Get Involved

If you have any questions throughout the application process, please contact our Community Engagement Department at 319-930.2030 or by email at communityengagement@dvipiowa.org

Our volunteer opportunities include:

• Answering crisis calls and providing resources to clients over the phone.
• Bringing individuals into the shelter and completing emergency shelter intakes.
• Providing support, information, and referrals to clients.
• Assisting with daily operations of shelter: donations, supplies, cleaning, and organizing.
• Attend protective order hearings or file for TPOs with clients.
• Provide support for youth services and youth programming.
• Support group facilitation. 
• Meeting clients to drop off requested items. 

Support Service Volunteers work primarily with Shelter Coordinators, but may also work on projects with other DVIP staff to:

• Pick-up, organize and distribute donations.
• Respond to in-shelter resource/supply needs of shelter residents. 
• Clean and stock supplies.
• Provide grounds maintenance.

Administrative Volunteers work primarily with DVIP Community Engagement on office-related projects including:

• General office work such as filing, organizing, digitizing files, mailings, and folding brochures.
• Sorting and processing donations and delivering to partner organizations when necessary. 
• Cleaning the public office building’s main area. 

Event Volunteers provide volunteer support for DVIP public events including the Souper Bowl and Shop for Shelter and can include: 

• Groups/organizations and individual volunteers working shifts in support of a particular fundraising or donation event – for example: Shop for Shelter volunteers hand out shopping lists to guests 
• Events that are open to the public and often involve volunteers interacting with the public on behalf of DVIP. 
• Hosting a donation drive on behalf of DVIP based on top needs
• Can be a one-time group service project such as shelter yard or building maintenance
  • One-time community volunteer groups are welcomed based on the current shelter populations and shelter needs. The following guidelines apply:
    • A group confidentiality form must be signed by every participating volunteer.
    • If the activity involves direct contact with DVIP clients and children, the activity must be approved by the Volunteer Coordinator, Director of Shelter Services, and current DVIP shelter residents.
    • Current shelter residents must be notified of when the group will be in shelter.
    • A reference check is not necessary for a volunteer group doing a one-time activity.

Board of Directors

Joining the Board of Directors is an outstanding way to share the resources and skills that you can uniquely offer. Our Board is very active in long-range goal planning and policy development, fundraising, and community education/awareness. If you are interested in becoming a member of the Board of Directors, contact DVIP at (319) 356-9863 ext 2 for more information, or complete a Board of Directors Application(docx).

Board of Directors Application