfect role for fans of festive events!

After the race, help us wrap things up by removing barricades and cones. A perfect role if you want to see the event from start to finish!

Join us in making the Parade of Lights magical and safe by setting up and taking down barricades along the route. Light up the night with us while keeping everyone safe.

Help transform our venue by setting up tables and chairs the night before the big show. Your effort will make the morning run smoothly for all our vendors.

Greet our vendors with a smile and help them find their spots in the morning. You'll be the go-to person to ensure everyone's set up and ready to go.

After a successful show, lend a hand with cleanup. You'll be helping us pack up and leave the space as neat as we found it.

Do you like to have fun on camera? Want to be part of our light-hearted promotional or community spotlight videos — from silly skits to heartfelt stories? We’re looking for volunteers to appear in video content that helps promote events, causes, and businesses around Anamosa.

You don’t need acting experience or social media know-how — just a willingness to show up, have fun, and maybe wear a costume or two! Blair (our local video wrangler) will take care of the script and editing — we just need some good sports and friendly faces.

Flexible time commitment — perfect for anyone who wants to dip in and out of projects when it fits their schedule.

The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention – Iowa Chapter is looking for passionate volunteers to join our Board of Directors. If you’re dedicated to reducing the stigma around suicide, educating your community about suicide prevention, and raising funds to support life-saving programs, we’d love to have you on our team. Help us save lives and bring hope to those affected by suicide — right here in Iowa.

The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention – Iowa Chapter is looking for passionate volunteers to join our Board of Directors. If you’re dedicated to reducing the stigma around suicide, educating your community about suicide prevention, and raising funds to support life-saving programs, we’d love to have you on our team. Help us save lives and bring hope to those affected by suicide — right here in Iowa.

Join us in making a lasting difference! We invite you to help plant trees along our beautiful bike trail. Your efforts will create more shade, help buffer the wind, and provide a greener, healthier environment for all.

Whether you’re an experienced gardener or just eager to give back, everyone is welcome. Let’s work together to grow a vibrant community trail—one tree at a time!

The Community Organizations Active in Disaster group will be hosting a Volunteer Reception Center training. A Volunteer Reception Center (VRC) would be activated in the event of a disaster to intake and pair interested volunteers with opportunities to help in the community.

VRC training focuses on managing spontaneous volunteers after a disaster. We will learn how to register, assess, and assign volunteers to appropriate roles, ensuring safety, coordination, and proper documentation of hours for effective emergency response. 

This will be a free training and lunch will be provided! 

Food with Friends is a free community meal and event on Thursday October 23rd from 3:45-7:45pm at the Salvation Army. There are many shifts to choose from depending on what a volunteer wants to do. Those include set up, serving food, facilitating kids activities, clean up.

The link with more information and to sign up is here: https://volunteer.bloomerang.co/volunteer/#/join-party?k=jl2kkqoz135fu3

Our annual Trunk or Treat is coming up at our Levitt Club, and we need your help to make it a festive night! 

We’re looking for volunteers to deck out their trunks in spooky themes and bring candy to hand out to our awesome club members.  

This is a fantastic opportunity for corporate teams to give back and show off their creative side at the same time! 

Our annual Trunk or Treat is coming up at our Ross Club, and we need your help to make it a festive night! 

We’re looking for volunteers to deck out their trunks in spooky themes and bring candy to hand out to our awesome club members.  

This is a fantastic opportunity for corporate teams to give back and show off their creative side at the same time! 

Hello, We are looking for volunteer Block Monitors for the Halloween parade on Saturday, October 18, 2025.  It starts at Washington Park (7th St), and travels down Locust Street to Jackson Park (15th St).

You will be assigned to a block of Locust St. You will be their to remind people to stay behind the street curb during the parade. This is for the safety of everyone. The parade route will be marked with yellow caution tape on both sides, which helps to keep people at the curb. there will be Police Officers along the parade route if you need assistance.

We will have traffic vests for you to wear for your safety, and we can provide flashlights if you do not have one.

A training meeting will be held at 5:00pm and then you will walk to your assigned block.  We recommend bringing chairs to wait before the parade starts, bringing water or food if needed, and dressing in layers to keep warm.

Thank you for your interest in preparing dinner(s) for the families staying at New Directions Shelter. 

Dinners are primarily needed on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays.

Dates Dinners Are Currently Needed:

October

November

December

This opportunity involves preparing (or buying) and donating a well-balanced, child-friendly dinner. The meal needs to feed up to 20 people (mostly children). Food needs to be dropped off by 4:00 - 4:30 pm on the designated day. Meals are just dropped off; there is no serving involved. We do have the ability to heat/re-heat as needed. Drinks and/or desserts are not required but are appreciated.​More information will be provided to you after sign up, or contact Melanie Wright if you have any questions.

Office Phone 515-244-9748 | Email: melanie@familiesforward.org

About Families Forward:  Families Forward (previously Bidwell Riverside Center and Hawthorn Hill) has four main programs: Bidwell Pantry, Child Development Center, New Directions Shelter (emergency housing), and The Home Connection (long-term housing). For over 100 years, our mission has been to provide compassionate, life-changing assistance to families and their path to self-sufficiency.​

Families Forward Child Development Center is having a Fall Party for kids on Friday, October 31st. Our child development center welcomes 58 children ages newborn through 5.

Donations are needed for the event. Donations should be dropped off by Wednesday, October 29th. 

If you have any difficulties getting signed up to bring items, please email: missy@familiesforward.org

The following items are needed: 

Questions: Contact Missy Reams at missy@familiesforward.org or by phone at 515-989-8404 or by text at 515-346-8895. We can provide suggested retailers or online links to purchases supplies. 

