Service Projects & Volunteer Opportunities

Below is a list of registered service project and volunteer opportunities for UNI's Day of Service, April 8, 2026.

Sign up for service projects / volunteer opportunities will begin in February 2026. 

  • OPEN - a service project/volunteer opportunity you can sign up for.
  • CLOSED - a service project/volunteer activity that is not open for sign up.

Open - a service project/volunteer opportunity that can be signed up for.

Spring Newsletter Mailing Prep- Cedar Falls Historical Society

Volunteers will be folding, sealing, and labeling spring newsletters which will be mailed later that week. 

Partner: Cedar Falls Historical Society 
Open 

Off Campus

Sprucing Up the Arboretum - Cedar Valley Arboretum and Botanic Gardens

Volunteers will be helping in the gardens with Spring clean-up including picking up fallen branches  and replacing benches and picnic tables.

Partner: Cedar Valley Arboretum and Botanic Gardens
Open 

Off Campus

Volunteer Feedback: What Can We Do?

Online Event to gather information on best ways for the Arboretum to market to and connect with UNI Students. 

Partner: Cedar Valley Arboretum and Botanic Gardens
Open 

Online

Garden Support - CEEE

Volunteers will help clean, set up, and plant seeds for the SPROUT Garden behind the CEEE.

Partner: Center for Energy and Environmental Education
Open 

On Campus

Volunteer Reception Center Practice - Volunteer Center of Cedar Valley

Assist AmeriCorps Seniors RSVP program practice their Volunteer Reception Center setup drills.

Partner: Volunteer Center of Cedar Valley 
Open 

Off Campus

Motivational Signs - Gamma Phi Beta

Making encouraging and motivating signs for girls who are participating in Girls On The Run. These signs will be used during their practice 5K in May.

Partner: Gamma Phi Beta 
Open 

On Campus

House of Hope Support - Alpha Sigma Tau

Volunteers will put together boxes of necessities for House of Hope.  Additionally volunteers may be making cards and blankets. 

Partner: Alpha Sigma Tau
Open 

On Campus / Off Campus

Preparing Paperwork Packets - Friends of the Family

Help put together client paperwork packets including welcome folders and intake and exit packets.

Partner: Friends of the Family
Open 

Off Campus

Disease Prevention Screening - My Health Iowa

Volunteers will assist with blood pressure and cardiovascular disease prevention.

Partner: MyhealthIowa - MiSaludIowa
Open 

Off Campus

Book Drive - Friends of the Library

Volunteers will assist with a book drive, and possibly gathering donations and boxing up books.

Partner: Friends of the Library 
Open 

Off Campus

Food Pantry Support - Hope City Church

Volunteers will help at the Cedar Valley Dream Center/Hope City Church- Pantry and will help assist clients, stock pantry items and organize items.

Partner: Hope City Church
Open 

Off Campus

Making Garden Art - Cedar Rock State Park

Volunteers will making stained glass and copper plant stakes to be sold at the Friends of the Cedar Rock gift shop. All proceeds will support the preservation of the historical Walter House. 

Partner: Recreation, Tourism, and Nonprofit Leadership Majors
Open

On Campus

Ronald McDonald House - Alpha Delta Pi

Volunteers will host a drive for supplies and make goody-bags for Ronald McDonald House Charities and families staying at the houses. 

Partner: Alpha Delta Pi
Open

On Campus

South Campus Cleanup Effort - Iowa Waste Reduction Center

Assist in cleaning up South Campus

Partner: Iowa Waste Reduction Center
Open

On Campus

Closed - a service project/volunteer activity that is not open for sign up.

Building, Restoration, and ReStore Support - Habitat for Humanity

Students in the Depart. of Construction Mngt. will be assisting with three house builds, work on a historic/restoration home, and work in the ReStore.

Partner:  Iowa Heartland Habitat for Humanity 

Closed

 

Off Campus

MEP Program - School Districts

We hope to work with school districts identified during parent/teacher conferences to offer experiences for preschool and/or kindergarten students when school is not in session. Hopefully we are offering opportunities for these students and families to assist during a time school is not in session.

Partner: ELEMECML 4151
Closed

Off Campus

Tax Assistance - VITA

Providing free basic income tax preparation and electronic filing services to qualified individuals.

Partner: UNI Accounting Class
Closed

On Campus

Campus Conversations: Students Shaping Civic Culture - Center for Civic Education

Small groups of students - guided by trained facilitators - will explore challenges and opportunities for building a strong civic cultures at UNI. Ideas emerging from these sessions will inform the Center for Civic Education's 2026-2027 strategic plan, with students invited to stay involved in selected projects.

Partner: Invited UNI Classes
Closed

On Campus

Mapping Routes for Bed Delivery - Love, INC.

Students in GIS class will map the routes for the delivery of 150 beds to families in need.

Partner: Geographic Information Systems II: GEOG 4320
Closed

On & Off Campus

Delivering Beds - Love, INC.

Delivering beds to families in need in the Cedar Valley.

Partner: UNI Athletics
Closed

Off Campus

Love Boxes - Alpha Xi Delta

Packing Love Boxes for the Cedar Valley Angels. These are essential item care packages for foster care youth and their families. They consist of canned goods, toilet paper, body soap/lotion, snacks, hair brushes, tooth paste and brushes, clothes, and age appropriate items like diapers or toys.

Partner: Alpha Xi Delta
Closed

On Campus 

Maintaining Public Art - Art Students

Art students will clean public art around Waterloo/Cedar Falls.

 

Partner: Waterloo Center for the Arts; Hearst Center for the Arts

Closed

 

Off Campus 

Cleaning Up Public Trails & Sports Fields - Kinesiology & Athletic Training

Students in the Department of Kinesiology and Athletic Training will clean up trails and outdoor sport facilities around the Cedar Valley

 

Partner: Department of Kinesiology and Athletic Training 

Closed

 

On & Off Campus 

Cornerstone Produces Podcasts - Day of Service Projects

UNI students will produce podcasts highlighting projects from Day of Service. To listen follow UNIEngaged through UNI's Office of Community Engagement.

 

Partner: Cornerstone Students, Office of Community Engagement

Closed

 

On Campus

Free Concerts Hosted by UNI's School of Music

UNI School of Music students will be offering free concerts. 

 

6pm - Trumpet Studio Recital - Davis Hall
7:30pm - Concert Band - Great Hall
7:30pm - Student Recital - Go Benesh, Saxophone - Bengtson
8pm - Student Recital - McCaffrey Brandt, Double Bass - Davis

Partner: UNI School of Music

Open for Concert Attendance

 

On Campus

Live TV Production

Students in Advanced Digital Media: TV Studio Live/News will produce shows that highlight their own engagement on the Day of Service as well as various other projects of the day.

Partner: Advanced Digital Media 

Closed

 

On & Off Campus