Volunteering During COVID-19 Closures
For students who still have hours to complete, we are relaxing Silver Cord guidelines until further notice. You can now volunteer in your own home, volunteer for your family or someone else in need that is not an official non-profit organization, and/or have a parent serve as the supervisor for a volunteer activity.
See below for a list of ideas for volunteer activities you can complete at home. They will also be listed in the Silver Cord Online drop-down list. These activities are pre-approved and do not have to submitted for individual pre-approval.
You can also come up with ideas of your own and submit for credit using the pre-approval titled: “2020 WDMCS Silver Cord – Volunteering at Home,” which can be found on the Silver Cord Online drop-down list when you submit for credit.
View More
2020 WDMCS Silver Cord – Share your love of Silver Cord! (Make a Video)
May 1-June 19
At your home
What do you love about doing Silver Cord? Now is your chance to share! Create a short video (15-20 seconds) of yourself talking about why you enjoy volunteering as part of Silver Cord. When you're finished, send the video to bonusc@wdmcs.org, then submit your hour using "2020 WDMCS Silver Cord - Share your love of Silver Cord!" You will receive one hour of credit! More info below.
How to sign up: Write your script and use props if you have them. Start recording your video with your phone in LANDSCAPE MODE. Record for 15-20 seconds.
Additional Information Create a short video (15-20 seconds) of yourself talking about why you enjoy volunteering as part of Silver Cord. Please talk about your experience with the program in general, not just during COVID-19. No need to get fancy, but please make sure your phone is in landscape mode. When you're done, email your video to bonusc@wdmcs.org, then submit your hour using "2020 WDMCS Silver Cord - Share your love of Silver Cord!" You will receive one hour of SC credit! We will share these videos with our 8th graders to help show them why Silver Cord is great.
View More
2020 WDMCS Silver Cord – UnityPoint Mask Making – Fabric Available – 3000 still needed
March 30-June 30
Drop off location: Blank Children's Hospital Parking Garage
UnityPoint health is collecting handmade masks. We ask that you follow the pattern and instructions which are included on this page. If you have already made masks with another pattern that's OK.
Drop off location: Blank Children's Hospital Parking Garage
1200 Pleasant Street, Des Moines, IA 50309
How to sign up: Volunteers can do this project at home. When submitting hours through Silver Cord Online a parent or guardian can be used as the contact supervisor. We are using the honor system to track hours served at home. Thank you for helping our health care workers! Cotton fabric is preferred, but cotton/polyester blends are ok. T-shirt material is also ok. Need fabric? Contact Mrs. Weeklund at weeklunde@wdmcs.org.
Shift Times: Here is the link for the pattern: https://www.unitypoint.org/help
Additional Information NEW INFORMATION: APRIL 8, 2020. MASKS SHOULD BE FINISHED. Please disregard in the instructions that masks should be unfinished. We need them FINISHED, please. Masks do not need a filter inserted. Masks should not be prewashed – we will be laundering at our facility. Masks can be dropped off at our Donation Station at Iowa Methodist Medical Center. Located in Parking Ramp – use Handicap Parking Entrance and you will see signage to the left. If you need someone to pick up masks, someone from our Volunteer Services team will try to do so. Please just let us know. If you have clean fabric, hair ties or elastic – those can be given to the Donation Station too. Or we can do our best to arrange for pick up.
View More
2020 WDMCS Silver Cord – Des Moines Rocks!
April 1-June 30
neighborhoods, walking trails and bike paths
On the Des Moines Rocks Facebook page there is a "forms" link which will take you to directions on how to paint rocks. May sure you take a picture of your rock and download it when you submit your hours online.
neighborhoods, walking trails and bike paths
Additional Information Des Moines Rocks is supported by community members, young and old, sharing joy and kindness by painting and hiding rocks to bring smiles to others in our community since 2016. Check out the Des Moines Rocks Facebook page or go to Pinterest for rock painting ideas.
View More
AHeinz Pet Rescue – rolling newspapers for rescued pets – papers provided!
January 1-June 30
At Home
This is perhaps one of the easiest volunteer jobs ever! Rolls of potty-training newspapers are needed for puppies in foster care. A volunteer from AHeinz57 will drop off a stack of newspapers and rubber bands for you, and pick them up when you are done. All you do is roll the papers up! There is a short video available to teach you exactly what to do.
How to sign up: Contact Teri Nizzi at teri.nizzi@aheinz57.com or 971-1919.