About Families Forward: Families Forward (previously Bidwell Riverside Center and Hawthorn Hill) has four main programs: Bidwell Pantry, Child Development Center, New Directions Shelter (emergency housing), and The Home Connection (long-term housing). For over 100 years, our mission has been to provide compassionate, life-changing assistance to families and their path to self-sufficiency.

Calling all movers!

Volunteers are needed to help a family move into one of our Home Connection houses on Sunday, October 19th. This will include helping move the family out of their current location, load the Families Forward truck, and then unload the family's belongings at their new home.

The Families Forward Home Connection program provides supportive housing for families with children experiencing homelessness. The Home Connection’s goal is to move families from homelessness to permanent housing with an emphasis on financial independence.

How you would be helping out:

Requirements: Volunteers should be 16 years of age or older to volunteer and be able to lift 40 pounds. 

Questions: Contact Missy Reams at missy@familiesforward.org or by phone at 515-989-8404 or by text at 515-346-8895.

About volunteering: A volunteer orientation is provided when you first arrive to help, including an overview about poverty in the Des Moines metro. We provide a unique cultural and economically diverse volunteer experience.

About Families Forward: Families Forward (previously Bidwell Riverside Center and Hawthorn Hill) has four main programs: Bidwell Pantry, Child Development Center, New Directions Shelter (emergency housing), and The Home Connection (long-term housing). For over 100 years, our mission has been to provide compassionate, life-changing assistance to families and their path to self-sufficiency.

Ever wished you had a backstage pass to see everything that goes into a production? This is it! As a volunteer working backstage at The Des Moines Playhouse, you'll do much more than observe the action. If ladders, lights, and hand tools intrigue you, consider joining the Light Hanging Crew which carefully positions each light prior to a show. Volunteers are also needed to run the light board, followspots, and sound board during shows. And for a true backstage experience during the show, consider joining the shift/fly Crew. Crew volunteers stay busy changing the set during scene breaks and intermission - including scenery that is flown in from above! Staff will provide hands-on training for all roles so you'll be confident when the house lights go down. Join the team and let the fun begin!         

Learn more: https://www.dmplayhouse.com/volunteer/back-stage  

Come make a scene as a member of The Des Moines Playhouse set crew. We have a great opportunity for volunteers who enjoy building and painting to assist the technical director in constructing the different sets and large prop pieces that star in our plays. We have jobs for the skilled carpenter and for the novice handyman trying to buff up some basic carpentry skills. On the same note, accomplished painters are welcomed and will have the opportunity to showcase their skills, but we welcome volunteers without any experience as an artist. We have a great team with a variety of experience levels, which creates an ideal environment for working together, learning new techniques, and sharing ideas. Volunteers will be trained on.  the detail set work.       

Learn more: https://www.dmplayhouse.com/volunteer/back-stage/

Want to be a part of the theatre without the stage fright? The Des Moines Playhouse needs welcoming individuals to greet patrons, help them find their seats, hand out programs, and help late arrivals be seated at an appropriate time and as quietly as possible. This team creates a memorable experience for our guests. In return, you'll get to see the show for yourself. Other responsibilities include making sure the theater is presentable for the next performance. You can volunteer individually, or bring some friends and family to fill the house positions needed for each show. This volunteer commitment begins one hour prior to curtain time and continues until the end of the performance. You can volunteer just once or for as many performances as you like. Come be a part of the theater and ensure that the show does go on.

CLICK HERE to sign up!

Have you ever pictured yourself on stage? Whether you are new to the stage or a seasoned actor, we have a spot for you! Beginning with auditions and ending with the final curtain call, staff and support volunteers are there to help. Many novices are concerned about learning lines or being nervous on stage - don't let this stop you! During the many weeks of rehearsal your role and character will become second nature. In fact, 50% of the actors who appear on our stages each year are new to the Playhouse! The stage awaits - contact us to learn more about upcoming shows!   

Learn more: https://www.dmplayhouse.com/volunteer/audition/

The next time you go to a play, you could lean over to your friends and say, "I made that." As a stitcher for The Des Moines Playhouse, you'll help build our costumes and put the finishing touches on projects. If you can sew, from simple alterations to full-scale construction, come spend some time in our costume shop and help bring our plays to life. If sewing's not your thing, you can jump in behind the scenes as a dresser or hair and makeup volunteer. Dressers are the extra pair of hands our actors need to make fast costume changes during performances.       

Learn more: https://www.dmplayhouse.com/volunteer/back-stage/

The Jingle Bell Run will take place at Terry Trueblood Rec Area.  The morning will kick off with activities for all ages and will include visits with Santa, a kids fun run, and a 5K.  We will need a wide variety of volunteer help including setting up, tearing down, help serving water along the route, putting signs/banners up, and more!  It will be a fun-filled event and all volunteers will receive a holiday themed event long sleeve t-shirt! 

Proceeds from the event will benefit the Arthritis Foundation in providing tools and resources for the approx. 60M American's who have been diagnosed with America's #1 cause of disability.  

Step back in time and help celebrate our community’s history! The Carnegie-Stout Public Library is seeking volunteers for the History Expo on Sunday, October 12 at Loras College Alumni Campus Center.

Volunteers will assist from 12:30–4:00 p.m. with greeting guests, counting attendees, giving directions, and helping with setup or other light event support as needed.

This is a fun and easy way to be part of a local tradition that brings history to life — all you need is a smile and a little curiosity!

Age Requirement: 16+
Date & Time: Sunday, October 12 • 12:30–4:00 p.m.
Location: Loras College Alumni Campus Center

Toilet paper is one of our most commonly requested items in our on-site hygiene pantry. Ever since the COVID-19 pandemic we can all relate to the fear of running out of this essential need item. Many of our women still face this fear daily due to transportation and/or financial barriers that prevent them from being able to purchase this item from the store. Will you help put TP under our Christmas tree to support our residents through the holidays and beyond? Any amount will make an important and positive impact! 

