Volunteer Iowa

Join the City Volunteer Engagement Peer Network!

Are you a city government staff member passionate about harnessing the power of volunteers to help achieve your city’s goals? Whether you're a one-person team or part of a larger department, you're not alone in this rewarding yet challenging journey! Cities across Iowa are coming together to share insights, swap resources, and tackle common challenges. Be part of our new peer learning network, where your ideas and experiences will shape our collective success. Let’s collaborate, innovate, and celebrate the impact of volunteer engagement in our communities.

Register to join us for a session on Monday, September 23rd at 2:00pm: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZApce6oqD4sEtzssMPFc4IKJ3kOUaaxY9VN #/registration
Can’t make it? Sign up to hear about future meetings and resources: https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=TXssjVoIF0aFNjinbRmw2jjtBWFrYtFIshSKvOtftMZUNUNBS0ZNUVJUNVU5QzdIQ0IxTlVNSU1OUCQlQCN0PWcu

Don’t miss out—your voice is crucial as we build this network together!

Welcome! You are invited to join a meeting: City Volunteer Engagement Peer Network. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the meeting. Welcome! You are invited to join a meeting: City Volunteer Engagement Peer Network. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the meeting.

Congratulations to Conservation Corps Minnesota & Iowa!

9/11 Day of Service: Volunteer Opportunities Across the State: As we approach the 9/11 Day of Service, communities across Iowa are coming together to honor this day with impactful volunteer opportunities. From local clean-ups to community outreach, there are numerous ways to get involved and make a difference. Visit our 9/11 Day of Service and Remembrance page https://volunteer.iowa.gov/911-day-service-and-remembrance or our online volunteer opportunity database to find ways to volunteer in your area.

September 11th was designated a National Day of Service by Congress in 2009 and is led by AmeriCorps, the federal agency for volunteerism and national service. AmeriCorps partners with 911Day.org, the nonprofit that, along with 9/11 families, began the 9/11 Day observance more than a decade ago and engages hundreds of nonprofit groups, faith-based organizations, schools, and businesses nationwide.

We are SO close to finishing the Spencer home clean-out! Most volunteer agencies have had to move on to other locations, so we are short on volunteers next week to partner with Iowa Habitat 4 Humanity & Americorps volunteers. They lead teams and provide all supplies!

If you, or a group you're part of, can volunteer next week, for any length of time, please call the volunteer number: 712-363-1021 or email [email protected]

*Please share*

Thank you!!!!

Register for Volunteer Iowa’s free, virtual Youth Service-Learning Training Series!

Service-learning is an approach to teaching and learning that provides youth with the opportunity to apply their academic knowledge and skills to address genuine community needs via student-led service projects. This model allows ALL youth the ability to volunteer by reducing common barriers to service, such as lack of time, transportation, and knowledge of opportunities.

This training series will begin in fall of 2024 and end in summer 2025. Interested organizations and individuals can sign up for the whole series or specific trainings on topics of their choice. By signing up, you will also receive access to recordings and resources. Trainings will focus on how to engage youth as volunteers, implement youth voice in your organization and classroom, building strong community partnerships, creating meaningful service projects, and more.

To learn more and register for the trainings, visit https://forms.office.com/g/WQdrfnzqu0

Email Kamryn Ryan with questions at [email protected]. More about service-learning and youth volunteering can be found on Volunteer Iowa's website: https://volunteer.iowa.gov/volunteering/individuals/youth-volunteering

Thank you AmeriCorps NCCC North Central Region Maple Team 3!

Did you know AmeriCorps members play a critical role in supporting our construction team? They assist Helping Hands with home repairs and home modifications, and the construction of affordable homes in Iowa City.

Are you interested in being an AmeriCorps member? We are hiring for an AmeriCorps member to support construction in the fall! To learn more and apply, visit: https://www.iowahabitat.org/apply-americorps. 🛠

Thank you Washington Conservation Corps for helping Iowans affected by flooding in NW Iowa!

** More hands make less work! Please share! **

The Volunteer Reception Center (VCR) is open at City Hall, in chambers. If you or a team of people you know are able to volunteer, for any amount of time, the VCR will connect you with a vetted Americorps/Habitat for Humanity/Volunteer Iowa lead & take you to either a home you have approval to clean out, or we will match you with the master list of homes waiting!

The VCR can also connect you to Samaritan's Purse & Christ in Action, who also work from the master list (800-447-1985 or stop by City Hall to sign up). No matter which team you prefer to be connected with, we can utilize you to help your neighbors recover faster!

*See the previous post today for Homeowners to sign up using the Concern Hotline to be placed into the Crisis Cleanup software so that ALL EXTERNAL agencies, including those here now AND those looking for a place to send help to see the need in our area, and deploy their teams! Let's get Spencer homes cleaned up & mold out ASAP!!!!

