Winter Volunteer Opportunities

This winter is full of volunteering opportunities that Northwest High School Students can participate in to help and better their community.

The Waukee School District has its own volunteer program, Silver Cord. Kathleen O’Brien supervises Silver Cord and has its own Canvas page and website, where opportunities from the school district and local nonprofits who post ads on the site can be viewed. 

Due to the harsh weather, many people and nonprofit organizations need extra help during the winter. Students have multiple opportunities to volunteer or donate to local nonprofits.

“There are lots of things going on, lots of Christmas programs, lots of Salvation Army, it has a need for kids to help with the bell ringing[…] also the food pantries seem to be extra busy during this time of year with lots of families needing extra help for their holiday meals[…]. Many Hands Thrift Market has more of a need with volunteers too because the need is greater, people are using them to get warm clothes,” said O’Brien. 

In addition to volunteering out of entertainment or interest, Silver Cord offers an opportunity for experience, especially in the medical field, which can stand out to certain colleges.

“Iowa Methodist Hospital, Iowa Lutheran Hospital [and] Mercy have programs for volunteer teenagers,” stated O’Brien.

Senior Vye Nyaka and senior Rowan Decker are Northwest students who have finished their 150 Silver Cord hours. 

Nyaka stated, “I love [giving] back to my community through love and support.”

Decker suggested, “Find an organization that you really connect with and stay with that organization because it’s one thing if you just pick up a bunch of random volunteer shifts at 20 million different organizations and you might get your hours done, but I don’t think you’re gonna get the full experience of seeing the impact on the community.”

There are still ways to help out the community without volunteering, there are nonprofits that need help through donations such as Waukee Area Christian Services, which is a food pantry, clothing closet, health clinic for those in need, local thrift stores and various community drives such as Toys for Tots.