Donations can be dropped off at the YMCA Supportive Housing Campus, located at 2 SW 9th Street, Des Moines, IA 50309 anytime Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. or between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. on Saturdays. Or, send TP directly to our door using our Amazon wish list here:https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/2PP32L4CYOWD3?ref_=wl_share 

Please contact nicholas.drahozal@dmymca.org with questions!

As a CASA volunteer, you will be empowered by the courts to help make a child’s dream of a forever home a reality. You will be the one consistent adult in these children’s lives, fighting for and protecting their right to be treated with the dignity and respect that every child deserves. You will not only bring positive change to the lives of these vulnerable children, but also their children and generations to come. And in doing so, you will enrich your life as well.

CASA volunteers come from all walks of life.  No special experience is required. At CASA we offer comprehensive pre-service training, coaching and monthly opportunities to meet with other CASAs. We promise you will have the support you need to feel confident in this role.

The following video captures the role and duties of the CASA in less than 4 minutes.

What is a CASA?

https://youtu.be/F5xth-p-9LE

3 times during the school year we teach our elementary students their financial literacy lessons at their school!  We are in all 11 Waterloo Public Elementary schools.  

We are in need of a helper to our Education Coordinator to assist in making sure the students are paying attention, helping with lesson activities, etc.

Would be during the school day for around 40 minutes.

Please contact our Program Director Seth Stearns at 319-823-1095 or seth@thejobfoundation.org if you can help!

Drivers Needed!!!

To assist with transporting middle school students to Job's financial literacy lessons during the school year.

Volunteers are needed to do one or all of these:

Pick up students at their middle school (in Waterloo) and transport them to the lesson site (in Waterloo),

And/or drive student's home after the lesson.

Must be available on Wednesday afternoons 2:30pm or 4:30pm, able to pass a comprehensive background test, have a car, car insurance, a valid driver's license and a good driving record.

Contact Seth Stearns at 319-823-1095 or seth@thejobfoundation.org

Mentors

Are you looking for a rewarding opportunity to help youth in the Cedar Valley?  The Job Foundation is a Financial Stewardship Mentoring Program that equips K – 12 students and their families for economic advancement.  We have 60 kids in our program waiting to be matched with a mentor....is it you?!

We are looking for volunteers who are passionate about building relationships that nurture education so that children can learn tools and skills for financial freedom and success. Our vision is "All people achieving financial success".  The minimum requirement is only 4 hours per month.  

The main goal in mentoring is to build a positive, healthy, connection that encourages and develops higher self-esteem in children which can help them achieve success in many ways.  Mentors develop a unique bond and encourage young lives.

For the benefit of students (and volunteers), all The Job Foundation mentors undergo an initial screening, orientation and training, and then receive ongoing volunteer training.  We ask for an 12-month commitment for Mentors as we recognize the need for consistency and trust for children and families. There will also be a required DMV check and a background check. The ability to provide transportation is a requirement. There are also local activities and discounts provided to the matches for fun activities in the area! 

Please contact Seth Stearns if you are interested in learning more!

seth@thejobfoundation.org or call 319-823-1095.

Salomon and his family of eight have been working hard with our Housing Counseling team in our pre-purchase counseling program to be able to get to the point where they would qualify for a home. They have been working to raise their credit and bring down their debt. Salomon even took up another job and hasn’t been able to see his kids for three months in order to be able to purchase a home.

On top of that, Salomon has been trying to figure out how to secure the yard for his 6 children because of loitering near the yard due to a nearby restaurant. We are so happy to announce that thanks to a grant from Wells Fargo, we will be able to provide the family with a fence for free! They are overjoyed at the news! Now we just need a great group of volunteers to come out and help us get the job done!

What to Expect: Join us for a day of hard work and teamwork as we construct and paint a fence that will not only protect their property but also provide a sense of safety for the children. No prior construction experience is needed.

After you register here, Jayson Shaffer from HOME, Inc. will reach out to you about how to get fully registered. Please keep an eye out for that email! 

What to Bring: 

What We Provide: 

Why Volunteer? This project is more than just building a fence; it’s about giving this family and their kids a safe place to play and grow and create memories! By volunteering your time and skills, you will help create a space for these children to thrive.

Location: Address will be given after you have registered to maintain homeowner privacy.

Location: Near Blank Park Zoo. Address will be given after you have registered to maintain homeowner privacy.

Ready to roll up your sleeves and make a difference? Join us as we come together to build a shed for a deserving member of our community who is in need of storage at their home!

What to Expect: Hands-on work with a team to set up the platform, raise and assemble the walls, hang the door, put up the trusses, shingle, and then paint. Working with power tools. No prior construction experience is necessary! Our team will provide guidance and training throughout the project.

What to Bring:

What We Provide: 

As Chapel Tech Volunteer - You assist during our Sunday service by running the power point slides following along with the pastor as she goes through or service. Availability: 1-4 Sundays a month. Time: 10:00-11:30am. Training provided. Background check required. Email klunn@newaldaya.org or call 319-553-2219 for more details!

Read United is a one-on-one reading program that pairs Quad Cities adult volunteers with elementary kids to read together on a weekly basis for 30 minutes. The majority of students paired with Read United volunteers are struggling readers facing many barriers. Read United is an opportunity for elementary school students to practice reading and develop literacy skills with a caring adult while building a love of reading.

Looking for someone to assist in picking up our Pantry items from St. Stephen's, Mondays. Pick up time is 9:00 am. If you are able to pass our MVR, we provide the van. 

We need assistance in the pick up, loading and loading of the pantry items. This is an ongoing need. 

Read United is a one-on-one reading program that pairs Quad Cities adult volunteers with elementary kids to read together on a weekly basis for 30 minutes. The majority of students paired with Read United volunteers are struggling readers facing many barriers. Read United is an opportunity for elementary school students to practice reading and develop literacy skills with a caring adult while building a love of reading.

