FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 6, 2021
Contact: Betsy Shelton, Volunteer Iowa
515.348.6228/800.308.5987
Des Moines, IA - Volunteer Iowa is pleased to announce the winners of the 7th Annual Give Back Iowa Challenge, a campaign in which businesses encourage their employees to volunteer and log their hours as part of a statewide competition. This year, the challenge ran from April 1 – May 30 across the state of Iowa.
From a business perspective, employer supported volunteering impacts the bottom line. Studies show it leads to improved employee engagement, organizational commitment, job satisfaction, and retention. From an engagement perspective, places of employment are perfect environments to encourage and support volunteering efforts that contribute toward meeting significant community challenges.
While the 2021 Give Back Iowa Challenge looked significantly different than previous years, employees continued to find virtual and safe, socially distanced volunteer opportunities to contribute to the recovery from the pandemic and the August 2020 derecho, along with filling other crucial volunteer needs in their communities.
Participating employers were divided into two categories based on the number of employees. Winners were selected by the highest average number of volunteer hours per employee. The 2021 winners are:
- Small: United Way of East Central Iowa, Cedar Rapids
- Honorable Mention: Reiman Gardens, Ames
- Large: Riverside Casino and Golf Resort, Riverside
- Honorable Mention: Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield, Des Moines
“Employees who participated in the 2021 challenge logged nearly 17,000 volunteer hours over the two-month period, while navigating personal, professional, family and public health issues,” said Adam Lounsbury, Executive Director of Volunteer Iowa. “Iowans have always and will continue to step up and serve their communities in times of need, as this challenge demonstrates year after year.”
“We know that volunteering has a positive impact on one’s social and emotional health,” said Jami Haberl, executive director of the Healthiest State Initiative. “As more Iowa companies return to the office, we hope they will continue to provide opportunities for their employees to connect to their communities through volunteering.” For resources on employer-supported volunteering or to find volunteer opportunities, visit volunteeriowa.org.
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About Volunteer Iowa (or Iowa Commission on Volunteer Service)
Volunteer Iowa and its partner agencies work with organizations and individuals on three main fronts. The first is to help agencies develop quality programs that use service as a strategy to fulfill their missions and address Iowa’s greatest areas of need. The second is to help engage Iowans in their communities by promoting service and expanding the volunteer base. Finally, the third area of work is to connect individuals with appropriate service opportunities by building the volunteer infrastructure. More information is available at volunteeriowa.org.
About Alliant Energy
Alliant Energy Corporation’s Iowa utility subsidiary, Interstate Power and Light Company (IPL), utilizes the trade name of Alliant Energy. The Iowa utility is based in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and provides electric service to 490,000 customers and natural gas service to 225,000 customers. The employees of Alliant Energy focus on delivering the energy solutions and exceptional service their customers and communities expect – safely, efficiently and responsibly. Alliant Energy Corporation is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol LNT and is a component of the S&P 500. For more information, visit alliantenergy.com.
About the Healthiest State Initiative
The Healthiest State Initiative is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization driven by the goal to make Iowa the healthiest state in the nation. By engaging worksites, communities, schools, retail food, organizations, institutions and individuals, we can inspire Iowans and their communities to improve their health and happiness, and ultimately achieve our goal. For more information, visit www.iowahealthieststate.com.