Needs From: Volunteer Center of Cedar Valley

Our volunteers prepare the meal from 3:30 to 5:00, serve the meal to our guests from 5:00 to 5:30, and then clean up from 5:30 to 6:30. We have four chefs, each cooking one Sunday a month. They determine the menu and provide direction to our volunteers who help prepare the meal. We also have a volunteer leader each Sunday, who coordinates the volunteers with the work assignments to keep things running smoothly. They are joined by a pastor and youth helper each Sunday.

The shifts available each Sunday are from 3:30 - 5:00pm and 4:30 - 6:00pm, three volunteers are needed for each shift. 

Help beautify the city by serving as a caretaker of a local park, green space, or trail with the Adopt A Spot program! This community partnership seeks to promote civic pride and maintain Cedar Falls as a clean, safe, and attractive place to live and visit.

Citizen engagement and volunteerism is a key component in helping the City uphold the cleanliness of our outdoor recreational areas. As part of this program, volunteers 'adopt' a park, trail, or green space location within the city limits. Suggested locations are listed, but if you would like to adopt a space that is not on this list, please inform the City Parks team. Organizations, individuals, families, neighborhoods, and businesses are all welcome to get involved and make a difference!

Suggested Adopt-A-Spots:

Washington Park (598 East 9th Street)
Overman Park (316 West 3rd Street)
Pfeiffer Springs Park (910-916 Grand Blvd)
Lookout Park (at the intersection of Mandalay and Park Drive)
Gateway Park (206 Grant Street)
Place to Play Park (corner of Algonquin and Ashworth Drive) *HIGH-NEED AREA
Seerley Park (2315 Iowa Street)
Clay Street Park (15th and Clay Street)
Birdsall Memorial Park (12th Street and Lexington) *HIGH-NEED AREA
Orchard Hill Park (1701 Primrose/McClain Drive)
Bess Streeter Aldrich Park (2900 Hiawatha Drive)
Kuehn's Park (Rownd Street and Pleasant Drive)
El Dorado Heights Park (Quesada and Cordoba Avenue) 
Mayor's Bridge Trail (to Nordic Drive along Highway 58)
Big Woods Trail (1228 Big Woods Road)
Prairie Lakes Trail (924 Viking Road)
Paw Park (3200 South Main Street)
Skate Park (Seerley Boulevard and Grove Street)

The purpose of this position is to support the successful execution of the 2nd Annual Juneteenth Car Show and Arts & Craft Show by assisting with event operations, vendor coordination, and guest engagement. This role helps advance the museum’s mission by fostering community connection, celebrating African American culture and history, and increasing public awareness and participation.

Assist with event setup and teardown, including tents, tables, signage, and vendor spaces Support vendor and car show registration, check-in, and fee collection as needed Provide general event support by greeting guests, answering questions, and directing attendees Help coordinate event flow, including parking, staging, and activity areas Monitor event areas to ensure a safe, clean, and welcoming environment Represent the museum in a professional and friendly manner while engaging with the community.

No formal education or prior experience required; a willingness to learn and support the mission is most important Strong communication and interpersonal skills; ability to interact positively with diverse community members. Reliable, punctual, and able to work independently or as part of a team Ability to stand, walk, and assist with light lifting (tables, chairs, supplies) as needed Volunteers must be at least 16 years old (younger participants may volunteer with a parent or guardian) This opportunity is accessible to individuals with disabilities, with accommodations available upon request. No background check required for this role.

Volunteers are needed each Saturday (May through October) for set up at the farmers market. Primary responsibilities include opening up Expo Plaza entrances, unloading supplies from market trailer, setting up market info tent, signage, and other supplies, using expo plaza map to direct vendors to their stalls.

Volunteers are needed each Saturday (May through October) for tear down at the end of the farmers market day. Primary responsibilities include clean up in the expo plaza, loading supplies in the market trailer, tearing down market tents, signage, and other supplies. When needed helping vendors with tear down.

We are launching the NCC Junior Ambassadors Club, an event designed to get kids (ages 3–13) excited about agriculture through hands-on learning. We’ll be at the Hippodrome every other Tuesday from noon to 2pm on the following dates: 

We need 4 volunteers on each day to help run various stations. These stations include:

Volunteers should be good with kids and want to have fun! 