Read United is a one-on-one reading program that pairs Quad Cities adult volunteers with elementary kids to read together on a weekly basis for 30 minutes. The majority of students paired with Read United volunteers are struggling readers facing many barriers. Read United is an opportunity for elementary school students to practice reading and develop literacy skills with a caring adult while building a love of reading.

Read United is a one-on-one reading program that pairs Quad Cities adult volunteers with elementary kids to read together on a weekly basis for 30 minutes. The majority of students paired with Read United volunteers are struggling readers facing many barriers. Read United is an opportunity for elementary school students to practice reading and develop literacy skills with a caring adult while building a love of reading.

Read United is a one-on-one reading program that pairs Quad Cities adult volunteers with elementary kids to read together on a weekly basis for 30 minutes. The majority of students paired with Read United volunteers are struggling readers facing many barriers. Read United is an opportunity for elementary school students to practice reading and develop literacy skills with a caring adult while building a love of reading.

Read United is a one-on-one reading program that pairs Quad Cities adult volunteers with elementary kids to read together on a weekly basis for 30 minutes. The majority of students paired with Read United volunteers are struggling readers facing many barriers. Read United is an opportunity for elementary school students to practice reading and develop literacy skills with a caring adult while building a love of reading.

Read United is a one-on-one reading program that pairs Quad Cities adult volunteers with elementary kids to read together on a weekly basis for 30 minutes. The majority of students paired with Read United volunteers are struggling readers facing many barriers. Read United is an opportunity for elementary school students to practice reading and develop literacy skills with a caring adult while building a love of reading.

Read United is a one-on-one reading program that pairs Quad Cities adult volunteers with elementary kids to read together on a weekly basis for 30 minutes. The majority of students paired with Read United volunteers are struggling readers facing many barriers. Read United is an opportunity for elementary school students to practice reading and develop literacy skills with a caring adult while building a love of reading.

Read United is a one-on-one reading program that pairs Quad Cities adult volunteers with elementary kids to read together on a weekly basis for 30 minutes. The majority of students paired with Read United volunteers are struggling readers facing many barriers. Read United is an opportunity for elementary school students to practice reading and develop literacy skills with a caring adult while building a love of reading.

Read United is a one-on-one reading program that pairs Quad Cities adult volunteers with elementary kids to read together on a weekly basis for 30 minutes. The majority of students paired with Read United volunteers are struggling readers facing many barriers. Read United is an opportunity for elementary school students to practice reading and develop literacy skills with a caring adult while building a love of reading.

Read United is a one-on-one reading program that pairs Quad Cities adult volunteers with elementary kids to read together on a weekly basis for 30 minutes. The majority of students paired with Read United volunteers are struggling readers facing many barriers. Read United is an opportunity for elementary school students to practice reading and develop literacy skills with a caring adult while building a love of reading.

Read United is a one-on-one reading program that pairs Quad Cities adult volunteers with elementary kids to read together on a weekly basis for 30 minutes. The majority of students paired with Read United volunteers are struggling readers facing many barriers. Read United is an opportunity for elementary school students to practice reading and develop literacy skills with a caring adult while building a love of reading.

Read United is a one-on-one reading program that pairs Quad Cities adult volunteers with elementary kids to read together on a weekly basis for 30 minutes. The majority of students paired with Read United volunteers are struggling readers facing many barriers. Read United is an opportunity for elementary school students to practice reading and develop literacy skills with a caring adult while building a love of reading.

United Way is looking for volunteers to read once a month to a pre-school classroom. 

Now is the time to make a difference in our community! Join your friends and neighbors to clean up and better our community and planet. A variety of events are held throughout the year—let's make an impact on our land and waterways this year!

Volunteer opportunities are posted by our community partners and the quantity varies depending on the time of year. This posting is about the overall opportunity, but more information about the specific events can be found on our website. 

To view and register for upcoming events, visit https://xstreamcleanup.org/upcoming-events

Follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/xstreamcleanup to see posts when new opportunities are added. 

Make a Difference in Your Community—Right from Home!

Are you passionate about your local community and want to help others discover how to give back? We're looking for seeking enthusiastic volunteers to help us update and enrich local pages on Ways to Connect, our national directory of volunteer sites.

Ways to Connect is a crowdsourced platform designed to boost traffic and engagement to local volunteer websites—like this one! With just a bit of online research and your enthusiasm, you can help neighbors easily find volunteer opportunity platforms, service clubs, mutual aid groups, and more—making it simpler than ever for everyone to make an impact locally.

Volunteer contributors have already helped us identify 711 volunteer resources across 324 communities in the US!

What You'll Do:

Conduct quick, simple online research to identify active service clubs, mutual aid groups, and upcoming volunteer events in your community.

Enhance your community's page on Ways to Connect by ensuring the information is current, accurate, and inviting for potential volunteers.

Optional: Promote your community’s page on social media to help friends and family find a path to service.

Why Volunteer with Inspiring Service?

Easy and flexible: Volunteer remotely at your convenience.

Immediate community impact: Help your neighbors discover meaningful ways to contribute.

Small commitment: Volunteer for as little as 2 hours, or as much as you'd like.

Growth opportunities: Volunteers can explore deeper involvement through our Ambassador program.

Ready to help your community thrive? Join us today and make volunteering more accessible for everyone.

Please ignore this test opportunity

The MacNider Art Museum is looking for volunteers to help with our annual Artoberfest fundraiser. Artoberfest is a fundraiser for the Charles H. MacNider Art Museum. The event involves patrons sampling beers or wines, enjoying scrumptious food, and participating in silent and live auctions – all to benefit the museum. While we do receive partial city funding, the Museum is responsible for earning up to 1/2 of its own revenue. This is our biggest fundraiser of the year for the Museum!

