UISC Partnering with United Way!
UI Staff Council is committed to outreach in our surrounding communities. We invite you to visit these links if you would like to make an impact by volunteering with United Way of Johnson and Washington Counties:
- Browse local opportunities to get involved at the Volunteer Center
- Find ways your group can make a difference at the Group Volunteering page.
- Sign up to receive United Way's Volunteer Express Newsletter notification in your email or view the most recent one to find current volunteer opportunities in the community.
Upcoming volunteer events:
The Food Pantry at Iowa
Staff Council Hosting Blood Drives on East and West Sides of Campus
Dance Marathon Big Event 32
Shelter House Book Sale 2026
Literary Giants
UISC Volunteers of the Month for November:
Councilor Volunteer Impact in 2024/25
UISC Councilors in the Community
Holiday Lights at the Lake
Council Carolers at Hope Lodge
Breakfast of Champions (at Night)
Finals Week: Test Proctors Needed
Open Heartland Cookie Drive
Stuff the Semi Food Drive
Open Heartland Elf Family Giving Drive
DVIP Souper Bowl, 2/20/25
UISC councilors picked up soup donations from local restaurants and helped serve at the event.
All proceeds from the event went to support DVIP of Iowa City.
Dance Marathon Big Event 31!
The University of Iowa Dance Marathon is a student organization that provides year-round support to youth cancer patients and their families. The Big Event is a 24-hour Dance Marathon where students assemble to celebrate all survivors and remember the children who have passed away throughout the year.
UISC showed our support again this year by volunteering for the Big Event! Councilors spent time in the family room making crafts with kids and their families, helped with registration and with helping families navigate to the event.
UISC Sponsored Blood Drives
Staff Council sponsored 2 blood drives in January 2025 collecting 33 units for the DeGowin Blood Center!!
We had a truly great turnout and hope to beat those numbers next year!
Magic Carpet Making!!
In honor of the 2025 Human Rights week UISC councilors helped make Magic Carpets for kids in the Johnson and Washington county areas to encourage reading!! UISC has partnered with United Way in the past to make literacy kits and a large book donation and we will continue to support them in their many missions!
Holiday Lights at the Lake 2023
Volunteers assisted with directing traffic, taking donations, and spreading holiday cheer!
The weather was great on most evenings, and we were able to show lots of support to the Hospice House of Johnson County in their yearly fundraising event!
2024 Celebration of Human Rights Week
UI Staff Council members joined in celebrating Human Rights Week here on campus by volunteering!
In partnership with United Way, they assisted in assembling literacy kits to benefit local K-6th grade kids and hygiene kits to be distributed to Free Medical Clinic clients in need.
DVIP Kit Assembly 2024
UISC partnered with members of the CLAS Staff Council to assemble kits for the Domestic Violence Intervention Program. These kits included items to aid in mental health/coping skills and maternal health.
We look to help and encourage those who are in need and will continue to reach out to DVIP and assist with future needs and events.
UISC Adopt-A-Highway Fall 2023 Event
UISC Councilors along with family and friends braved the cold and met up for our fall clean-up event on 10/28/23.
We always have a great time and find lots of "treasures" along the way!
UI Homecoming Parade 2023
UISC members, family, and friends marched in the parade and had an awesome time celebrating the Hawkeyes!
BBQ Bash!
Shelter House of Iowa City held its annual BBQ Bash fundraiser to support the individuals and families in need of housing. UISC members helped with set-up and with serving food and drinks at this event.
HopeWalk 2023
The 10th annual HopeWalk for suicide awareness and prevention was held on 9/16/23 at Cherry Hill Park in Cedar Rapids Iowa. UISC members assisted with setting up the event as well as serving food and clean-up.
2023 ON IOWA!
August 13 - August 20
Councilors helped support incoming freshman and transfer students to the University by assisting with registration, moving into dorms, and passing out swag items!
Iowa State Fair Booth
Saturday 8/12/23 or Monday 8/14/23
Councilors hosted a booth at the Iowa State Fair providing information about the University of Iowa Staff Council and passed out swag!
