News & Events

Volunteer Opportunities

    • The Volunteer Center of Cedar Valley has been asked to participate in the Heart of Darkness Haunted House by providing 8-12 volunteers nightly when the attraction is open during the month of October to assist with acting and parking. Dates needing volunteers: October 1, 2, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 21, 22, 23, 24, 28, 29, 30, 31. Times are 6:00 – 10:00 on Thursday and Sunday days and 6:00 – 12:00 midnight on Friday and Saturdays. All make-up and costumes are provided for actors. The Heart of Darkness is at Heartland Farms, 5111 Osage Road, Waterloo. Volunteers age 16 and over are welcome!

    • Hawkeye Valley Area Agency on Aging in collaboration with the AARP Foundation needs volunteers to make education outreach calls Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. Shifts are flexible. Volunteers ages 55 and over are welcome.

    • On September 11th Trekman Racing is sponsoring the Park to Park Race. A portion of the proceeds from this race are given to Family & Children's Council for local child abuse prevention work. Volunteers are needed Friday evening with packet pick-ups at the 5 Sullivan Brothers Convention Center; Saturday morning volunteers  are needed to assist with packet-pick-ups and late registration, parking, course support, direct runners at intersections on trail, water stops, finish line, and food. Volunteers age 16 or older.

    • The Cedar Falls Lutheran Home’s annual Promise Run is just around the corner! Volunteers are needed to help check runners in, flag the path, pass out refreshments, and many more fun activities! The race is scheduled for the morning of September 18. Shifts are flexible. Volunteers ages 16 and over are welcome.

    • Individuals are needed between the hours of 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. on Sunday, September 19th to assist with The Arboretum's annual Fall Harvest Festival. There are many opportunities available from set up and tear down to assisting with games and crafts, parking and selling merchandise. Volunteers age 16 and over are welcome.

    • The Grout Museum District needs volunteers to greet guests, take admission fee, and give tour of the Rensselaer Russell House Museum, telling some family history and information about the Victorian Era. Opportunities are Tuesday through Friday between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. through October 31. Volunteers age 16 or older.

    • Hartman Reserve Nature Center is looking for interested individuals to assist in leading programs for school groups. Group sizes, ages, and topics vary. Programs are offered for PreK-12th grade. Most school visits are 3 hours long with students rotating through 20-45 minute sessions. A majority of programs are take place Monday through Friday in September and October. Volunteers age 18 or older.

    • Do you want to make a difference in the lives of many young girls while being behind the scenes for it all? Registrars are the backbone of the Girl Scouts of Easter Iowa and Western Illinois! The time commitment is only about one hour a month! County Registrars are needed for in the counties of Black Hawk, Clayton, Buchanan, and Grundy. Volunteers age 18 and over are welcome.

    • Volunteer drivers are needed to both pick up and deliver food for the Northeast Iowa Food Bank. Opportunities exist Monday through Friday in four hour shifts. Volunteer drivers must have a clean driving record. Volunteers age 18 and over are welcome.

    • Once a month volunteers transport themed library books to area daycare centers. Volunteers spend an hour at the daycare reading to the children. Friends of the Waterloo Public Library need volunteers Monday through Friday with times determined by area daycare centers. Volunteers age 18 and over are welcome.

    • Hawkeye Adult Literacy needs caring, patient volunteers who are interested in education/teaching are needed to work one-to-one with an adult who needs to improve his/her reading skills. Schedules and meeting sites are flexible for the literacy tutoring sessions. Flexible times during the day and evening. 1-2 hours per week. Volunteers age 18 or older.

    • Exceptional Persons Inc. needs volunteers to do copying, collating packets & files, faxing, etc. Monday through Thursday, 2-4 hours weekly. Volunteers age 18 and over are welcome.

    • Care Initiatives Hospice needs volunteers who will be visiting Hospice patients or family members, driving family members to see patients, reading, visiting, playing games, or getting groceries for Hospice patients and families. Office work also is available. Volunteers age 18 and over are welcome.

    • The Cedar Falls Tourism & Visitors Bureau needs volunteers. Do you like to promote our community? Visit with People? If you answered yes, we want you at the Visitor Center on Hudson Road in Cedar Falls! You will meet people from other states and countries while staffing the center. Visitors are looking for assistance in directions and what there is to do in our community. Opportunities exist daily. Monday - Saturday, shifts are from 9 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. and 12:30 - 4 p.m. Sunday shift is from Noon - 4 p.m. Volunteers age 18 and over are welcome.