Volunteers for this event must be 21 years of age or older. They will help as a food server throughout the night. We ask volunteers wear black pants and a plain white shirt. 

A member of Museum staff will reach out to any interested volunteers to confirm they are over 21 years of age.

Email jmbohl@masoncity.net with questions. 

On October 11, the Dubuque Museum of Art celebrates the opening of its temporary residency in the Historic Millwork District with a free daylong festival of music, performance, food, exhibitions, and art making. 

In Conversation: Will Wilson pairs the work of Diné (Navajo) photographer Will Wilson with that of Edward S. Curtis.

Threads of Belonging, a juried exhibition, celebrates the voices of regional Latinx, Hispanic, and Indigenous artists.

The Latinx Fiesta takes the party to the streets with an afternoon of food, performance, and art celebrating Latinx culture.

For the festival there will be live performances, various vendors, food trucks, games, and family crafts.

The shifts we need are:

Greeter: People to help with greeting people and assisting with directions and locations.

Attendants: People to help with general day of activities, things like bathroom breaks, helping at a busy station, getting more supplies, etc.

Set up and Clean up: People to help set up in the morning or people to clean up at the end (helping with tables, tents, chairs, picking up trash, gathering supplies, etc.

The shift times are:

11:45-2:00

2:00-5:00

5:00-7:30

If interested follow the link below to fill out a jot form with your interests and information.

https://form.jotform.com/dubuqueart/oct-11-roles

We’re looking for enthusiastic volunteers to help with:

Event setup and decorating

Organizing event materials

Arranging seating and displays

Ensuring everything is ready for our guests before the big night

*Please note that registration for signing up as a volunteer for the Gala is Saturday, November 1st.

Your time, energy, and support will directly contribute to the success of the Gala, which raises funds to empower and uplift entrepreneurs, small businesses, and communities across the Midlands.

Whether you can give a couple of hours or the whole afternoon, your contribution makes a difference!

Let’s come together in gratitude and community—because when we lift together, we rise together.

Help beautify the city by serving as a caretaker of a local park, green space, or trail with the Adopt A Spot program! This community partnership seeks to promote civic pride and maintain Cedar Falls as a clean, safe, and attractive place to live and visit.

Citizen engagement and volunteerism is a key component in helping the City uphold the cleanliness of our outdoor recreational areas. As part of this program, volunteers 'adopt' a park, trail, or green space location within the city limits. Suggested locations are listed, but if you would like to adopt a space that is not on this list, please inform the City Parks team. Organizations, individuals, families, neighborhoods, and businesses are all welcome to get involved and make a difference!

Suggested Adopt-A-Spots:

Washington Park (598 East 9th Street)
Overman Park (316 West 3rd Street)
Pfeiffer Springs Park (910-916 Grand Blvd)
Lookout Park (at the intersection of Mandalay and Park Drive)
Gateway Park (206 Grant Street)
Place to Play Park (corner of Algonquin and Ashworth Drive) *HIGH-NEED AREA
Seerley Park (2315 Iowa Street)
Clay Street Park (15th and Clay Street)
Birdsall Memorial Park (12th Street and Lexington) *HIGH-NEED AREA
Orchard Hill Park (1701 Primrose/McClain Drive)
Bess Streeter Aldrich Park (2900 Hiawatha Drive)
Kuehn's Park (Rownd Street and Pleasant Drive)
El Dorado Heights Park (Quesada and Cordoba Avenue) 
Mayor's Bridge Trail (to Nordic Drive along Highway 58)
Big Woods Trail (1228 Big Woods Road)
Prairie Lakes Trail (924 Viking Road)
Paw Park (3200 South Main Street)
Skate Park (Seerley Boulevard and Grove Street)

Make a difference in our community by becoming a Cedar Falls volunteer! The City has a variety of opportunities including in the Cedar Falls Recreation Division, Public Works Department, Hearst Center for the Arts, Cedar Falls Public Library, Cedar Falls Tourism and Visitors Bureau, or by connecting with City staff on a project or activity for your organization.

Learn more here!

Help to hand out treats to Boys Town Children. Treat hand out may take place on any Sunday in December. Please “sign-up” to express interest and arrange a time to volunteer with Boys Town.

Volunteers will put up and then decorate several large Christmas trees on the exhibition floors. Volunteers will also help put up other decorations. Decorations may take place on any weekday between November 10-20th. Please "sign-up" to express interest and arrange a time to volunteer with Boys Town. 

Cleaning the Dowd Chapel in preparation of the Christmas season. This might include sweeping floors, dusting, and polishing surfaces. Cleaning may take place on any day in November up until December 10th. Please “sign-up” to express interest and arrange a time to volunteer with Boys Town.

Volunteers will assemble and decorate Christmas trees, put up paper chains, and set the dining room table. Decorations may take place on any weekday between November 10-20th. Please "sign-up" to express interest and arrange a time to volunteer with Boys Town. 

Help to put up and take down several tables. Enjoy the celebration with special food, music, and dancing. Some light clean-up after the event. 

The IRC in Iowa is currently in need of donations of "lunch kits" for our newly employed refugees! 

These kits would include:

Your company, organization/club, family, or you as an individual can make a difference by purchasing these items for those new to our state and workforce. These items will continue to provide for them longer than the holiday season!

For more information please contact IRC in Iowa Community Engagement Coordinator, Kate Brockmeyer at 641-200-1985 or email Iowa@rescue.org

Our food pantry is very busy all year but especially during the holidays as families struggle to provide basic necessities along with holiday gifts. 