¡Fiesta! is a free, family-friendly festival that features food, entertainment and education focusing on Latin American countries. The festival is happening downtown Waterloo at the RiverLoop Amphitheater on July 18, 2026. In addition, representative from the community will be walking in the My Waterloo Days Parade on Friday, June 5. There are volunteer opportunities throughout the day, including set up, tear down, festival maintenance, assisting the piñata team,  working in the bar tents and more! For more information about the festival as a whole, please visit our event website HERE. If you are interested in more information about volunteering for the parade on June 5 or the festival on July 18, please reach out to Joanna at joanna.waggoner-norquest@waterloo-ia.org or 319-291-4490 extension 3419 to learn more and get connected with our volunteer sign ups.

Enjoy the outdoors while making a difference this summer!

We're looking for someone to help with lawn care and outdoor maintenance while supporting the foster and adoptive community. Responsibilities include:

This is a great opportunity for someone who enjoys working outside and wants to contribute to a meaningful cause that supports foster and adoptive families.

If you're interested or would like more information, we'd love to hear from you!

We are looking for volunteers during this big event, celebrating Americas 250th Anniversary

Sign up link: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E0B4DABAA22A7F85-64346794-field

Seeking people who would be willing to help us get 3,000 rubber ducks into (and back out) the lazy river at The Falls Aquatic Center for our duck race fundraiser.  This would be fun for a group.

We are seeking volunteers to assist with our summer camp programming. Volunteers will assist Museum Educators in executing themed programming, activities, and crafts. Must be willing to work with children of varying ages and needs. Must be able to pass a background check. Shifts are flexible based on volunteer's availability.

The Great Rubber Duck Splash is a fundraiser for North Star - the public "adopts" ducks and they race around the lazy river at The Falls for cash prizes.  Support is needed for fun kid activities, the Kid's Fun Run, event registration and getting those duckies in the water.  Groups are welcome!

This 5K is part of our larger Rubber Duck Splash fundraiser.  We need support with set-up, registration, water station and cheering our runners on!  

MAKE A DIFFERENCE! We are looking for compassionate people who want to make a positive impact in the lives our hospice patients. Being a hospice volunteer will enrich your life, and you will build a deep human connection when getting to know our patients on a personal level. 

Thank you for your interest in volunteering with the Northeast Iowa Food Bank! We appreciate your support of our mission. For those interested in gaining experience in a warehouse setting, this volunteer opportunity is perfect for you. The Northeast Iowa Food Bank is looking for individuals to assist with basic support in the warehouse.

To sign up immediately through our website, please visit NEIFB Volunteer Website and sign up. Locate "Warehouse" on the calendar and start receiving notifications for your volunteer time! For questions, please contact Raechel Miller at rmiller@neifb.org.

Location: 1605 Lafayette Street, Waterloo, Iowa 50703

Flexible Scheduling!

Hours Vary | 8:00 am-4:30 pm hours are available. 

You must wear closed toe shoes.

Adult volunteers are needed to count cash, clean pens and feed animals. This could require lifting up to 20 pounds. This person should be able to assist guiding teen volunteers and general grounds keeping. A major part of this job is to interact with people coming to visit, both young and old.

A mandatory orientation to be scheduled.

Adults should be proficient in making change and interacting with people. Zoo t-shirts will be provided and are expected to be worn.

Volunteers should commit to routine days and times and attend when expected. Dress accordingly during hot weather. 

Teen volunteers are needed to clean pens and feed animals. This could require lifting up to 20 pounds. This person should be able to assist with daily chores and general grounds keeping. A major part of this job is to interact with people.

A mandatory orientation will be scheduled.

Zoo t-shirts will be provided and are expected to be worn.

Volunteers should commit to routine days and times and attend when expected. Dress accordingly during hot weather. 

One adult will be paired with 3-4 volunteers.

Tuesday – Thursday 11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m.
Friday – Saturday 11 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. until 6 p.m.
Sunday Noon – 4:00 p.m.
Closed on Mondays