View More
Make-A-Wish Foundation – Messages of Hope
January 1-June 30
Online
Step 1 - Create a message, video, photo, song, dance —whatever you can imagine — sharing a message of hope. Step 2 - Post to any social media channel, tag @MakeAWish (@MakeAWishAmerica on Instagram) & use the hashtag, #WishesAreWaiting. Step 3 -Tag and invite 2 or more of your friends to join in. Visit the web site for tips on what to include, or to see examples from around the country!
Online
3705 Aspen, West Des Moines, IA 50265
How to sign up: After you share your video, make sure you let us know how we can find it through your Silver Cord Online submission for credit. This will allow us to also share your video on our WDMCS Silver Cord Facebook page.
Additional Information Every child deserves a childhood, but right now, more wishes are waiting than ever before. And in these challenging times, Make-A-Wish kids represent some of the most vulnerable of our population. While they wait for their wish to come true, help us do all we can to encourage them by sharing a message of hope.
View More
2020 WDMCS Silver Cord – Letters to the elderly
April 8-June 30
Woodlands Creek or The Lodge of Ashworth, both located in the WDMCS district
Woodlands Creek and the Lodge of Ashworth are two of our community/school partners. Right now all senior living communities are not allowing visitors. This social change makes letters and cards even more important.
Woodlands Creek or The Lodge of Ashworth, both located in the WDMCS district
wdm, IA 50265
How to sign up: Check out the attached guide for ideas on what to write about in your letter.
Additional Information Letters can go to: Woodlands Creek, Attn: Jasna Beganovic, 12675 Woodlands Parkway, Clive, Iowa 50325. or Lodge of Ashworth, Attn: Brooke Avila, 909 Ashworth Road, West Des Moines, Iowa 50265
View More
2020 WDMCS Silver Cord – Volunteering at Home
March 24-July 31
At Student's Home
Until local non profits are ready to recruit volunteers, WDMCS Community Education is allowing students to serve their families and the community through the Silver Cord program. Students can now volunteer in their own home for their family or someone else in need.Current ideas include making pet blankets for the ARL or for the Children's Cancer Connection, make homeless kits, write letters to health care professionals, write letters to seniors in retirement communities, paint Kindness Rock and put them outside for others to find, make a YouTube video reading a children's book, start a family game night, take your dog on a walk, write a letter to your grandparents or an elderly neighbor, do yard work for a neighbor in need. In the days to come we will be updating our pre-approved page with ideas and mare ways to serve.
At Student's Home
West Des Moines, IA 50265
How to sign up: When submitting hours please look for the activity called "2020 WDMCS Silver Cord - Volunteering at Home" Your supervisor will be your parent or another adult. You will need to type in their contact information so they can approve the hours for you. PHOTOS uploaded to Silver Cord Online ARE HIGHLY ENCOURAGED! Take a picture of your project, take a selfie while you are doing your activity. It's a great time to be of service!!
Volunteer Age Requirement 2019 - 2020 9th through 12th graders
Additional Information Service opportunities will be on the pre approved activities page and the drop down in Silver Cord Online. We will do our best to keep this lists updated. Thank you!!
View More
Edgewater Retirement Community – Student/Senior Citizen Pen Pals
April 17-October 1
Via email or mailing letters and
The residents of Edgewater would love to receive letters and write letters back. Make someone’s day by sending a letter telling about yourself and starting a new connection. You can write a letter and mail it or email it. Include your email address and your physical address so that residents can write you back in the method that they prefer.
Via email or mailing letters and
9225 Cascade Avenue, West Des Moines, IA 50266
How to sign up: Mail a letter to: Edgewater Activities Dept Attn: Nicki Novak 9225 Cascade Avenue West Des Moines, IA. 50266 Or you can email it to Nicki at NNovak@wesleylife.org
View More
Children’s Cancer Connection Blankets
January 1-December 31
Valley High School Counseling Center
The Children’s Cancer Connection is collecting blankets to send with kids to camp. Handmade polar fleece tie blankets for both boys and girls ages 5-18 are needed. COVID 19 UPDATE: Please hang onto your blankets until further notice. You can still earn 2 hours of credit for each month through June. When submitting hours take a photo of you and your blanket and upload it into Silver Cord online. Blanket drop off will most likely be in the fall when the counseling center is open.
Valley High School Counseling Center
Additional Information Two hours of Silver Cord Credit can be earned by purchasing the fleece, making the blanket. Students can make one blanket a month. PLEASE note: in order to get credit you must remember to cut off the salvage of the fleece as well as make sure you knot the strips (not just tie them once). To learn how to make a blanket please review the attached directions.