The American Cancer Society Hope Lodge is a home away from home for cancer patients and a caregiver when their cancer treatment takes them far from home. There are over 30 lodges nationwide with the closest lodges to Central Iowa located in Iowa City, Iowa, Omaha, Nebraska and Rochester, Minnesota.  Our lodges provide lodging to patients who have to travel over 40 miles for treatment and come fully furnished thanks to the support of many generous donors. We are always looking for additional support through financial donations, or supplies including non-perishable items, paper products, and many other items that help to provide comfortable and clean home away from home.  If you or your company is interested in supporting our Hope Lodges, please reach out to us for our current "wish list" or supply needs.

There are also other opportunities to volunteer including doing activities with the guests, preparing meals or general housekeeping.  We would be happy to talk to you on how you and your team can give back and make an impact in the fight against cancer.

We are seeking volunteers to provide transportation to community members who need help gaining access to medical appointments and the pharmacy. Volunteers use their personal vehicles.

Trips are based on your availability and comfort level. If you are only available certain days of the week or have a changing schedule, we will work with your schedule. Do you only want to provide transportation in your town? We have community members who could use your help! Are you willing to drive to Des Moines? We have community members who could use your help!

Volunteer benefits
- Mileage Reimbursement
- Supplemental and liability insurance

If you have any questions or are in need of assistance, please contact Mildred Chihak, volunteer coordinator, at volunteer@ridehirta.com or 1.877.686.0029. 

If you are ready to apply, please go create a profile on our website HIRTAHelps.org. 

We are seeking volunteers to provide transportation to community members who need help gaining access to medical appointments and the pharmacy. Volunteers use their personal vehicles.

Trips are based on your availability and comfort level. If you are only available certain days of the week or have a changing schedule, we will work with your schedule. Do you only want to provide transportation in your town? We have community members who could use your help! Are you willing to drive to Des Moines? We have community members who could use your help!


Volunteer benefits
- Mileage Reimbursement
- Supplemental and liability insurance

If you have any questions or are in need of assistance, please contact Mildred Chihak, volunteer coordinator, at volunteer@ridehirta.com or 1.877.686.0029.

If you're ready to apply, please create a profile on our website HIRTAHelps.org.

Community Youth Concepts (CYC) hosts a Community Fridge at our building at 1446 MLK Jr. Parkway (Corner of MLK and Clark) to provide food and toiletries for those in need and to reduce food waste in our community.  With the refrigerator and freezer we are able to accept both fresh and shelf stable items.   In addition, prepared food can also be left as long as it is in either individual or family size containers (could be zip lock bags, sealable takout containers, etc. (please, no large buffet or other serving size containers)) and labled with what it is and the date prepared. 

Food can be left directly in the fridge or shelves as appropriate and there is access 24/7.  Fridge shed is located in parking lot behind building - entrance to parking lot is off of Clark St.  For large deliveries, please contact CYC during regular business hours  for staff support.  (515 -243 4292).   Popular items that move quickly are: 

To drop off items please contact CYC during business hours at 515-243-4292 or email julie@cyconcepts.org. 

Volunteers will take the Food Bank of Iowa's van and drop off boxes, signs and/or bins for the collection of food in the Des Moines metro. Addresses and training provided on site. Valid driver's license required.

Key Responsibilities:

Qualifications:

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

Age Requirement: Minimum age of 18

Dress Code: Closed-toed shoes are required; no exceptions. Dress comfortably.

United Way of Johnson & Washington Counties publishes a monthly Volunteer Express with new, urgent, one-time, short-term, and event volunteer opportunities in the community. 

We hope you take a look, sample a volunteer opportunity and GET INVOLVED!

Use this link to review the Volunteer Express Newsletter!!

We are excited to expand this opportunity to more nurses: If you are an RN or LPN with a current professional license, the American Red Cross is eager to talk with you about an incredible volunteer opportunity at the Woodson Health Clinic at the Rock Island Arsenal.  Join a tradition of Red Cross nurses going all the way back to our founder, Clara Barton, by providing excellent patient care at a family clinic for our US Army personnel at the Arsenal.  The time commitment is minimal: If you can work one 5-hour shift per week, you will help meet the needs of the patients who rely on the clinic. This is an ideal opportunity for retired nurses or nurses who are working part-time.  If you want to give back to our military service members and continue to hone your clinical skills, we want to meet you and see if this is a great mutual fit.  Volunteers would work under the supervision of the officer-in-charge at the clinic, who is a Family Nurse Practitioner.   

During a public shopping event, volunteers keep the area looking good. We remove empty hangers, rearrange displays, and bag the shoppers' clothing. We assist shoppers with selection, if needed. Individuals and groups of all ages are welcome to help.

 At the Open Closet, we provide free clothing to those in need:

Please call 563-495-0885 or email opencloset@almosthomedbq.org for more information.

 Thank you for considering us for volunteer opportunity!

Volunteers will restock apparel, sort through donated items, hang and fold clothes. Volunteer hours are Tuesday-Thursday, 8:30-11:30 a.m. Time commitment will vary by individual with volunteers working 3 hours per day.

Most volunteers come in one day a week for just a wonderful, uplifting experience! Come in and check us out!

Please call 563-495-0885 or email opencloset@almosthomedbq.org for more information.

Thank you for considering us for your volunteer efforts!

Calling All Creators, Hosts & Halloween Enthusiasts!

GiGi's Kitchen is seeking a lead volunteer, co-lead volunteers, and volunteer assistants to assist our participants grow their skills in the kitchen!

We're looking for some volunteers! After some much-needed drywall repairs, our Penguins classroom is ready for a fresh coat of paint—and we’d love your help! We’re looking for volunteers to join us on Saturday, October 11 at 9am to paint the classroom walls.

Hello,

with Thanksgiving just around the corner, we're reaching out to our community to help deliver meals to families and individuals in need. If you’re looking for a way to give back this season, we would love to have your support!

Here’s how you can help: Volunteer to deliver a Thanksgiving meal to our senior community population who may not be able to get one themselves.

