Central Iowa RSVP (Retired & Senior Volulnteer Program) North provides adult volunteers aged 55+ from Hamilton and Webster Counties quality opportunities to share their skills, interests, and life experiences in response to a wide variety of community needs. RSVP provides an effective volunteer management infrastructure for screening, recruiting and placing volunteers in assignments that will enhance the services of public, nonprofit and health care agencies while also enriching the lives of the volunteers.

Foster Grandparents are men and women age 55 and older who serve as educational mentors for children age 3-10 in local schools, Head Start and other nonprofit locations. Those who meet income guidelines of less than $22,000 annually may qualify for a stipend of up to $3,000 per year. Training provided, free meals while working, assistance with travel costs to and from school each day. Paid vacations and holidays.

The Department provides services to people who are legally blind or visually impaired. It offers a comprehensive array of options to build confidence and independence in all aspects of life through the Orientation Center, Vocational Rehabilitation Program, Independent Living Rehabilitation Services, Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Business Enterprises Program, Aids and Devices Store, Public Education and In-Service Training.

The Orientation Center is a residential blindness training program that provides in-depth, individualized blindness training to adults so that they can return to their home communities, imbued with confidence and equipped to live independently. Training may include GED preparation, college preparation, classes in Braille, computer classes, cane travel, industrial arts, home and personal management.

Vocational Rehabilitation Program provides services in career counseling, technology assessment and training, adaptive devices for training and employment, job-seeking assistance, including seminars to teach job-seeking skills, supported employment assistance, job coaching, work site assessment and follow up, self-employment planning and follow along, post-employment follow up, blindness and attitude counseling.

Independent Living Rehabilitation Services has teachers that travel to the person's home or in small group settings. Services included are training in adaptive techniques for cooking, shopping, communication, travel, and leisure activities, peer counseling, support groups, basic adaptive devices, information and referral services, and in-service training for other service providers.

The Department will accept volunteers for transcribing print to Braille, narrating/recording print texts, proofreading Braille, tape and print materials, and providing clerical support.

Pride in Community Appearance (PICA) is a volunteer group interested in improving the appearance of our community through projects such as raking leaves, landscaping, planting flowers, painting, and more. PICA meets from 9 to 11 AM on Tuesdays and Thursdays from April through October and welcomes new volunteers. PICA worksites are listed each week in The Messenger's Community Calendar, or you can contact Jan Wilson for more information.

The SALT Center = Shining A Light Together!
We are a Warming & Cooling Center for people in need.

Days Open: Mon-Sat
Hours: 1p-4p

United Way of Greater Fort Dodge is a 501(c)3 public charity dedicated to supporting and uplifting families and youth. United Way of Greater Fort Dodge supports numerous organizations and agencies that help families become self-sufficient and stable for the long-term.

United Way of Greater Fort Dodge is also dedicated to ensuring the best possible future for our youth by promoting positive choices and behaviors and helping youth access available services and resources so they have a greater opportunity to achieve their full potential and pursue their goals and dreams. By providing leadership and supporting a coalition of organizations, agencies, services and programs, United Way is building a synergistic network that effectively connects youth to opportunities that will provide them with the chance to grow and develop in a positive and healthy way; and in doing so, help them create an optimistic future filled with hope.