FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 30, 2020
Contact:
Betsy Shelton
Volunteer Iowa
betsy.shelton@iowaeda.com
515.348.6228/800.308.5987
6th Annual Give Back Iowa Challenge Winners Announced
Des Moines, IA - Volunteer Iowa is pleased to announce the winners of the 6th 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 – June 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.
The decision to move forward with the 2020 Give Back Iowa Challenge amid a global pandemic was made as there were urgent volunteer needs across the state. Participating employers were encouraged to have their employees participate in virtual, at home and socially distanced volunteer opportunities. The challenge was extended through the month of June to allow the participating businesses and their employees additional time to safely accrue volunteer hours. Volunteer Iowa provided multiple resources and safe volunteering ideas to all registered companies, while also encouraging employees to be creative in how they were volunteering during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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 2020 winners include:
Small:
- INVISION Architecture, Des Moines and Waterloo
- Honorable Mention: POET Biorefining, Hanlontown
Large:
- Riverside Casino and Golf Resort, Riverside
- Honorable Mention: Bankers Trust, Des Moines
“We applaud the 31 businesses who participated in the 2020 challenge and their ability to pivot away from typical employer-led, group volunteer opportunities,” said Adam Lounsbury, Volunteer Iowa Executive Director. “The employees who logged hours safely during this time of uncertainty truly demonstrated Iowans’ willingness to support their neighbors and communities.”
“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. “During this time of social-distancing, volunteering is just one way to still feel a connection with our communities and take care of our mental health.”
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.