When: Tuesday November 25th, 2025

Time: 10A.M.-1P.M.

Where: Meals will be available for pickup at the Intercultural Senior Center 5545 Center St. Omaha, NE 68106.

How to Sign Up: Please sign up with our Pantry Supervisor Preh Mo via email at Pmo@interculturalseniorcenter.org or, Carolina Padilla via email at Carolinap@interculturalseniorcenter.org

Delivering these meals is a small act of kindness that can make a big difference in someone's day. We are so grateful for your time and support as we spread joy and gratitude this Thanksgiving.

If you have any questions or would like more information, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Crystal Herrera via phone 402-444-6529, or email Cherrera@interculturalseniorcenter.org

Thank you in advance for your generosity and time!

Warmly,

Crystal Herrera -She/Her/Hers- Receptionist/Scheduler

Intercultural Senior Center 5545 Center St.

Omaha, NE 68106 O: 402.444.6529 | F: 402.444.6551

cherrera@interculturalseniorcenter.org

The Black Student Leadership Council (BSLC) is excited to host their annual Black Business Tour on Friday, October 17th. As part of this experience, they are providing students with access to professional clothing from the Midlands African Chamber to support their future careers.

We are seeking volunteers to assist with preparations the day before the event:

The Black Student Leadership Council (BSLC) is excited to host their annual Black Business Tour on Friday, October 17th. As part of this experience, they are providing students with access to professional clothing from the Midlands African Chamber to support their future careers.

We are seeking volunteers to assist with preparations the day before the event:

Tasks include assisting attendees with professional attire and repacking clothes.

Stock shelves for a good cause! The Cultivate Hope Corner Store is a small, nonprofit grocery store owned and operated by local nonprofit Matthew 25. Our vision is to make this community grocery store a vibrant space that brings neighbors together and provides a convenient location for healthy food in a food desert neighborhood. Our store offers a free produce section, affordable to-go meals, and food education as part of our mission to support a strong community, increase food security, invest in local people and neighborhoods, encourage healthy living, and express care for sustainably-grown food.

As a nonprofit grocery store, we are always looking for volunteers to help support this vital neighborhood resource. Volunteer tasks include helping customers, stocking and organizing shelves, preparing and serving food, and unloading delivery trucks.

Key Tasks and Activities

Requirements: Must be 16 years of age or older

Time Commitment: Corner Store hours of operation are 9am-7pm Monday-Saturday. We ask that volunteers please commit to a minimum monthly shift.

If you love to tinker with tools and are looking for a way to give back to your community, look no further than the Tool Library! The Matthew 25 Tool Library is a community resource that provides easy and affordable access to a variety of tools. Our library has an extensive collection of unique hand and power tools from miter, jig and chain saws to power washers and paint sprayers. We try to have a tool for every job and more importantly, offer this service for anyone in the community to access the tools they need to improve their homes and communities, at no or low cost. Many of these tools are used for our other home repair projects with volunteer groups!

As a 100% fully volunteer-run program, we are always looking for volunteers to help us continue providing this vital resource for the community. Volunteer tasks include assessing donated tools, helping customers complete their checkouts, and organizing and maintaining inventory.

Key Tasks and Activities 

Requirements 

Time Commitment  

To sign up to volunteer, please fill out a volunteer application at matthew-25.org/volunteer, or give us a call at 319-200-2787.

Assist art instructors with classes/workshops that host students under the age of 18.

Must complete a background check.

Experience working with children is preferred.

We ask that you attend a brief orientation prior to the start of your time slot(s); We will reach out via email to schedule a date/time that works best for you!

Mainly lawn mowing, trimming and sweeping.

We are looking for a weekly volunteer.

Cedar Rapids Parks and Recreation is seeking volunteers to serve as Garden Buddies during the annual end-of-season community garden clean-up. Garden Buddies help prepare community garden plots for the next growing season by removing non-organic items such as fencing, stakes, and tomato cages.

Clean-up events will take place October 20–25, 2025. Flexible scheduling makes this opportunity ideal for groups of volunteers. City staff will provide on-site training, and volunteers are asked to dress for outdoor work and bring water. Contact Stephanie Schrader at s.schrader@cedar-rapids.org. 

Future City Iowa is looking for volunteers to help with the Regional Competition and there are lots of ways to get involved!

Volunteer roles:

1.  Virtual City Essay Judge: reads a number of City Essay deliverables and scores them based on the rubric. Judging is done virtually the Saturday before the in-person competition. 

2.  City Model, Presentation, and Q&A Judge: checks a number of City Model deliverables and scores them based on the rubric, watches team presentations during the in-person competition, and scores them based on the rubric, meet with team to ask questions about engineering, the challenge theme, teamwork, and the team's future city.

2.  Special Award Judge: some businesses and organizations sponsor a “Special Award” to highlight excellence for part of the overall project during the in-person competition. These judges are typically provided by the sponsoring entity, but for nationally sponsored awards, like the NCEES surveying award and PMI project management award, we may be looking for local judges. If your business or organization is interested in sponsoring a special award, or you’d like to learn more about how to get involved in this way, please reach out to k12@newbo.co

For all of these Future City volunteer roles, we are looking for adults who are willing to support middle school students in exploring STEM careers. Training and rubrics will be provided for volunteers where necessary, and this is also a great opportunity for team building as volunteers can be grouped together.

The Grant Director oversees the full grant process for the Hopeful Mama Foundation, ensuring funds are awarded and disbursed with transparency, fairness, and alignment to the mission. This role is responsible for managing all aspects of the grant cycle, including:

The Grant Director plays a key role in advancing Hopeful Mama Foundation’s mission by ensuring grant recipients receive both financial support and compassionate guidance during their journey.

