Season of giving: Eastern Iowa families can find ways to volunteer now and year-round

This is the season of giving, and as families gather to give thanks, many are also looking for ways to give back.

'The holidays seem to really heighten people's interest in volunteering,” said Sue Driscoll, manager of volunteer engagement at the United Way of East Central Iowa. 'We get a lot of inquiries at this time of year.”

She said many people want to serve meals on Thanksgiving or Christmas, but those opportunities often have already signed up the volunteers they need. However, there are hundreds of ways, both seasonal and ongoing, to serve in the Corridor.

'We encourage people to sit down over the holidays and plan out what they want to do in the next year. Start doing some research as a family,” she said. 'There is always a really great need.”

If families can't volunteer together on Christmas or Thanksgiving, she recommended picking another occasion such as a birthday, Valentine's Day or the start of summer, to serve together.

It's something a lot of families are already doing; Eastern Iowa hits high marks in national volunteer rankings. A recent report from the Corporation for National & Community Service ranks Iowa City fourth in the nation among mid-sized cities, at 38.4 percent of residents volunteering, with Cedar Rapids in seventh place with 37.6 percent. In 2015, the United Way's volunteer center tracked more than 69,000 hours of volunteering by over 2,600 volunteers, serving 77,000 people locally.

But there still is a great need. A 2015 needs assessment report for area non-profits, found that almost all, 97 percent of respondents, said volunteers help deliver their social mission, and most organizations, 72 percent, had capacity for more volunteers.

Volunteers with specific skill sets are in especially high demand - the most needed skills were community organizing and outreach, administration and office assistance, fundraising, marking and communications in both design and writing, skilled labor like carpentry, volunteer coordinator and other management, IT support and operations. Volunteers are also needed to do everything from tutoring English language learners at the Catherine McAuley Center to spending time with kids through Big Brothers Big Sisters to sorting food at the Hawkeye Area Community Action Program food reservoir. There are one-time ways to give and long term projects alike.

Ready to get involved? Visit uweci.org/Volunteer, where individuals can create accounts and search for volunteer opportunities from over 80 agencies. For more information contact Sue Driscoll at 319 398-5372 or SDriscoll@uweci.org.

Here are a few ideas for families throughout the year, provided by the United Way:

Family Volunteer Opportunities

Projects can be done with your family in your home, neighborhood or with local non-profits.

EDUCATION

- Conduct a school supply drive. Supplies needed are backpacks, notebooks, pencils, folders, crayons, etc. Deliver to Boys and Girls Clubs or your neighborhood schools.

- Create United Way pen pal kits. Hold a supply drive and put together Pen Pal Kits.

- Book drive. Gather new or gently used books for children staying in shelters. Deliver to local shelters.

FINANCIAL STABILITY

- Toiletries for the shelters. Supplies needed are 1 or 2-gallon size food storage bags, soap, washcloth, toothpaste, toothbrush, comb, emery board, shampoo, lotion, razor, etc. Set up an assembly line to fill the bags and have each child place each item in the bags. Deliver to ASAC, Catherine McAuley Center, Willis Dady.

- Hat or glove drive. During the winter months collect hats and gloves and donate to Catherine McAuley Center, Young Parents Network or Willis Dady.

HEALTH

- Deliver meals. Together as a family drive a route and deliver meals to homebound seniors through Horizons Meals on Wheel program.

- Smile notes for seniors. Supplies needed are paper, markers, stickers, envelopes. Time needed is 2-3 hours. Make cards. Deliver to senior centers, hospitals or for Aging Services clients.

- Color/create place mats for food trays. Supplies needed are place mats, crayons, markers and stickers. Time needed is 2 hours. Make place mats Deliver to nursing homes, senior meal sites or for Meals on Wheels clients.

- 'Adopt” a neighborhood senior. Help them with yard work, errands meals. Supplies needed are yard tools. Contact Aging Services.

COMMUNITY SUPPORT

- Letters to veterans. Write letters/draw pictures to give to veterans on an Honor Flight.

- Pick up litter at your neighborhood park. Supplies needed are trash bags, gloves, and rakes.

- Decorate cookies. Connect with a senior center and decorate cookies with or sing to residents.

- Host a carnival. Run simple games and hand out treats at a low-income apartments or an agency.

- Host a pet food/pet toy drive. Set up a collection point, promote with family and friends. Time needed is 10 hours. Deliver to Cedar Valley Humane Society.