Opportunities From: United Way of East Central Iowa

Fall is in the air at Tanager, and we’re getting ready for a season full of fun and celebration for the kids we serve!  

We’re currently accepting donations of fall-themed items to help make our events extra special, including Halloween & Thanksgiving decorations (no strings/wires, please), Halloween costumes, pumpkins for use at Inpatient and Camp Tanager, and candy for our Trunk or Treat. Your generosity helps us bring the warmth and joy of the season to our youth — thank you for being part of our fall festivities!

Support a cause you care about by coordinating a collection drive! Review the guide below for best practices and nonprofit beneficiary ideas. For questions or to celebrate your success, please respond to this opportunity and email volunteer@uweci.org.

Donate any extra produce from your gardens in the produce shed to be distributed to the community! We except clean non-sprayed FRESH produce. The produce shed is located right outside the Feed Iowa First shop. No need to wash because that’s our job! For more information, location specification, or contact info check our website!

First aid items are a necessity for our shelter. In order to keep clients healthy and safe, we need to have multiple first aid kits on hand.

We are looking for volunteers who can purchase first aid items and assemble them into kits for us. These will be used to support clients at both our Emergency Shelter and the Community Overflow Shelter. You can drop them off at our Emergency Shelter or have them mailed to us: 1247 4th Ave SE, Cedar Rapids, IA 52403. You can also purchase kits from our Amazon Wish List: https://a.co/iEfrgCr.

Kits should include bandages, alcohol wipes, Neosporin, scissors, toe nail clippers, gauze, and medical tape. You are also welcome to include medications such as Tylenol, ibuprofen, tums, Pepto Bismol, and cough drops.

Please let us know if you have any questions!

During the week, clients at Willis Dady are able to visit other meal sites in the community for any food they need. On weekends, many of these sites close, so Willis Dady looks for groups of volunteers to prepare and serve a meal to the clients. These meals bring needed sustenance and a sense of comfort and support to the clients, as it helps demonstrate the community’s support in their efforts to find housing and employment. 

Having snack packs to hand out to clients is extremely helpful. These can be distributed to clients in a number of ways:

To help with this need we are looking for donors to assemble snack packs to be dropped off at our shelter (1247 4th Ave SE). Snack packs should include a Ziploc Bag with a combination of the following:

Please reach out to our Community Engagement Manager at 319-362-7555 or sierra@willisdady.org with any questions!

Willis Dady has the only showers in Cedar Rapids that are are free for clients to access. In an attempt to fill this gap in resources, Willis Dady opened additional showers at our Willis Dady Works (WDW) location in 2022.

Having assembled hygiene kits assists our front desk volunteers when checking in clients for their appointments. They no longer need to juggle all the individual toiletry items, but rather they can grab an assembled kit to hand to a client.

To help with this need we are looking for donors to assemble Hygiene Kits to be dropped off at our shelter (1247 4th Ave SE). Hygiene kits should include a Ziploc Bag the following:

Please reach out to our Community Engagement Manager at 319-362-7555 or sierra@willisdady.org with any questions!

Having laundry kits to hand out to clients is extremely helpful. We primarily use them at Hector's Place Day Center where clients have access to shower and laundry services free of charge.

To help with this need we are looking for donors to assemble Laundry Kits to be dropped off at our shelter (1247 4th Ave SE). Laundry Kits should include a Ziploc Bag with a combination of the following:

Please reach out to our Community Engagement Manager at 319-362-7555 or sierra@willisdady.org with any questions!

Do you like being outdoors and working with your hands? Are you interested in Construction? 

 WRAP Wood Ramp Builders change someone’s life in one day, providing freedom to those who are homebound. Building a ramp allows someone the safety and security to go visit the doctor, have lunch with a friend, do shopping, walk the dog, attend church services, and other quality of life events.

WRAP is looking for individuals (and groups) to spend a build day working with our team to build accessibility ramps for individuals in the community.

Bring your tape measure and drill driver, or use those we will provide, enjoy some time in the sunshine, and improve someone’s home access with your volunteer efforts! Training and mentoring are provided onsite!

Groups are welcome, including teenagers, however we require adult supervision for minors.

For individuals, please fill out the application by following this link:

https://www.volgistics.com/appform/449453408

For a group, please fill out the application by following this link:

https://www.volgistics.com/appform/836905891

Grow Pamoja - Urban Garden Grow Pamoja offers immigrants and refugees hands-on farming experience in America. Our urban garden provides access to agricultural resources, supporting local food systems and empowering newcomers to grow and contribute to their communities.

Schedule: Every other week for tasks such as weeding Note: Must be scheduled in advance; volunteers need to be flexible with coordination

Stocked daily with fresh produce, meat, fish, dairy, frozen/shelf-stable goods, and culturally familiar products, the Catherine McAuley Center’s food pantry provides free, nutritious food available to all clients, students, and residents.  With a commercial refrigerator, freezer, and self-serve display shelves near our front lobby, clients can choose the food that fits their needs in any quantity, as often as needed. No limits, no questions—just the freedom and dignity to access the food that helps them thrive.

Hosting a drive is easy—and impactful. We’ve made it simple with downloadable flyers, an updated food wish list, and helpful tips to get you started.

1. View Our Wish list Explore our list of most-needed items—these are the foods that make the biggest impact: . Be sure to check what’s currently accepted. https://cmc-cr.org/food-pantry-wishlist/

2. Promote Your Drive Use our customizable flyers and social media posts to spread the word. If you’re giving a presentation, play one of our promotional videos to rally support for the CMC mission. 

3. Collect Donations Designate a bin or collection area and start gathering items. 

4. Drop Off When your drive is complete, bring your donations to CMC during our donation drop-off hours. 

Learn more here: https://cmc-cr.org/give/supply-drives/

From personal care items to household goods, supply donations stock our hygiene closet, furnish living spaces for residents, and provide materials for programs and services. These everyday essentials bring comfort and hope to women, families, refugees, and immigrants rebuilding their lives.

Hosting a drive is easy—and impactful. We’ve made it simple with downloadable flyers, an updated wish list, and helpful tips to get you started.

1. View Our Wish list Explore our list of most-needed items—these are the foods that make the biggest impact: . Be sure to check what’s currently accepted.  https://cmc-cr.org/give/wishlist/

2. Promote Your Drive Use our customizable flyers and social media posts to spread the word. If you’re giving a presentation, play one of our promotional videos to rally support for the CMC mission. 

3. Collect Donations Designate a bin or collection area and start gathering items. 

4. Drop Off When your drive is complete, bring your donations to CMC during our donation drop-off hours. 

Learn more here: https://cmc-cr.org/give/supply-drives/

How to Make a T-shirt Tote Bag

Supplies Needed:

If you're looking for group volunteer opportunities, we have plenty of work at our Wanatee farm. We can host upwards of 15-20 people and opportunities include but are not limited to:

For further inquiries or questions, reach out to laura@feediowa1st.com or Jody@feediowa1st.com! Close-toed shoes, water bottles, and clothing equipped for farming is recommended. Conditions will most likely be on the warmer side while in the fields.