The Volunteer Coordinator is responsible for supporting and engaging the organization’s volunteers to ensure a positive and meaningful volunteer experience. Key responsibilities include coordinating volunteer recognition initiatives, such as acknowledging milestones and special occasions, onboarding new volunteers, and serving as the primary point of contact for volunteer questions or support needs. The Volunteer Coordinator will also conduct regular check-ins, send thank-you correspondence, and assist with the planning of volunteer appreciation events. This role is essential in fostering a welcoming, connected, and supportive volunteer community.

The Graphic Designer supports the Hopeful Mama Foundation by creating visually engaging content across digital and print platforms. This role ensures all graphics follow brand guidelines and help strengthen the organization’s overall presence and messaging.

Key Responsibilities:

Desired Skills & Experience:

CoderDojo events aim to help K–5 students, their families, and their supporters “see themselves” in STEM. Our events are open house style, with open-ended “stations” that participants can explore through hands-on activities.  We need volunteers to help mentor at these stations with the primary goals of welcoming participants, encouraging them, and helping them if they experience unproductive struggles. Volunteers do not need to be experts in STEM, but can learn more as they volunteer as well.

We have two clubs that run twice per school year for 10 weeks. For the 3rd–5th grade club, facilitators will have students do a sisterhood activity (ice breaker) and introduce a coding concept or show an example project to teach them something. They may also share a bit about their own career. Mentors can also share about their careers, and will focus on helping the students as they work on their projects. Students in this club primarily use Scratch or LEGO Spike Prime robots for their projects. Volunteers do not need to help at every club meeting, but we are able to increase capacity with more volunteers.

We have two clubs that run twice per school year for 10 weeks.  For the 6th–12th grade club, facilitators will help kick off the club meetings, and may teach concepts that provide a foundation for their projects. Facilitators and mentors will help answer questions during work time, take project teams to visit their business “clients,” help students think through their project ideas, and help install projects as necessary. The fall club focuses on a holiday light installation showcase that happens on the last day of the session. The student teams partner with NewBo District businesses to design, create, and install programmable LED projects. Volunteers do not have to be present at each of the club meetings, but we appreciate any time volunteers can provide to help students with skills around project management, design ideas/aesthetics, programming, team work, and safety moving around the neighborhood. We also hope to have a second project option for returning students where a subset of the older club will learn how to add a sensor to our existing Raspberry Pi Pico “light boxes.” For this project, it would be helpful to have people familiar with electronics, circuits, and prototyping. Skills around electrical engineering, platform development, prototyping, and testing are appreciated.

TIME COMMITMENT: Minimum one day per week (M, T, W, TH, F) for a minimum of two hours for a minimum of 6-months

LOCATION(S): The Early Childhood Education Volunteer could work in the two-year-old, three-year-old, or four year-old rooms at either the Pheasant Ridge Center (2651 Roberts Rd) or the Broadway Center (2105 Broadway St.)

Each location is easily accessible by the Iowa City bus system. 

PURPOSE: The Early Childhood Education Volunteer is part of a team environment mix of staff and volunteers who work to create a loving, safe and welcoming space for our growing toddlers. This volunteer helps give each child more individual time, interaction and care, while giving the Lead Teacher more opportunities to prepare and plan for daily activities. 

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: 

 RESPONSIBILITIES: 

REQUIRED TRAINING(S): 

BENEFITS TO VOLUNTEERS: 

By volunteering for The Neighborhood Centers of Johnson County you become an integral part of creating a supportive and inclusive environment for those we serve. Your commitment contributes directly to the success of our mission, and we are grateful for your dedication to building a better future for all.

TIME COMMITMENT: Minimum one day per week (M, T, W, TH, F) for a minimum of two hours for a minimum of 6-months

LOCATION(S): The Early Childhood Education Volunteer could work in the two-year-old, three-year-old, or four year-old rooms at either the Pheasant Ridge Center (2651 Roberts Rd) or the Broadway Center (2105 Broadway St.)

Each location is easily accessible by the Iowa City bus system. 

PURPOSE: The Early Childhood Education Volunteer is part of a team environment mix of staff and volunteers who work to create a loving, safe and welcoming space for our growing toddlers. This volunteer helps give each child more individual time, interaction and care, while giving the Lead Teacher more opportunities to prepare and plan for daily activities. 

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: 

 RESPONSIBILITIES: 

REQUIRED TRAINING(S): 

BENEFITS TO VOLUNTEERS: 

By volunteering for The Neighborhood Centers of Johnson County you become an integral part of creating a supportive and inclusive environment for those we serve. Your commitment contributes directly to the success of our mission, and we are grateful for your dedication to building a better future for all.

TIME COMMITMENT: Minimum one day per week (M, T, W, TH, F) for a minimum of two hours (8/9am to 11:30am) for a minimum of 6-months. 

LOCATION(S): The Infant Classroom Volunteer will work in our Pheasant Ridge Center (2651 Roberts Rd) in the infant room. This location is easily accessible by the Iowa City bus system. 

PURPOSE: The Infant Classroom Volunteer is part of a team environment mix of staff and volunteers who work to create a loving, safe and welcoming space for our growing infants and toddlers. This volunteer helps give each child more individual time for interaction and care, while giving the Lead Teacher more opportunities to prepare and plan for daily activities. 

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: 

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES: 

REQUIRED TRAINING(S): 

BENEFITS TO VOLUNTEERS: 

By volunteering for The Neighborhood Centers of Johnson County you become an integral part of creating a supportive and inclusive environment for those we serve. Your commitment contributes directly to the success of our mission, and we are grateful for your dedication to building a better future for all.

Come and support the Des Moines Art Center's largest annual community event - now celebrating it's 25th year! Volunteers are crucial in this celebration, serving as greeters, aiding in hands-on art activities, and helping keep spaces tidy. 

Testing our Kiosk