It's the season of giving and we're here to help spread the cheer! There's no better way to appreciate the spirit of the holidays than to give back to the community. Most organizations couldn't function without volunteers, so if your family is looking for something to do after all the turkey, football, and naps, then grab those loved ones and lend a helping hand at one of these events:

Parks Community Thanksgiving Dinner

Since 1992 Parks Community Thanksgiving Dinner has been served at Chuck's Restaurant. This tradition started when Chuck's owner, Linda Bisignano, offered to host 100 people at a grand Thanksgiving feast full of turkey, ham, sweet potatoes, green beans, dressing, rolls, gravy, and of course - pie. In 2013, after a long battle with cancer, Linda Bisignano passed away. But Linda's legacy lives on because Chuck's remains the host of the Parks Community Thanksgiving Dinner that now feeds over 3,600 people. 

Volunteer Sign-Up and Non-Cash Donation Information

Contact: Mickey Ryan, pctdvolunteer@gmail.com, (515) 720-3378

Thanksgiving Home-Delivered Dinner Reservations

Contact: (515) 381-9175

Cash Donations

Mail to: Parks Community Thanksgiving Dinner, Inc., P.O. Box 57332, Pleasant Hill, IA, 50317

*Contributions are tax-deductible. 

 

Bell Ringing for The Salvation Army

Every year 25 million people benefit from the money raised by The Salvation Army's volunteer bell ringers. And the process to become a volunteer is simple. Just sign up for a date, time, and location! The famous red kettle and cheerful bell will be waiting for you when you arrive at your shift. And this opportunity doesn't have to be done alone, in fact, The Salvation Army encourages volunteers to sign up with friends! 

Sign up for a shift 🎅

Additional ways to give 🎁

 

Jolly Holiday Lights

This Greater Des Moines favorite is back for its 24th year! Here are some of our favorite things about this event: 

  • 2.5 miles of 100 twinkly light attractions
  • 100% of the ticket proceeds go to Make-A-Wish® Iowa
  • In its lifetime, Jolly Holiday Lights has funded 900 wishes for Iowa children

And the number one thing we love about this event? You can volunteer to be part of this festive tradition by helping in the Wish Shop! 

Sign up to be a wish shop worker ✨

 

City of West Des Moines

West Des Moines' Human Services Holiday Assistance Program provides help to low-income, elderly, and disabled individuals. Many of the households they work with struggle to afford basic necessities, so their goal for the holiday season is to help alleviate some of those hardships that make it difficult to enjoy the holidays. Find out how you can help these households with the resources below: 

Giving opportunities 🧣🧤

Volunteer opportunities ❤️

 

Festival of Trees & Lights 

The Festival of Trees & Lights benefits two vital programs at Blank Children's Hospital: Child Life and Advocacy & Outreach. Surround yourself with beautifully decorated trees and spread the holiday cheer by volunteering for a shift at the bakery, ticket counter, concessions, craft stations, entertainment stage, scavenger hunt area, raffle table, special activity room or boutique! 

Spread the cheer and sign up for a shift 🎄

Decorate a tree 🌟

 

Urban Dreams

This organization has been providing Des Moines’ inner city with a wide range of human service programs that break down barriers for underserved and underrepresented populations since 1985. From contributing to the neighborhood safety by building relations with the local police to providing mental health counseling, substance abuse recovery classes, and college/workforce prep classes, Urban Dreams is here to make a difference in Central Iowa! 

Volunteer 🙋‍♂️🙋‍♀️

Donate 🛍️

 

