Volunteer Center of Cedar Valley

Find Community Volunteer Opportunities Here!

The mission of the Volunteer Center of Cedar Valley is to promote and support effective volunteerism and to serve as the resource and coordination center for
volunteers and community partnerships.

Volunteer Center Of Cedar Valley
In The News!

Governor's Volunteer Awards
Join the Celebration!

Governor’s Volunteer Awards
Thursday, June 21
3:00 p.m.
Gallagher-Bluedorn Performing Arts Center

100+ Northeast Iowa residents will be honored at the recognition event by Governor Reynolds.

Independent Sector Shares New Volunteer Value

$24.69 per hour - Estimated National Value of Each Volunteer Hour!

“If you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone else.” ― Booker T. Washington

Volunteers in the United States are 63 million strong and hold up the foundation of civil society. They help their neighbors, serve their communities, and provide their expertise. No matter what kind of volunteer work they do, they are contributing in invaluable ways.

So why do we calculate a value of volunteer time?

We know putting numbers to volunteer hours will never do them justice, but it is just one way for us to show the contributions individuals and organizations have made in our communities. The estimate helps to acknowledge the millions of individuals who dedicate their time, talents, and energy to making a difference. Charitable organizations frequently use this estimate to quantify the enormous value volunteers provide.

4th Annual Give Back Iowa Challenge Winners Announced
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeast Iowa Wins!

From a business perspective, employer supported volunteering impacts the bottom line. Studies show it leads to improved employee engagement, organizational commitment, job satisfaction, and retention. From an engagement perspective, places of employment are perfect environments to encourage and support volunteering efforts

The Volunteer Center of Cedar Valley is delighted to announce the Volunteer Iowa winners of the 4th annual Give Back Iowa Challenge, a campaign in which businesses encourage their employees to volunteer and log their hours as part of an eight-week challenge, April 1-May 31, across the state of Iowa. The winners will receive a visit from the Governor or Lt. Governor in the coming months and a certificate of recognition. that contribute toward meeting significant community challenges.

The 2018 Give Back Iowa Challenge had 56 participating organizations—representing just shy of 54,000 employees in Iowa—that logged over 83,000 volunteer hours. This outstanding amount of volunteer time increased 39%over the final hours reported in 2017. According to the current Iowa volunteer rate per hour from the Independent Sector, the value of these hours exceeds $1.9 million.

Participating employers were divided into four categories based on the number of employees. Winners were selected by the highest average number of volunteer hours per employee. The 2018 winners include:

• Micro: Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeast Iowa, Waterloo
Honorable Mention: Lessing-Flynn, Des Moines
• Small: First Citizens Bank, Mason City
Honorable Mention: Clear Lake Bank & Trust Company, Clear Lake
• Medium: Riverside Casino and Golf Resort, Riverside
Honorable Mention: Spencer Hospital, Spencer
• Large: Wells Fargo, Des Moines
Honorable Mention: John Deere Des Moines Area, Des Moines

“The winners of this year’s record-breaking Give Back Iowa Challenge truly understand what it means to be an Iowan,” expressed Governor Kim Reynolds. “Through service, Iowans are making the lives of others better and meeting community challenges, while also transforming their own lives.”

Volunteer Iowa would also like to recognize the additional employers that rounded out the overall Top Twenty in the Challenge with the highest average number of volunteer hours per employee (in alphabetical order):

• West Music Company
• Volunteer Center of Story County
• United Way of Dubuque Area Tri-States
• Reiman Gardens
• M2K Marketing Group
• Iowa Healthiest State Initiative
• Iowa Health Care Collaborative
• Iowa Council of Foundations
• Green Valley Pest Control & Lawn Care
• Girl Scouts of Greater Iowa
• Community Youth Concepts
• Buena Vista University

“Even though the Give Back Iowa Challenge is only a short snapshot in time, it demonstrates the impact employers have on improving our communities through service,” stated Adam Lounsbury, Volunteer Iowa Executive Director. “Employee volunteering is win-win for both employers and the community, and with the continued support of employers every day of the year, we can scale the impact across Iowa.”

For resources on employer-supported volunteering or to find volunteer opportunities, contact the Volunteer Center of Cedar Valley!