More than 350 hours of volunteer work

12/3/2025

The United Way of Central Iowa has been in operation since 1917. Though it has operated under a number of different names since its inception, its goal of uniting the community and its various charitable efforts to make central Iowa a better place remains the same. One of its employees, Lydia Youngquist, is a donor services payment specialist but spends her free time volunteering. 

Youngquist, a Storm Lake native, found her passion for nonprofits while at Iowa State University. 

“I worked with the United Way of Story County up there, and that’s what made me learn about United Way. When I was looking for a job, a job opened up here, I moved down from Ames, and that’s how I’ve got involved in the community and volunteering here,” Youngquist said.

Growing up in the church fostered her sense of community early on. Plus, what she calls the less exciting world of accounting in corporate America gave her more reason to find a job in the world of volunteering. 

“I did corporate accounting, which is not very fun, but I just am really passionate about community work,” Youngquist said. “It was a way for me to do it in my free time and get involved in the community, especially moving to a new city, not knowing anyone. It’s a good excuse to drive to a new neighborhood and find something new and talk to new people.”

Volunteer work is not everyone’s idea of fun, but it is for Youngquist. She spends the majority of her free time helping out around the city, free of charge. She discovered where she could get started through a program through the United Way.

“They have a volunteer hub online, and that’s where I pretty much started. They have a lot of one-time opportunities, so I use that as a way to get out and see what’s out there. The first year I moved here, I did like 350 volunteer hours that year. I do weekly volunteering with the Ronald McDonald House, the Food Bank of Iowa and the Bidwell Food Pantry,” Youngquist said.

That’s right. More than 350 hours. That’s two entire weeks and a few hours left over just in volunteer work. What is she normally doing during that time?

“At the Ronald McDonald House, I do a lot of cleaning, so a lot of behind-the-scenes work, cleaning rooms in between families, or writing thank-you notes. Baking treats at the food bank, we do a lot of repackaging food. It’s really fun. There are a lot of the same people that go there every week, so it’s very community-based. And just get to spend time with each other, kind of like an exercise for the day. At the food pantry, it’s restocking shelves, so it’s like a grocery aisle, basically. And it’s opening up the boxes, moving things around, and setting it up for the next day for families to come in,” Youngquist said.

She says that she leans into this realm of volunteering because families dealing with food insecurity is a cause that is important to her, as it is something that affects all of us.

“It’s something everyone deals with every day, finding food. Just to imagine, a lot of our neighbors are hungry. And if I can do two hours every week, it’s the little bit that I can do to help people who are struggling to get basic necessities,” Youngquist said.

Since she normally works in a cubicle, she says being able to get outside and interact with the community is a great way to meet new people while making an impact. It has also helped her step out of her shell.

“I’m a little bit shy, a little anxious, so it’s been a good way to force myself out there and force myself to get involved and talk to people. I’ve definitely grown and am less scared showing up at places than I used to be,” Youngquist said.

When asked, a fellow United Way of Central Iowa employee described Youngquist as a “dedicated community volunteer” and recommended her for this feature. 

“I think to me, it’s a sense of purpose, a sense of belonging. To feel like I have a reason and have an impact. It’s important to not just do things for myself but to look at the bigger picture. And, it’s very important to my values. It’s that internal gratification of living your values and having a reason to do things,” Youngquist said.

She also takes delight in knowing how to direct friends and family where they can go to volunteer. 

“Volunteering is very fun. It’s not lame, and it’s a good excuse to get out of your house. You know, get off the couch, get off of TikTok,” Youngquist said.

Those interested can get visit the United Way of Central Iowa’s volunteer hub at www.unitedwaydm.org/volunteer. ♦