    • The Cedar Bend Humane Society is accepting volunteers for the new volunteer program - P.A.W.S., Pet Awareness and Wellness Services. CBHS is looking for individuals, families and groups to help us take care of all our animals and desperately need help with exercising adoption dogs and socializing new dogs that have yet to go up for adoption. CBHS needs people all hours of the day starting at 8 a.m. for any number of hours you can give. Volunteers age 15 and over are welcome.

    • The Cedar Falls Historical Society needs volunteers to assist in planting flowers, weeding, etc. On-the-job training is available. Opportunities exist daily with flexible times. Volunteers age 16 and over are welcome.

    • Do you love to play Bingo? Would you like to help others to play too? If you are willing to push a wheel chair, help someone with limited vision, or want to come socialize with residents, the Cedar Falls Lutheran Home is looking for you! Opportunities exist Friday from 1:30 - 3:30 p.m. Volunteers age 16 and over are welcome.

    • Aspire Therapeutic Riding Program needs volunteers to assist with cleaning stalls and grooming horses. Opportunities exist daily with flexible hours. Volunteers age 16 and over are welcome.

    • Birthright has a special newsletter for all those involved with this wonderful organization and they need writers! Opportunities exist Monday – Friday with flexible times. Volunteers age 18 and over are welcome.

    • The Catholic Worker House needs volunteers with plumbing experience to help maintain plumbing at the Catholic Worker House. Opportunities exist daily with flexible hours. Volunteers age 18 and over are welcome.

    • Parkview Nursing and Rehab Center needs volunteers to provide musical entertainment on a regular schedule for residents of our facility. Opportunities exist daily with flexible hours. Times must be pre-planned with the activity coordinator who schedules all activities. Volunteers age 16 and over are welcome.

    • Alternatives Pregnancy Center needs nurses (LPN or RN) to volunteer to teach nutrition, abstinence and hygiene, perform ultrasounds, and do options counseling. Opportunities exist Monday through Thursdays with flexible hours.olunteers age 18 and over are welcome.

    • The Hawkeye Chapter of the American Red Cross needs volunteers who are currently certified or willing to become certified instructors in CPR and First Aid to teach weekday classes. Opportunities exist Monday – Friday with flexible times. Volunteers age 16 and over are welcome.

    • Allen Hospital needs volunteers to greet incoming patients, families and visitors; provides assistance with way finding and light deliveries; may push visitors or discharged patients in wheelchairs; works closely with other volunteers and staff. Opportunities exist Monday – Friday, in shifts from 8 a.m. – noon, noon - 4 p.m., and 4 - 8 p.m. Volunteers age 16 and over are welcome.

    • The YMCA needs volunteers to coach volleyball to youth in grades 1 to 6. Coaches are expected to be reliable and organized. Coaches must have prior coaching or playing experience. Practices are scheduled one evening a week. Practices will be the same day and time each week. Games are played on Saturday afternoons. Volunteer Monday through Saturday with flexible times as arranged. Volunteers age 18 and over are welcome.

    • Hawkeye Valley Area Agency on Aging in collaboration with the AARP Foundation needs volunteers to make education outreach calls Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. Shifts are flexible. Volunteers ages 55 and over are welcome.

    • The Cedar Valley Committee meets once monthly to plan and complete yearly fundraising events for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Iowa. The funds raised from these events, help grant the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions in the Cedar Valley area. The committee meets the 4th Tuesday of each month at Covenant Medical Center, at 5:30 p.m. Wish granting and special event times will vary. Volunteers age 18 and over are welcome.

    • Friends of the Waterloo Public Library need volunteers to provide docent services to area civic organizations and other groups who wish to tour the library. Volunteer Monday through Friday with flexible times as arranged. Volunteers age 18 and over are welcome.

    • The Girl Scouts of Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois need volunteers to plan events for Waterloo/Cedar Falls area troops to attend on a monthly or quarterly basis. Work closely with town treasurer, registrar, and school organizers. Volunteer Monday through Friday with flexible times as arranged. Volunteers age 18 and over are welcome.

    • The Cedar Valley United Way needs a Director of First Impressions to provide general clerical duties such as making copies, filing, and answering phones. Volunteer Monday through Friday with flexible times as arranged from 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. for a one hour minimum. Volunteers age 16 and over are welcome.

