DES MOINES, IOWA (September 24, 2019) — Today, Governor Kim Reynolds has directed the Iowa Department of Administrative Services (DAS) to develop a volunteer policy to help encourage state employees make a difference in their communities through volunteerism. DAS will collaborate with all state-department directors to consider how the policy best functions to benefit employees in all departments.
The announcement was made at the governor’s weekly press conference at the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Iowa in Des Moines. Watch the Governor's remarks on Facebook here.
“Volunteering is as Iowan as pork chop on a stick at the State Fair,” said Gov Reynolds. “Every day, Iowans step up and make a difference together through volunteerism. Nationally, it is estimated that one in four employers offer some kind of paid volunteer time off, and we want to grow that here in Iowa. My team volunteered at the Ronald McDonald House in Des Moines today to encourage other Iowa employers to make volunteerism part of their company culture as well.”
Gov Reynolds' team also spent part of the day volunteering at the Ronald McDonald House, an organization that provides a temporary home-away-from-home for families with children who are hospitalized or receiving treatment for a serious medical condition. The Ronald McDonald House Charities of Iowa has locations in Des Moines, Iowa City, and Sioux City.
The organization is also a recipient of the Governor’s Charity Steer Show — held annually at the Iowa State Fair for the past 35 years. That event has raised $3.8 million dollars for the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Iowa with a record setting $280,000 raised for this alone.
At the press conference, Gov Reynolds also encouraged Iowa business, families, and organizations looking to get involved and give back to the community to visit, volunteeriowa.org.