**ORGANIZATIONS: Please consider encouraging employees for a part or full day to volunteer in our community, if you can spare them. Bring a list of your employees still waiting for clean out & we will connect you with the resources to get those done, and track hours for FEMA funds to come back into the community as we work to rebuild!

Thank you to every person who has given their time, skills and compassion to help those around them - if this isn't want the midwest does well, we don't know what is!

Due to the incredible number of people passing through Greenfield today (Tues. July 23), the Tornado Cleanup Volunteer Center will be closed.
This will not impact volunteer plans for those specifically helping with Greenfield Ragbrai 2024. We are so excited for the work Greenfield Ragbrai 2024Greenfield Ragbrai 2024 has done to get ready for this amazing day.
The Tornado Cleanup Volunteer Center will be open again starting Wednesday morning for those who want to continue cleanup efforts.

We are very grateful to be hosting Volunteer Iowa, AmeriCorps & Habitat for Humanity at City Hall, 101 W. 5th Street (chambers entrance, off W. 5th in back of city hall) beginning on Monday, 7/22.

All volunteers are encouraged to register in person, or by emailing [email protected] or calling 712-363-1021. Volunteers will complete a simple volunteer waiver form and be oriented on how to safely & thoroughly cleanout homes in need of mucking & mold inhibitor, then they will be paired with a vetted member of Americorps, Habitat for Humanity or Volunteer Iowa, and assigned to one of the many cases we have in Spencer that need help.

All tools, equipment and training are provided! Whether you come alone or with a group, and can help one hour or all day - we have neighbors that need you!! Most work is labor, however we do have volunteer work for those wanting to help but not able to muck out.

Volunteers will work cleaning out homes from CrisisCleanup, and end their daily work at 5:00pm. You register once, then can come back to check in and go help whenever you are available! The process is easy, so you can spend your time helping your neighbor.

HOMEOWNERS - If you need your home cleaned out / mucked-out, and are not already signed up with CrisisCleanup, we recommend you call the Iowa Concern Hotline: 1-800-447-1985 and sign up to be on the list, so all organizations in the area, and external agencies wanting to help see that need & claim your case! It's okay to sign up with all agencies present in Spencer. Samaritan's Purse, Southern Baptist & Christ in Action are wonderful organizations to utilize - also signing up with CrisisCleanup increases the visibility of your need, so more agencies can help!

CrisisCleanup/Iowa concern hotline: 1-800-447-1985
Note: A local # had been open previously, however that was closed, so we have only advertised this #

Questions: 712-363-1021 or [email protected]

Bright and early Monday morning 7 Iowa members set off for a 30-day disaster deployment in NW Iowa. Our members will be helping flood survivors with their clean-up efforts, specifically mucking and gutting basements, volunteer management, and donations management. A big shout out to Monica, Caleb, Anna, Alexis, Chloe, RJ, and Josh for stepping up to the task. The Iowa crew will be joined by 6 additional members/staff from Minnesota: 2 from Rochester and 4 from St. Paul.

Help get Greenfield ready for RAGBRAI!

The City of Greenfield Iowa and Adair & Guthrie County EMA are holding a large-scale, 12-day volunteer clean up effort in and around Greenfield before RAGBRI 🚴‍♀️ 🚴 riders get to town.
🗓 July 10 - July 22
✅ Check in at 801 NE 6th Street (temp. Fire Station)
⏰ Volunteer check in starts at 8 a.m. each day
📱Large volunteer groups should call ahead: 913-961-4717

Northwest Iowa needs hard-working individuals who are not afraid to get dirty. If you want to have an impact on the lives of those who were affected by the flooding in NW Iowa, join the Habitat for Humanity of Iowa Disaster Response AmeriCorps Team! Housing and food, along with other benefits, will be provided. Full and part-time positions available. Learn more and apply at https://www.iowahabitat.org/apply-americorps.

NW Iowa needs your help! Buena Vista, Clay, Lyon, Sioux and Woodbury counties have volunteer reception centers set up to accept volunteers and send them where they are most needed. Visit https://volunteeriowa.galaxydigital.com/need/index?tag=Disaster+NW+Iowa to find specific addresses for the volunteer reception centers in the above counties. Questions? Contact [email protected].

Volunteers are still needed to assist with cleanup in Greenfield!

June 30 marks the end of terms for three of our commissioners. Thank you to all three of you for your dedication to volunteering and national service.

Angela Jiskoot, commission chair for the past two years, was first appointed in July 2016. She served a total of eight years with the commission. She also chaired the Volunteer Engagement committee and served as Vice Chair prior to taking over as chair in 2022. Angela plans to remain engaged in promoting workplace volunteer engagement.

