Readiness Roadmap Increases Impact of Pro Bono Service for Nonprofits

This year, U.S. corporations will provide $15 billion in pro bono services to nonprofits. For this generous support to make the most impact, nonprofits must understand their needs and determine the best way to engage skilled volunteers. The new Readiness Roadmap, created by the Nonprofit Collaborative convened by Capital One Financial Corporation in partnership with Common Impact, Points of Light and Taproot Foundation, does just that.

The free, online and accessible resource for nonprofits addresses:

• Organizational readiness assessments
• Project readiness assessments
• Pro bono and skills-based volunteerism sourcing
• Project planning
• Implementation
• Evaluation and post-project volunteer recognition.

 "As leaders in the skills-based volunteer movement, we recognize that it takes both strong nonprofit and corporate partners to execute impactful community programs. Our goal is for every business, from Main Street to Wall Street, to have the opportunity to work with strong nonprofits," said Jackie Norris, Executive Director of the Points of Light Corporate Institute. 

Material reprinted from the HandsOn Network.

VCCV Weekly Volunteer Opportunities

·      Lowell School needs individuals to adopt a family for the holidays. Wish lists will be provided for individuals and families. Gifts need to be wrapped and delivered to Lowell on December 19. Volunteers age 14 and over are welcome.

·      December 6 is Family Fun Days at the Phelps Youth Pavilion. Volunteers are needed to help families in the art room working on the make and take activities and to help staff with upkeep of the Pavilion through out the day. Shifts are usually 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. and 1:00 - 5:00 p.m. Volunteers age 16 and over are welcome.

·      Volunteers are needed to assist the Family and Children’s Council with gift wrapping on December 8 from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. and December 9 from 10 a.m. until 10 p.m. 2 hour shifts available. Volunteers age 14 or older are welcome.

·      The Salvation Army is looking for volunteers to help with a fill-the-truck event at both Cedar Valley Wal-Mart locations on December 8 from 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Volunteers will hand out wish lists to Wal-Mart customers as they enter the store. Customers can purchase needed items and provide them to the Salvation Army volunteers when leaving.  

To volunteer call 272-2087!

Show Community Support

Help Iowa Heartland Habitat for Humanity celebrate the completion of two new homes before Christmas. Home dedications are open to the public and encouraged to show support for our community.


Monday, December 17 at 4 p.m.
305 Peek Street in Waterloo

Wednesday, December 19 at 5 p.m.
1613 Aspen Drive in Waterloo

It's #GivingTuesday!

If you want to feel happy - and wonderful about yourself - science has the answer.  Do something for someone else.

Researchers Lalin Anik, Lara Aknin, Michael Norton and Elizabeth Dunn have shown that people who commit random acts of kindness are significantly happier than those who don’t, and spending money on others makes you happier than spending money on yourself. They also have discovered happier people help others more, and they give more.  A positive mood makes you nicer!  This makes a circle: giving makes you happy, and when you’re happy you give more, which makes you happier, which makes you give more.

This selfless circle of happiness is mentioned now because Tuesday is #GivingTuesday, a national day of giving.  Black Friday in stores and Cyber Monday for online shopping are behind us, and we’ve arrived at the day to do something for others.

Here are two ways to celebrate.

1. Go into work today feeling like a star of the movement.  If you read this blog, you are making the world a better place in some way, and you live #GivingTuesday every day of the year.  You are wonderful, and so you should take a moment to feel joy at the difference you make.  Be happy for what you do.

2. Encourage others to support your cause - or whatever cause they love - today.  For example, give and get your gift matched here!  (Thanks to partners the Case Foundation, Crowdrise and Six Degrees.)

Thanks for being a part of #GivingTuesday - and the circle of happiness - with your great work for good.

This blog comes from "Katya's Non-Profit Marketing Blog."

Be a Joy Maker!

This holiday season, we invite you to Be a Joy Maker! 

  

Share how the young people in your community are making the world a brighter place, and Hasbro will match each act of service by donating a toy to Toys for Tots - up to 100,000 toys! 

   

Share your act of service between
November 19 and December 18
at 
ShareJoy.generationOn.org.  

You can get started here with holiday service project ideas.

Joy Makers, join the toy makers and make this season even brighter!

Happy Holidays,

generationOn 

Happy Thanksgiving from the Volunteer Center of Cedar Valley!

We at the VCCV wish everyone a safe and happy holiday! We are so thankful for the Iowa dedication to volunteerism which helps create a stronger, more vibrant state.

Iowa volunteers do so many wonderful things and have such interesting stories and serve as an inspiration to us all!

Lauren, Jean & Anne

VCCV Weekly Volunteer Opportunities

·         Lowell School needs individuals to adopt a family for the holidays. Wish lists will be provided for individuals and families. Gifts need to be wrapped and delivered to Lowell on December 19. Volunteers age 14 and over are welcome.

·         December 6 is Family Fun Days at the Phelps Youth Pavilion. Volunteers are needed to help families in the art room working on the make and take activities and to help staff with upkeep of the Pavilion through out the day. Shifts are usually 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. and 1:00 - 5:00 p.m. Volunteers age 16 and over are welcome.

·         Volunteers are needed to assist the Family and Children’s Council with gift wrapping on December 8 from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. and December 9 from 10 a.m. until 10 p.m. 2 hour shifts available. Volunteers age 14 or older are welcome.

·         Volunteers age 16 and older are invited to assist with a youth science program on December 8^th from 9:30 until 11:30 a.m. at the Bluedorn Science Imaginarium.

Call 272-2087 to volunteer!