The number of Iowans who volunteer their time is growing, and college students in northeast Iowa are a big part of that. The Volunteer Center of the Cedar Valley pairs potential volunteers with some 250 area organizations and engages with multiple colleges nearby.
Executive director Lauren Finke says since the pandemic, she’s seen a serious recommitment from college students.
“I think they’re staying and wanting to be a part of things,” Finke says, “which has been a really cool twist on seeing students who really connect to their community.”
The center has paired about 9,500 individuals with volunteer opportunities in the past year, up from 5,000 during the pandemic. Finke says talking to students about volunteering in the wake of COVID has helped spur that growth.
“Really having the opportunity to allow students to understand the impact they’re having as a volunteer has definitely made their follow-through, their commitment, and their desire to continue serving even after their assignment’s done for class,” Finke says.
The volunteer center is regularly reaching out to at least four area colleges to recruit students, including a standing office at UNI.
An AmeriCorps study ranks Iowa 4th in the nation for number of volunteers, and more than 40-percent of Iowans have formally donated time over the past two years.
(Grant Leo Winterer, Iowa Public Radio)