Barb Westercamp, a retired teacher, served two full terms and had perfect attendance at commission meetings. Barb is passionate about children’s literacy and has donated over 100,000 books and hundreds of bags of school supplies to school-aged youth in Cedar Rapids over the past 50 years. Barb will continue to be engaged in her community.

Bobbretta Brewton, a lifelong Des Moines resident, joined the commission in 2021 and served on both the Programs and Volunteer Engagement committees. Bobbretta was inducted into the Iowa Volunteer Hall of Fame in 2009. She has served multiple terms as an AmeriCorps VISTA and will remain a community volunteer, currently serving with the Polk County Housing Trust Fund.

Interested in joining our commission? Applications are accepted year-round, but we are currently in the process of reviewing applications to fill slots beginning in the 2024-2025 fiscal year. Apply today at Iowa Talent Bank https://talentbank.iowa.gov/board-detail/2249c917-2ce4-41d1-9f49-b29056282430 or contact [email protected].

If your home has been damaged by the recent flooding, you can sign up for Crisis Cleanup to get help with cleaning and repairs. Call 1-800-447-1985 or go to https://www.iowa.gov/iowa-disaster-recovery for more information.

Congratulations to 2024 Give Back Iowa Challenge winner (in the large business category) ITA Group Inc.! They had the highest average number of volunteer hours per employee logged from April 1-May 31. Thank you for supporting your communities through volunteerism!

Congratulations to 2024 Give Back Iowa Challenge winner (in the mid-sized business category) Riverside Casino & Golf Resort! They had the highest average number of volunteer hours per employee logged from April 1-May 31. Thank you for supporting your communities through volunteerism!

Congratulations to 2024 Give Back Iowa Challenge winner (in the small business category) Community Youth Concepts! They had the highest average number of volunteer hours per employee logged from April 1-May 31. Thank you for supporting your communities through volunteerism!

Individuals interested in helping with response in northwest Iowa following the flooding - here are the best ways to help:

- DO NOT SELF-DEPLOY!
- Register as a disaster volunteer at https://volunteeriowa.galaxydigital.com/disaster and be notified when needs arise
- Be patient - flood response and recovery can take months
- Consider making financial donations
- Check the Iowa Disaster Recovery website https://www.iowa.gov/iowa-disaster-recovery for up-to-date information on needs by community

In case you didn't receive our January newsletter and want to see what we've been up to, please visit https://volunteer.iowa.gov/news-media/volunteer-iowa-monthly-newsletter and click on "January 2024" to read this month's news!

Volunteer Iowa Monthly Newsletter Volunteer Iowa monthly newsletter and archives

We will miss Mary but wish her the best in her retirement.

Volunteer Iowa and Iowa MENTOR would like to celebrate Mary Sheka today as she retires from her role as Director of Iowa MENTOR (formerly known as the Iowa Mentoring Partnership). Mary served in this role with Volunteer Iowa for ten years. With Mary at the helm, Iowa MENTOR expanded the number of mentoring programs in the state to 42 today, serving 65 counties across Iowa.

Throughout her career, Mary has worked with and advocated for young people. She’s served in the fields of K-12 education, mentoring and counseling. Mary’s vivacious personality, bright smile, and leadership skills will be missed by all of the Volunteer Iowa staff and commissioners. We wish her the best as she plans to spend her retirement traveling across the country (and volunteering, of course).

While our emails are working properly again, we are still unable to send our January newsletter until later this month.

Staff Staff is responsible for designing and carrying out the activities and tasks necessary to implement actions approved by the commission in fulfilling its duties.

Volunteer Iowa is dealing with technology issues this week. If you are trying to reach us, please try one of the phone numbers listed on our staff page. We will provide an update once things are working properly again. In the meantime, thank you for your patience!

Staff Staff is responsible for designing and carrying out the activities and tasks necessary to implement actions approved by the commission in fulfilling its duties.

Last chance to apply for the Service Enterprise or Youth Service Development grant opportunity! Deadline is TODAY, December 12.

Announcing Funding Opportunities for Nonprofits and Cities Funding will support local governments and nonprofits to engage volunteers to meeting local needs

Meet our new VISTA!
Becca Ites is a Des Moines native. She joined Volunteer Iowa as the Iowa MENTOR Outreach and Engagement VISTA on November 5. Becca has a Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science and a master’s in athletic development and Wellness Promotions.

Most of Becca’s career has been spent working in a weightroom. She built and ran the strength and conditioning program at East High School beginning in 2014 and then moved to Johnston to assist their program development. She’s seasoned in grant writing and management, volunteer networks, and program management and development. Her career has been spent in service and the VISTA position was a natural fit moving forward. Outside of work hours, you can find Becca gardening, hiking, or doing anything outdoors with her family.