We aim to create opportunities for youth by making sure all children are prepared for school and achieve their reading goals.
At United Way of Story County, we invite you to make a real impact in our community through volunteer opportunities of all kinds. Whether you’re interested in mentoring youth, assisting with food drives, or helping a senior complete their taxes, your time and talents can bring about meaningful change. Join us in supporting those in need, fostering connections, and building a stronger community together.
Day of Caring, group volunteering, and Women United are three of the most popular volunteer opportunities we coordinate. Click below to learn more or contact us at volunteer@uwstory.org for help finding an opportunity that works for you.
Have a volunteer need? Let us help! United Way of Story County connects local volunteers with meaningful opportunities. Register your agency or program’s project with us, and we’ll help match you with community members ready to make a difference.
Each September, UWSC hosts Day of Caring—a county-wide volunteer event tied to our campaign kickoff. Volunteers team up with local agencies to complete projects that strengthen programs and build community. It’s one day of action with a lasting impact. Join us!
Volunteering together builds team spirit and strengthens connections to our community. United Way of Story County offers fully managed on-site projects and kit-building events—your company covers supplies and a coordination fee, and we handle the rest.
Frankee dedicated her career to community service, transitioning from education to non-profit leadership. As President and CEO of the United Way of Story County from 2000 to 2010, she championed philanthropy by addressing community issues, supporting education, and consistently exceeding annual campaign fundraising goals.
Contact: Kalen Petersen at director@cirsvp.org
Contact: Amy Divine at amyedivine@gmail.com or Jehan Faisal at volunteer@amespubliclibrary.org.
Contact: Jodie Linse at jodie.linse@micaonline.org
MICA needs an array of volunteers to help stock, sort, and more at their pantry located at 230 SE 16th Street in Ames. Room for 1-2 volunteers at a time. Email Jodie for more details!
Contact: Hanna Bell at hannabell@raising-readers.org
Contact: 515-233-3567 or Kathy Pinkerton at kathy.pinkerton@usc.salvationarmy.org
Contact: 515-233-3141 | yss.org/program/mentoring
Get ready to roll up your sleeves and make a difference—Day of Caring 2025 is coming Friday, September 12, and it’s going to be bigger, bolder, and more impactful than ever!
We’ll kick things off with a burst of energy and community spirit at our Campaign Kickoff Breakfast at Cornbred, where neighbors, coworkers, and changemakers will gather to fuel up for a powerful day of giving back.
From there, hundreds of volunteers will fan out across Story County to tackle hands-on service projects that lift up local nonprofits, improve community spaces, and show what’s possible when we work together. Whether you’re painting walls, pulling weeds, packing care kits, or building something new—you’ll be part of something that truly matters.
Day of Caring isn’t just a volunteer day. It’s a celebration of community, compassion, and collective action. Join us in bringing energy, heart, and helping hands to the causes that shape a stronger Story County.
Let’s show what we can do in a day!
Looking to connect your team to meaningful volunteer experiences? United Way of Story County can help! We work with local nonprofits to match your group with on-site volunteer projects or bring the opportunity to you through coordinated kit builds—either at your office or ours.
Volunteering together is a powerful way to build teamwork, foster connection, and show firsthand how time and resources make a difference in our community. UWSC handles all the logistics, including supply purchasing and delivery. Your organization simply covers the cost of materials and a coordination fee.
Ready to get started? Fill out the form below to explore how your team can partner with United Way of Story County on a customized volunteer experience!
Have a group that’s ready to help out? Click the link below to sign your group up to help out. Give us some basic information and we’ll reach out with more info!
These volunteer opportunities give your group the chance to make a hands-on impact by assisting at local nonprofits with tasks like sorting supplies, organizing materials, or light cleaning. Most group sizes can be accommodated, depending on current nonprofit requests.
Administrative volunteering can include tasks like organizing files, scanning documents, and general office support. Volunteers may also help prepare materials for events or assist with mailings.
Cleaning volunteering can include tasks like sweeping, mopping, dusting, wiping down surfaces, and sanitizing high-touch areas. Volunteers may also help organize storage spaces, take out trash, or assist with seasonal deep-cleaning projects to keep facilities safe and welcoming.
Landscaping volunteering may involve mowing, weeding, planting flowers or shrubs, mulching, and general yard clean-up. Volunteers help maintain outdoor spaces to ensure they are safe, attractive, and welcoming for clients, staff, and the community. Tasks can vary by season and may include raking leaves or shoveling snow.
Improvement projects may be more physically intensive and can include tasks like painting walls, moving heavy furniture, assembling shelves or desks, and assisting with basic repairs. These hands-on projects help refresh and improve spaces for clients and staff. Volunteers should be prepared for more active work that may require lifting, tools, or working in teams.
Kit builds can be brought to your office location by UWSC staff and are delivered on your behalf after its conclusion. At this time, we are offering friendship bracelets, literacy kits, snack kits, birthday bags, and teacher/childcare employee thank you bags.
Hunger exists in every community. In Story County, we partner with 20+ food pantries in a variety of ways. We know it is especially hard for families to maintain normalcy when utilizing these and similar services. Your project would be creating “snack packs” that will be given to families with young children visiting area pantries.
Approx. Cost per kit: $3
Approx. time: 1 hour
Help spread smiles across Story County! Volunteers assemble small kits with toothpaste, toothbrushes, and other oral hygiene items that are donated to local pantries and outreach teams. It’s a simple, hands-on way to support health and dignity in our community.
Approx. Cost per kit: $6
Approx. time: 1 hour
Hygiene Kits are scalable and everyday essentials like soap, shampoo, and other personal care items that help neighbors feel their best.
Approx. Cost per kit: $10-15
Approx. time: 1.5-2 hours
This project directly addresses the critical issue of proficient reading by third grade – students who don’t meet this benchmark are four times more likely to drop out of school. You will help foster a love of reading and build classroom and home libraries. These kits include a book, related activities, instructions for the volunteer or mentor, and a personal note of encouragement from the volunteer to the child.
Approx. Cost per kit: $10-15
Approx. time: 2 hours
Incorporate a unique team building exercise into your day through the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES) group activity. The Brain Architecture Game is a tabletop game that builds understanding of the powerful role of experiences on early brain development – what promotes it, derails it, and with what consequences for society.
Approx. cost: $12.50 per group, minimum of three groups of 4
Designed for groups of 4-6, this 75-90 minute game is a valuable resource for creating a common understanding and language about these topics. To schedule, please contact Maggie at mking@uwstory.org.
Have a volunteer need? Let us help! United Way of Story County connects local volunteers with meaningful opportunities. Register your agency or program’s project with us, and we’ll help match you with community members ready to make a difference.