    • The Grout Museum District needs Spring Break Exhibit Space Monitors to walk through the Grout Museum and Sullivan Brothers Iowa Veterans Museum and assist people as needed March 15 through the 21 from 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Monday – Saturday and 1:00 - 5:00 p.m. Sunday. Volunteers age 16 and over are welcome.

    • Exceptional Persons Inc. needs volunteers to serve lunch to participants in the CHOICE Program Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. Volunteers age 18 and over are welcome.

    • The Family & Children's Council needs volunteers to Mentor African American women who are expecting a baby. Work closely with them and their service providers to make sure mothers are receiving prenatal care and taking care of themselves. Opportunities exist daily with flexible times to be established between the client and mentor. Volunteers age 18 and over are welcome.

    • The Cedar Falls Tourism & Visitors Bureau needs volunteers to assist visitors who are looking for assistance in directions, things to do and places to go. Opportunities exist Monday - Saturday, shifts are from 9 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. and 12:30 - 4 p.m. Sunday shift is from Noon - 4 p.m. Volunteers age 18 and over are welcome.

    • Cedar Valley Hospice needs volunteers to act as Quincy or Katie Koala or their friend to support children who are chronically ill, or grieving the death of a loved one. Opportunities exist Monday through Friday for three hours. 14 hours of training are required. Volunteers age 18 and over are welcome.

    • Country View needs volunteers to provide accompaniment for a Rhythm Band on the piano. Volunteers will lead the group with the assistance of a recreation aide. Volunteer weekdays with flexible times as arranged. Volunteers age 16 and over are welcome.

    • The Department of Human Services needs volunteers to assist with filing, copying, answering phones, and other duties assigned. Opportunities exist weekdays from 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. with flexible scheduling. Volunteers age 18 and over are welcome.

    • The Catholic Worker House needs volunteers to help with general maintenance. Opportunities exist daily with flexible times. Volunteers age 16 and over are welcome.

    • Cedar Falls Historical Society needs volunteers to welcome visitors and/or provide guided tours for any of our sites: the Victorian House, the Wyth House, the Ice House, or the Little Red Schoolhouse. Volunteer weekdays and weekends in season. Opportunities exist daily with flexible times. Volunteers age 18 and over are welcome.

    • Volunteers will be at PETCO or PetSmart talking to the public about the Cedar Bend Humane Society. Volunteers will transport and care for a dog or cat from the shelter while volunteering. Opportunities exist Sundays for three hours. Volunteers age 18 and over are welcome.

    • The American Red Cross - Hawkeye Chapter needs volunteers to conduct the Breast Cancer and Self Exam program for women’s groups; volunteers are also needed to provide safety programs to the community. Instructors are needed to teach CPR, first aid, water safety and child care programs. Educators are needed to provide information about Health and Safety courses through presentations to groups and public displays. Opportunities exist daily with flexible times. Volunteers age 18 and over are welcome.

    • Alternatives Pregnancy Center is looking for volunteers to assist with sorting, mending or laundering donations and making sure that they are in good condition for our clients. This requires a time commitment of at least once a month.  Opportunities exist Monday through Thursdays with flexible times. Volunteers age 18 and over are welcome.

    • Country View volunteers will accompany and assist residents attending appointments in the community. Volunteers will meet residents at their appointment and wait with them before and after until their transportation arrives. Opportunities exist daily Monday through Friday with arranged times. Volunteers age 18 and over are welcome.

    • The CHOICE Program at Exceptional Persons, Inc. needs volunteers to serve lunch to participants in the CHOICE Program Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. Volunteers age 18 and over are welcome.

    • Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare needs Care-A-Van drivers to provide free transportation for patients using any Covenant Medical Center services. Typically drivers volunteer one day per week for up to five hours, Monday - Friday 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. No heavy lifting is required. The van is provided by Covenant Medical Center. Two-way communication is provided. Drivers are trained. Courteous men and women, age 21 and older with a valid driver's license and a demonstrated safe driving record are welcome. The volunteer is covered under Wheaton Franciscan liability insurance.

    • Cedar Falls Lutheran Home needs baking group assistants Thursday afternoons from 1:30 - 2:30 p.m. Volunteers will make cookies, pies, and all sorts of goodies to share while assisting residents and getting to know them. Volunteers ages 16 and over are welcome.