RAGBRAI 2023
July 23rd to July 29th
UISC Volunteers prepared seed bombs for RAGBRAI riders to throw as they were riding through Iowa to promote native wildflower growth to the state. And, UISC Volunteers helped at a number of locations as RAGBRAI riders came through the Coralville area; including registration, food distribution, and clean-up.
Iowa City Pride Parade & Festival
June 17th 2023
Councilors marched in the parade to show support for PRIDE Month!
Juneteenth Concert & Celebration
Iowa City, Friday June 16th 2023
Our Community Outreach Committee invited Staff Councilors to help out with this special celebration.
Juneteenth honors the end to slavery in the United States and is considered the longest-running African American holiday. Volunteers for this event helped in setting things up, trash removal, serving food and drinks, and by providing assistance as needed to event organizers.
Adopt-A-Highway
UISC Spring Clean-up Event - May 20th 2023
The Community Outreach Committee invited all UISC members and their friends and family to help with our Spring highway clean-up!
This was our 3rd clean-up event and we found many "treasures" that are not removed from our stretch of highway! We will continue in our efforts to help our community and the environment.
Hope Lodge Chorale Concert
Thursday May 18th, 2023
The Community Outreach Committee sponsored a choral concert through the Cedar Rapids Concert Chorale at the Hope Lodge in Iowa City to entertain patients staying there while receiving cancer treatments.
The American Cancer Society facilitates care and lodging for patients that travel 40+ miles or more in order to receive treatments. We wanted to do our part to help make these patients more comfortable and take their minds to a more beautiful place while they receive the care they need.
The event was a great time for all and we look forward to going back!
Donation Drive - Food Pantry @ Iowa
March 6th to March 24th 2023
The UISC Community Outreach Committee organized a donations drive to support the Food Pantry @ Iowa which helps individuals and families in need who are affiliated with the University of Iowa as students or employees.
627.13Ibs of dry goods were collected over the 3-week period!!!!
Shelter House Book Sale
March 25th & 26th 2023
Staff Councilors helped to sort books, DVD's, games, and puzzles in preparation and helped the day of the sale to raise funds assisting Shelter House in supporting their mission of helping families and individuals in need in the Iowa City area.
UI Dance Marathon
University of Iowa Dance Marathon 29 Big Event!
Staff Councilors took shifts helping to keep track of DM Dancer bags among other duties and cannot wait to help again next year!!!!
Holiday Lights at the Lake 2022
The Bird House Hospice-Home of Johnson County
Staff Councilors volunteered at the Holiday Lights on the Lake event supported by the Bird House Hospice-Home of Johnson County at the West Overlook Campground at the Coralville Reservoir. Volunteers helped to guide traffic, scanned tickers and handed out brochures and candy canes to visitors. This is a yearly event and Staff Council looks forward to supporting this event again in 2023!
Concessions at Kinnick 2022
Home Football Games from October through November
On home game days during the Hawkeye football season, volunteers worked concessions at Kinnick Stadium! This was a fun and fast-paced volunteering opportunity. This volunteer opportunity helped Shelter House of Iowa City raise money that allows them to continue providing support in our community!
Homecoming Parade 2022
Friday, October 28
Staff Council members along with their family and friends marched in the Iowa Homecoming Parade on 10/28/22. Candy, stress-balls and 2,500 pom-poms were handed out to the Iowa City community on behalf of Staff Council. Go Hawks!!!
View the link: https://youtu.be/tPWhtE_XQuA?t=4053
Adopt-A-Highway Clean-Up 2022
On Saturday, October 15, 2022 Staff Council members met to do our second Adopt-A-Highway clean-up event. It was a beautiful day for the event and everyone involved had a a blast.
Staff Council will continue to support the cleaning of our adopted stretch of highway and look forward to our next clean-up in the spring of 2023!
HOPEwalk 2022
Staff Council members volunteered for the HOPEwalk suicide prevention event on Sept. 17, 2022.
This is a yearly event held in Cedar Rapids, IA at Cherry Hill Park. As a Council we offered our services by volunteering to give our time to help run this event which provides support to families dealing with the aftereffects of suicide as well as prevention. ?
OnIowa 2022
Staff Council members volunteered to assist new students to campus in registration/check-in as well as in moving into dorm rooms.
This is a yearly event that supports new students coming to our awesome campus!
