Governor’s Volunteer Awards
Volunteer Iowa is now accepting nominations for the 2025 Governor’s Volunteer Awards; entry deadline is April 30.
The Governor’s Volunteer Awards program, established in 1982, provides an easy way for organizations to honor their volunteers with a prestigious, state-level recognition award. Three award categories are available: Individual, Group, and Length of Service.
Award recipient information can be submitted using one of the following methods:
- All organizations (including state government agencies) submit information, and the handling fee ($15 per nomination) directly through Volunteer Iowa in an online nomination form. Organizations will be able to submit the handling fee online.
- State agencies will submit nominations through the same online form. Invoicing will be handled separately. (Staff of state government agencies must submit nominations through their agency's coordinator.)
Nominations are accepted from: city governments, community colleges, county governments, federal government units operating in Iowa, Iowa MENTOR certified programs, K-12 schools (public and parochial), national service programs operating in Iowa (AmeriCorps, AmeriCorps Seniors), nonprofit and charitable organizations, private colleges and universities, non-state government organizations.
To learn more, please visit volunteeriowa.org.
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Give Back Iowa Challenge
The 11th Annual Give Back Iowa Challenge registration is now open! Now is the time to begin planning for the two-month challenge. The Give Back Iowa Challenge is an eight-week statewide challenge, which serves as a competitive way to encourage organizations and businesses alike to participate in community volunteering. The Challenge runs from April 1st through May 31st. It’s simple; register your organization, track the hours of your employees, record those hours on our system, and celebrate your employees and their dedication to volunteerism!
There are a variety of ways to help out in your community. There are many volunteer opportunities statewide, including youth mentoring, college and career mentoring, assisting food banks and food pantries with packaging and distribution, skills-based opportunities, and more. Volunteer opportunities in your area can be found on our statewide volunteer opportunities portal Get Connected.
Visit the Give Back Iowa Challenge website to learn more about this year's challenge. Please contact Betsy Shelton at betsy.shelton@volunteeriowa.org with questions.
Volunteer Iowa Day at the Capitol
Volunteer Iowa and Iowa MENTOR hosted Volunteer Iowa Day at the Capitol on February 5, in partnership with the RSVP Association of Iowa. The day is an opportunity to share with legislators the latest information on the tremendous contributions volunteers and mentors make and their impact in Iowa’s communities. It is also a chance to educate lawmakers about the impacts their policy decisions have on Volunteer Iowa programs and services.
Staff members and participants from Volunteer Iowa programs including AmeriCorps, AmeriCorps Seniors, RSVP, Volunteer Centers and Mentoring Programs, contacted and met with lawmakers from across the state about the impact their programs have and to inform them about the tremendous program support and resources provided to them by Volunteer Iowa and Iowa MENTOR.
Over 70 program staff, AmeriCorps members, Volunteer Iowa staff and commissioners attended our Day at the Capitol this year, leading to 54 meetings with legislators. Did you miss out on our Day at the Capitol but still want to get involved? Email info@volunteeriowa.org and we can provide information to you that you can use to connect with your legislators.
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AmeriCorps Week
During AmeriCorps Week, we recognize the commitment of the more than 1.25 million Americans who have chosen to serve their country through AmeriCorps and AmeriCorps Seniors, and to encourage more Americans to follow their footsteps in service.
AmeriCorps engages 250,000 Americans each year in sustained, results-driven service through our AmeriCorps and AmeriCorps Seniors programs. Members and volunteers help ensure students stay on track to graduate, combat hunger and homelessness, fight the opioid epidemic, help seniors live independently, support veterans and military families, and much more.
This AmeriCorps Week join us as we celebrate the impact of our programs and offer our thanks to members and volunteers for making an impact and serve others.
Together, we can help the country recover and come back stronger. Together, we are insurmountable. Together, we are AmeriCorps.
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Volunteerism in the News
Current Volunteer Iowa Opportunities
Volunteer with us! Find volunteer opportunities with Volunteer Iowa here: Volunteer Iowa | Volunteer Iowa (galaxydigital.com)
Other Iowa AmeriCorps programs supported by Volunteer Iowa are also recruiting now. Find a listing of Iowa AmeriCorps programs at Join AmeriCorps | Volunteer Iowa.
Important Dates
Looking for a way to give back? Visit Get Connected today to find volunteer opportunities. Organizations can post volunteer opportunities on Get Connected as well at no cost.
This email was sent to you by the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services. https://hhs.iowa.gov/
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