    • The Exceptional Persons Inc. retail store needs assistance with stocking shelves, pricing items, and testing and organizing merchandise. Opportunities exist daily with flexible times. A background check is required. Volunteers age 18 and over are welcome.

    • The Make-A-Wish Foundation of Iowa needs committee members. The Cedar Valley Committee meets to plan and complete yearly fundraising events for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Iowa. The committee meets the 4th Tuesday of each month at Covenant Medical Center, at 5:30 p.m. Wish granting and special event times will vary. Volunteers ages 18 and over are welcome.

    • The Hawkeye Valley Area Agency on Aging in collaboration with the AARP Foundation needs volunteers to make education outreach calls Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. Shifts are flexible. Volunteers ages 55 and over are welcome.

    • Northeast Iowa Food Bank is looking for volunteers to inspect and process salvaged products; stock shelves; weigh, record and dispose of bad food products; weigh products going out to an agency; and help sort & box up bakery goods to be sent out to sites. Opportunities exist on Fridays from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Volunteer must be able to lift 25 pounds. Volunteers ages 18 and over are welcome.

    • Newel Post Senior Day Services is currently looking for volunteers to assist with recreation activities and to interact with and show an interest in elderly clients. Volunteers are also needed to teach hobbies or crafts. Opportunities exist Monday through Friday with flexible times. Volunteers age 14 and over are welcome.

    • The CHOICE Program at Exceptional Persons, Inc. needs volunteers to do filing, make copies, answer phones, type up lists, etc. CHOICE is open 8 a.m. - 5 p.m., Monday - Friday with flexible times. Volunteers age 18 and over are welcome.

    • Big Brothers Big Sisters needs volunteers to answer phones, perform light data entry, and assist with various clerical needs. Opportunities exist Monday through Friday with flexible times between 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Volunteers age 18 and over are welcome.

    • Hartman Reserve Nature Center needs interested individuals to assist in leading programs for school groups. Programs are offered for PreK-12th grade. Most school visits are 3 hours long with students rotating through 20-45 minute sessions. Opportunities exist Monday through Friday with flexible times. Volunteers age 18 and over are welcome.

    • The Family and Children’s Council needs volunteers to serve as Healthy Babies Mentors. Volunteers will mentor African American women who are expecting a baby and work closely with them and their service providers to make sure mothers are receiving prenatal care and taking care of themselves. Mentoring times are set between the client and mentor. Volunteers age 18 and over are welcome.

    • The Catholic Worker House needs volunteers who are currently trained to volunteer as maintenance, plumbers, and painters. Opportunities exist Monday through Saturday with flexible times. Volunteers age 16 and over are welcome.

    • The Retired & Senior Volunteer Program needs volunteers to assist students with literacy enhancing activities to help improve the student's reading and writing skills. All activities will take place in the school during school hours. Opportunities exist Monday through Friday with flexible times. Volunteers must be proficient in reading and writing and appreciate the importance of strong literacy skills. Volunteers age 55 and over are welcome.

    • The Cedar Falls Historical Society is looking for grant writers to assist the Executive Director in researching grant opportunities, identifying needs within the organization, and writing the applications. Opportunities exist daily with flexible times. Volunteers age 18 and over are welcome.

    • Allen Hospital is in need of volunteers to provide hospitality to patients and visitors; assist with transport to and from the car, clerical duties, and providing directions to patients and visitors as needed. Opportunities exist Monday through Friday mornings. Volunteers age 16 and over are welcome.

    • Country View needs volunteers to assist with recreation activities, special events, or outings under staff supervision. Opportunities exist daily with flexible times. Volunteers age 14 and over are welcome.
    • The American Red Cross - Hawkeye Chapter needs volunteers who are currently certified or willing to become certified instructors in CPR and First Aid to teach weekday classes. Opportunities exist Monday through Friday with flexible times. Volunteers age 16 and over are welcome.
    • The Grout Museum District needs volunteers to monitor exhibits in the Grout and Iowa Veterans Museum. Opportunities exist Saturdays from 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. Volunteers age 16 and over are welcome.




      Call or visit the Volunteer Center of Cedar Valley at 272-2087 or access 1-800-VOLUNTEER.org today for a complete listing of volunteer opportunities in the Cedar Valley!
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