As the seasons are changing, the days are getting colder, the holidays are approaching, and we need to step back and look at those that are in need during these times. I have had the pleasure of volunteering at Des Moines Homeless Shelters and Services in the past and during the holidays. Being a volunteer is one of the most fulfilling experiences I have had and seeing the look on the faces I have helped is priceless.
Whether it is going to a nursing home and spending some time with the elderly, visiting children at the Children’s Hospital, working at the soup kitchen, or even just donating items to a shelter can help. Sharing your time and talents as a volunteer can bring happiness to those around you and to your own soul.
Some places to volunteer in Des Moines, Iowa are:
Central Iowa Shelter & Services
Amy Olson, VISTA Program & Volunteer Coordinator
515-284-5719
volunteer@centraliowashelter.org
Youth Emergency Services and Shelter
Jana Daisy, Community Activities Manager
515-282-9377
daisyj@yessiowa.org
Hope Ministries
515-265-7272
info@hopeiowa.org
Hawthorn Hill
515-243-7456
Brittany@hawthorn-hill.org
As Mother Teresa states, “Let us touch the dying, the poor, the lonely, and the unwanted according to the graces we have received and let us not be ashamed or slow to do the humble work.”