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.
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.
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!
Community impact is a team effort, and our kit-building projects make it easy to get involved. Check out the meaningful options below to see how your group can roll up its sleeves and help us deliver critical resources right where they are needed most!
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 hands-on, experiential workshop that demonstrates the powerful impact of ACEs and toxic stress on early brain development. Working in small teams, participants “build” a physical brain using simple materials, navigating the unexpected ups and downs of a child’s early years to see how positive relationships protect futures and how community support can buffer against adversity.
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 email Maggie King, Associate Director of Engagement.