Adopt a family or child

  • Anawim Housing
    • Contact: Hannah Landgraf, hlandgraf@anawimhousing.org, (515) 809-1156
  • Bidwell Riverside Center
    • Contact: Missy Reams, mreams@bidwellriverside.org, (515) 244-6251​
  • Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Iowa
    • Contact: Amy Hall, ahall@bbbsia.org, (515) 288-9025 ext. 235
  • Children & Families of Iowa
    • Contact: Jill Haupts, volunteer@cfiowa.org, (515) 697-7961
  • Children and Family Urban Movement
    • Contact: Janelle Mueller, Janelle@cfum.org, (515) 282-3242
  • Children's Cancer Connection
    • ​Contact: Stacie Gaylor, stacie@childrenscancerconnection.org, (515) 243-6239 ext. 1109
  • Des Moines Public Schools Success Program
    • Jennifer Stalder, jennifer.stalder@dmschools.org, (515) 242-8394
  • EveryStep
    • Contact: Leslie Taft, ltaft@everystep.org, (515) 371-0912
  • Hawthorn Hill
    • Melanie Wright, melanie@hawthorn-hill.org, (515) 244-9748
  • HOME, INC.
    • Contact: Kourtney Kirkpatrick, kirkpatrick.kourtney@homeincdsm.org, (515) 243-1277 ext. 212
  • Link Associates 
    • Contact: Cristy Jennings, cjennings@linkassociates.org, (515) 262-8888 ext.340
  • Mentor Iowa
    • Contact: Marty Lester, marty@mentoriowa.org, (515) 277-9797
  • Oakridge Neighborhood
    • Contact: Esther Morris, emorris@oakridgeneighborhood.org, (515) 244-7702
  • Orchard Place
    • Contact: Brandie Broadhead, bbroadhead@orchardplace.org, (515) 287-9621
  • Polk County Department of Human Services
    • Contact: Amanda Hardin, ahardin@dhs.state.ia.us, (515) 725-2743
  • Polk County Family Enrichment Center
    • Contact: Jodi Trimble Dirks, jodi.dirks@polkcountyiowa.gov, (515) 286-3406
  • West Des Moines Human Services
    • Contact: Melinda Hotovec, melinda.hotovec@wdm.iowa.gov, (515) 222-3663
  • Youth Emergency Services & Shelter (YESS) 
    • Contact: Jana Daisy, daisyj@yessiowa.org, (515) 282-9377
  • Youth Justice Initiative
    • Contact: Ashlee Swinton, youth.justice@wdm.iowa.gov, (515) 371-0218

 

Visit the Elderly

  • UnityPoint Hospice and Taylor House
    • Contact: Erin Haafke, erin.haafke@unitypoint.org, (515) 727-7612
  • WesleyLife Meals on Wheels 
    • Contact: Brittany Hopwood, bhopwood@wesleylife.org, (515) 204-5537
  • WesleyLife
    • Contact: Katelyn Hobin, khobin@wesleylife.org, (515) 699-3250

 

Donate Canned Food

  • Bidwell Riverside Center
    • Contact: Missy Reams, mreams@bidwellriverside.org, (515) 244-6251
  • Catholic Charities
    • Contact: Holly Ackermann, hackermann@catholiccharitiesdm.org, (515) 237-5027
  • Central Iowa Shelter & Services
    • Contact: Melissa Grandischnig, MelissaG@centraliowashelter.org, (515) 564-5752
  • Children & Families of Iowa 
    • Contact: Jill Haupts, volunteer@cfiowa.org, (515) 697-7961
  • Community Youth Concepts
    • Contact: Alicia Vermeer, alicia@cyconcepts.org, (515) 243-4292
  • Des Moines Public Schools Success Program
    • Contact: Jennifer Stalder, jennifer.stalder@dmschools.org, (515) 242-8394
  • DMARC
    • Contact: Shoshana Salowitz, ssalowitz@dmarcunited.org, (515) 277-6969
  • Hope Ministries 
    • Contact: Leslie Green, lgreen@hopeiowa.org, (515) 265-7272
  • Impact Community Action Partnership 
    • Contact: Hannah Nelsen, hnelsen@impactcap.org, (515) 274-9943
  • Johnston Partnership
    • Contact: Andrea Cook, andrea@johnstonpartnership.org, (515) 868-1357
  • West Des Moines Human Services
    • Contact: Melinda Hotovec, melinda.hotovec@wdm.iowa.gov, (515) 222-3663
  • YMCA Supportive Housing Campus
    • Contact: Sarah Wigen, sarah.wigen@dmymca.org, (515) 288-2424

 

