Making connections has always been top of mind for Zach Cantrell. In high school, he helped organize an event that encouraged Des Moines area students, parents, and professionals from all school districts share their dreams and build connections with each other. It was called the Big Dream Gathering. That event helped Zach realize that community building and creating connections go hand-in-hand. Zach, it seems, has always had an understanding of this, so when he decided to serve as an AmeriCorps VISTA for a summer, he was looking for an opportunity that would allow him to harness the power of connection-building.
He did just that, spending two summers (2022 and 2023) working to make the Volunteer Iowa Get Connected database a more streamlined and efficient environment for Iowans and Iowa-based organizations.
Get Connected is a free statewide online portal that allows volunteers and organizations to easily connect. Organizations can post any and all opportunities they have available, and volunteers can search for them based on location, interest, time commitment, and many other factors. Visit the Get Connected website to see firsthand the project Zach worked on while serving.
By going through and updating organization profiles, Zach ensured that anyone who comes to Get Connected is being presented with all the possibilities that exist to volunteer.
“A lot of orgs had old contact information, or old links on their listings. If an interested person is unable to follow up on a volunteer opportunity, they may decide they do not want to volunteer for that org anymore,” Zach says. “By spending time updating the site, I was ensuring that connection-building could take place in communities all over Iowa.”
Not only was Zach making Get Connected a better place for potential volunteers, but he also worked to create resources for organizations to help them with their volunteer recruitment efforts.
“I had some organizations that would tell me how much they appreciate Get Connected as a resource, and that it has helped their organization a ton. Knowing that the work I was doing on Get Connected made a tangible difference for organizations all over Iowa made my service all the more impactful.”
And speaking of “all over Iowa” Zach mentioned an unexpected benefit he received from his service. “I have lived in Iowa my whole life, but I never had a great picture of the entire state. Through connecting with and researching nonprofits all over the state, I was able to build a much clearer picture of the state, along with what is going on and what needs to be addressed in communities. It felt like when you are starting a new videogame, and the world constantly opens up to you the more you explore it.”
There were other profound benefits for Zach. He noted that it helped him build confidence in his professional skills. “Getting experience in real-world skills like creating materials that are going to be shared publicly, working on a database, and having trust from my supervisors in getting the work done all gave me confidence in my abilities, which will help me wherever I go after graduating.” When asked what advice he would give someone who is interested in serving, Zach was quick to say just do it. “Shoot your shot and go for it. Find a service term that is only a few months and do your best. If you don’t like it, at least you tried it and can move on. But if you do like it, you have been exposed to opportunities to meet and work with phenomenal people, and it’s guaranteed you will be doing something that helps individuals and communities in some capacity. If you are passionate about helping others, and improving communities, you should definitely try AmeriCorps.”
Volunteer Iowa 