Without dedicated volunteers, the Make-A-Wish Foundation would have a much more difficult time accomplishing our mission.

With twelve area committees across the state and over 450 volunteers in our database, the Foundation utilizes our volunteers to the best of our ability to get local communities involved with the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Our area committees are always accepting new volunteers and have a wide variety of opportunities including wish granting (training required), special event/fundraising, outreach, publicity/public relations, volunteer recruitment, and much more. Our twelve area committees meet monthly and are located in the following cities:

Each volunteer is required to fill out a volunteer application and undergo a criminal background check before they become an approved volunteer and are allowed to be involved with wishes or finances. You can download the volunteer application; fill it out and send it back in to start volunteering for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Iowa.

Internship Opportunities

The Make-A-Wish Foundation of Iowa offers a variety of internships for students seeking experience in the non-profit field. Interns work alongside staff and volunteers, devoting their time and talent to the Foundation’s Mission.

The Make-A-Wish Foundation of Iowa strives to provide each intern with the opportunity to grow and gain experience towards their chosen vocation; along with the gratification of providing hope, strength, and joy in the life of a child.

Internships require a minimum time commitment of 20 hours per week and are offered on a semester basis with the opportunity of interning for multiple semesters. Interested applicants please indicate the internship which you are applying for on your resume. Resumes can be mailed to:

The Make-A-Wish Foundation of Iowa
Attn: Rachel Midtgaard
3024 104th Street
Urbandale, IA 50322

Communications & Public Relations Internship
Development/Marketing Internship
Program Services Internship
Special Events/Fundraising Internship
Volunteer Management Internship

Frequently Asked Questions

What are you looking for in a volunteer?
We use volunteers with skills ranging from general office skills to construction, from stay-at-home moms to CEOs. We can guarantee that whatever skills you may have, we will find a spot for you!

What kind of schedule must I have to be a volunteer?
This is variable based on what type of volunteering you would like to do. In most cases, each area committee meets once a month in the evening. You can be highly committed to the Make-A-Wish Foundation or just volunteer as events come up on the calendar. Wish granting volunteers do a lot of family visits in the evenings and on weekends. We will work with your schedule to make sure we are able to provide a volunteer opportunity that will work for you.

What do different volunteer positions require?
Most volunteer positions only require the desire to do the job and the commitment to carry it out. While we are happy to train all of our volunteers, some positions require specific training, including Area Committee Chair, Wish Granter and Treasurer.

General volunteer trainings are offered twice a year and include an orientation to the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Iowa and other topics of interest to our volunteers.

What is a Wish Granter?
Wish Granters are volunteers who have completed our three-hour wish granting training. This volunteer meets with a wish child to discover, plan and fulfill a wish. Wish granters work in teams of two and act as a liaison with the Chapter office. This position is best suited for volunteers 21 years or older who are able to commit at least one year as a wish granter. This position is good for volunteers who have creative energy, entrepreneurial enthusiasm, and the ability to give freely of their time.

How do I become a volunteer?
The first step in becoming a volunteer for the Make-A-Wish Foundation is to complete and submit our Volunteer Application. You can download it from our web site here. Once the application has been received, we will begin the process of reviewing your application and submitting your criminal background check (please have patience with us as this can take up to a month to complete). Once approved, you will receive notification from the Iowa Chapter office and a local area committee member will call to welcome you!

Why do you need to know about my background?
We require background checks for a couple of reasons. Since our Foundation works directly with children, we need to do our best to ensure that a safe environment is always available for our wish families. In addition, there are times when some volunteers will be handling money from fund raising events or corporate donors. We take every precaution we can to make sure that our volunteers are trustworthy individuals.

Do you have a question that wasn't answered or you think should be included here? If so, please contact the Iowa Chapter office.