Donate Clothes

  • Bidwell Riverside Center
    • Missy Reams, mreams@bidwellriverside.org, (515) 244-6251
  • Catholic Charities
    • Contact: Holly Ackermann, hackermann@catholiccharitiesdm.org, (515) 237-5027
  • Central Iowa Shelter & Services
    • Contact: Melissa Grandischnig, MelissaG@centraliowashelter.org, (515) 564-5752
  • EMBARC
    • Contact: Kaira Carter, kaira@embarciowa.org, (515) 509-0794
  • EveryStep
    • Contact: Leslie Taft, ltaft@everystep.org, (515) 371-0912
  • Iowa Homeless Youth Centers
    • Contact: Jaime Yowler, jyowler@yss.org, (515) 883-2379
  • Johnston Partnership
    • Contact: Andrea Cook, andrea@johnstonpartnership.org, (515) 868-1357
  • Link Associates
    • Contact: Cristy Jennings, cjennings@linkassociates.org, (515) 262-8888 ext. 340
  • Mentor Iowa 
    • Contact: Marty Lester, marty@mentoriowa.org, (515) 277-9797
  • WesleyLife
    • Contact: Katelyn Hobin, khobin@wesleylife.org, (515) 699-3250
  • Young Women's Resource Center
    • Contact: Cindy Tello, ctello@ywrc.org, (515) 244-4901
  • Youth Justice Initiative 
    • Contact: Ashlee Swinton, youth.justice@wdm.iowa.gov, (515) 371-0218

 

Donate Toys

  • Bidwell Riverside Center
    • Contact: Missy Reams, mreams@bidwellriverside.org, (515) 244-6251
  • Catholic Charities
    • Contact: Holly Ackermann, hackermann@catholiccharitiesdm.org, (515) 237-5027
  • Children & Families of Iowa
    • Contact: Jill Haupts, volunteer@cfiowa.org, (515) 697-7961
  • Des Moines Public Schools Success Program
    • Contact: Jennifer Stalder, jennifer.stalder@dmschools.org, (515) 242-8394
  • EMBARC
    • Contact: Kaira Carter, kaira@embarciowa.org, (515) 509-0794
  • EveryStep
    • Contact: Leslie Taft, ltaft@everystep.org, (515) 371-0912
  • Hawthorn Hill
    • Contact: Melanie Wright, melanie@hawthorn-hill.org, (515) 244-9748
  • Hispanic Educational Resources
    • Contact: Margarita Pizanom, mpizano@herdsm.org, (515) 242-0225
  • Johnston Partnership
    • Contact: Andrea Cook, andrea@johnstonpartnership.org, (515) 868-1357
  • Link Associates
    • ​Contact: Cristy Jennings, cjennings@linkassociates.org, (515) 262-8888 ext.340
  • Lutheran Services in Iowa  
    • Contact: Mariah Himes, mariah.himes@lsiowa.org, (515) 633-3057
  • Mentor Iowa
    • Contact: Marty Lester, marty@mentoriowa.org, (515) 277-9797
  • Oakridge Neighborhood 
    • Contact: Esther Morris, emorris@oakridgeneighborhood.org, (515) 244-7702
  • Orchard Place 
    • Contact: Brandie Broadhead, bbroadhead@orchardplace.org, (515) 287-9621
  • Polk County Family Enrichment Center
    • Contact: Jodi Trimble Dirks, jodi.dirks@polkcountyiowa.gov, (515) 286-3406
  • The Salvation Army
    • Contact: Amy DeCastro, amy.decastro@usc.salvationarmy.org, (515) 282-3599
  • U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants
    • Contact: Samantha Huynh, shuynh@uscri-desmoines.org, (515) 528-7525
  • West Des Moines Human Services
    • Contact: Melinda Hotovec, melinda.hotovec@wdm.iowa.gov, (515) 222-3663
  • Youth Emergency Services (YESS) 
    • Contact: Jana Daisy, daisyj@yessiowa.org, (515) 282-9377
  • Youth Justice Initiative
    • Contact: Ashlee Swinton, youth.justice@wdm.iowa.gov, (515) 371-0218 
  • Young Women's Resource Center 
    • Contact: Cindy Tello, ctello@ywrc.org, (515) 244-4901