Opportunities From: United Way of Central Iowa

The holiday season is quickly approaching and everyone involved with Mentor Iowa is excited about our upcoming adopt-a-family program.  Our adopt-a-family program may be the only opportunity for our children to receive any gifts this holiday season, so it is important that we do everything possible to make them feel special during this festive time. 

At this time, Mentor Iowa asks you to consider becoming a sponsor for a family that is involved in our program.  Adopt a family sponsor’s work with the Mentor Iowa office to purchase needed items for the family.  Mentor Iowa distributes a wish list to mentors, and then the mentor discusses with their mentee’s family what they need and want for the holiday season.  Items needed typically include:  clothing, household items, shoes, books, games and whatever else is on the child’s wish list.  The average amount spent on each child is approximately $100, but you can choose the amount you want to spend on the child(ren).

This opportunity is looking for SPONSORS only at this time.  The adopt-a-family program is designed to help the children referred to Mentor Iowa and partnering agencies.  Last year we were able to support 453 children and foresee that number rising this year.  Due to limited adopt-a-family sponsors, children outside of our referral sources are not being accepted at this time.   

Mentor Iowa is a non-profit, volunteer organization that was started in 1974 by citizens of the community, a Juvenile Court Judge, and court personnel, all of whom were concerned about the growing number of children served by the court.  The mission of the organization is to provide trained volunteer mentors to at-risk children in need of a positive adult role model.  We do this by working in partnership with the children, their families, and the community.  Community volunteers present a solution by providing the mentor services to the ever-increasing number of Children in Need of Assistance and delinquent youth in central Iowa. 

Our creed is “Every Child Deserves a Future.”  By fulfilling this request, we can continue to achieve our mission and better the community.  Please contact the Mentor Iowa office by Friday, November 21st if you are interested in becoming an adopt a family sponsor and how many children you would like to purchase gifts for.  If you do participate, we will have your needs list sent to you by the latest Wednesday, November 26th.  We would like the gifts back to our offices by Monday, December 8th so we can start the distribution process to our mentors and partnering agencies.  This year, we are asking our sponsors to wrap their purchased gifts.  If you can create a list that has the items purchased, we will present to the parent so they know what their child(ren) are receiving.

We hope this information assists you in making a decision to become a part of Mentor Iowa’s adopt-a-family program this holiday season.  THANK YOU for your time to consider being a sponsor in our adopt-a-family program.  If you have any questions regarding Mentor Iowa's adopt-a-family program, please feel free to contact Marty Lester at 515-277-9797. 

One of our greatest needs at Ronald McDonald House is for home-cooked meals for our families. After a long day at the hospital, families are truly grateful for a hot meal waiting for them. This is an ideal volunteer opportunity for groups of family, friends, corporate teams, or teens looking to fulfill community service or Silver Cord hours. We have two Houses where you can volunteer: our House near Blank Children’s Hospital and our House within MercyOne (located on the North Side, 4th Floor).

To choose a date, please visit http://www.rmhdesmoines.org, scroll down to click on "Meal Providers," then select "Sign Up Here" to access our meal provider schedule.

FAQ

How many people can participate in our group?
We limit groups to 10 people due to kitchen size. For groups larger than 10, we suggest splitting up: 10 people can cook, and the rest can assist with housekeeping.

What do we need to bring?
We provide all cooking tools and utensils. You’ll just need to bring the ingredients. You’re also welcome to use any canned or dry goods we have available. Feel free to call us to check what’s on hand. *Please keep in mind, Per RMH Global Guidelines, we cannot accept homemade food prepared outside a licensed kitchen.

How much food should we make?
Please prepare a meal for 35 people for each House. If you sign up to make a meal for both Houses we ask you make a meal for 70 people.
To keep a consistent schedule, we ask that meals be ready by 6 p.m.

What time should we arrive?
The volunteer kitchen is reserved from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. If you’d like to come earlier, please call ahead to confirm kitchen availability.

Can we stay and visit with families?
You’re welcome to stay and visit with families during the meal. However, many families return later in the evening, so we leave the meal out for an hour and then store it as leftovers.

What should we make?
Feel free to be creative and have fun with your meal! There’s no need to worry about dietary restrictions.

If you have any other questions or would like more information, please reach out to Caroline at volunteer@rmhdesmoines.org or call 515-243-2111.

Thank you for helping us support families in need!

At Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Iowa, we proudly serve families from Iowa, across the U.S., and around the world. Our pantry provides meals, sweet treats, snacks, toiletries, and other essentials for these families during their stay-and we would greatly appreciate your support!

If you’re interested in organizing a Pantry Wish List Drive or setting up a donation drive, please reach out. We can share details about the pantry and toiletry items currently needed.

If you’d prefer to donate directly from our wish list, please visit our website at www.rmhdesmoines.org. Our wish list covers items needed for both of our Ronald McDonald Houses. For donated items, we kindly ask that they be shipped to:

1441 Pleasant St
Des Moines, IA 50314

This helps ensure the right items reach the correct House location.

For questions or to arrange a drop-off time, please contact volunteer@rmhdesmoines.org or call us at 515-243-2111.

Thank you for helping us make a difference for families in need!

On November 14th All of our Many Hands locations are going to be closing early to set up for our Christmas open house (on November 15th.)   We are in need of volunteers to help us set up the Christmas Wonderland at our stores from 2:00 to 6:00 on the 14th.  I am looking to recruit about 20 - 25 volunteers per store!  Please let me know if you, or a group that would be willing to lend their hands and become elves for the night.

With the influx of medication donations and increasing need for medication assistance, we need your help. Our volunteers assist in logging incoming donations into our inventory.  Learn more about how you can make a difference in our community and sign up to volunteer at SafeNetRx today!

Our annual Trunk or Treat is coming up at our Levitt Club, and we need your help to make it a festive night! 

We’re looking for volunteers to deck out their trunks in spooky themes and bring candy to hand out to our awesome club members.  

This is a fantastic opportunity for corporate teams to give back and show off their creative side at the same time! 

Our annual Trunk or Treat is coming up at our Ross Club, and we need your help to make it a festive night! 

We’re looking for volunteers to deck out their trunks in spooky themes and bring candy to hand out to our awesome club members.  

This is a fantastic opportunity for corporate teams to give back and show off their creative side at the same time! 

Calling All Creators, Hosts & Halloween Enthusiasts!

Come and support the Des Moines Art Center's largest annual community event - now celebrating it's 25th year! Volunteers are crucial in this celebration, serving as greeters, aiding in hands-on art activities, and helping keep spaces tidy.