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Thank you for your interest in hosting a children's event or activity at New Directions Shelter! Our shelter provides emergency housing for up to 8 families with children at a time.  

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Click here to sign up or to receive more information.

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Suggested times for events include: 

• Weekday evenings from 4:30pm - 7:00pm

• Saturdays between 10:00am - 12:00pm

• Sundays between 4:30pm - 7:00pm

 

Suggested activities include: 

• Holiday crafts

• Story Times

• Outside Games (We have a very nice yard and playground.)

• Painting

• Frosting Cookies

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More information will be provided after you sign up. To sign up and schedule a time to help click here, or contact Missy Reams by email at missy@bidwellriverside.org, or by phone at 515-244-6251 Option 5.

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​Volunteer Responsibilities and Information:

• Dates are flexible.

• Choose and plan an activity for 10-25 children.

• Provide any needed supplies for the event. 

• Do the event a couple times in a row to allow smaller groups of children to participate at a time (for social distancing).

• Volunteers will need to set up the event and clean up. 

• ​Suggested time for an event is 30-45 minutes. 

  • Again, you may need to do 2-3 sessions to allow all children to participate.

• The week of your event, we will provide an update on the number of children staying in the shelter.

• Volunteer groups may bring up to 10 people to host events. (This includes any children volunteering, too.)

 

Event Theme Ideas: 

Below are suggested themes and ideas for children's activities throughout the year.  However, we welcome other fun children-appropriate events, too.  

• January: stories, games, hot chocolate, crafts, snowmen

• February: Valentine's Day

• March: St. Patrick's Day

• April: Easter

• May: Mother's Day

• June: Father's Day and Juneteenth

• July: 4th of July, outside water games

• August: Back to School, State Fair (or carnival)

• September: Fall

• October: Halloween, pumpkins

• November: Thanksgiving

• December: Christmas

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