United Way Day of Caring Set for Sept. 2 in Mason City, Clear Lake, Manly

MASON CITY, Iowa — United Way of North Central Iowa is calling on area businesses and residents to sign up for its annual Day of Caring, a communitywide volunteer event set for Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2026.

The organization is asking teams of coworkers, friends and neighbors to spend a few hours volunteering with one of 13 service projects at 11 local nonprofits, according to United Way of North Central Iowa. Projects range from painting and yard work to meal delivery and program support, and are located in Mason City, Clear Lake and Manly.

Participating organizations include Crisis Intervention Service, The House IA, Charlie Brown Preschool & Child Care, Elderbridge Agency on Aging, 43 North Iowa, Friends of the Family, NICAO, Meals on Wheels of Mason City, Community Kitchen of North Iowa and Four Oaks Family and Children’s Services, according to United Way of North Central Iowa.

At Crisis Intervention Service in Mason City, six volunteers are needed from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. to paint, pull weeds and deep clean the organization’s space, according to United Way of North Central Iowa. The House IA is seeking five volunteers from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. to paint shelving and pantry areas, sort donations and organize storage.

Three NICAO early childhood centers — in Clear Lake, Mason City and Manly — each need two to three or more volunteers from 1 to 4 p.m. for landscaping and beautification work, including weeding, planting shrubs and playground cleanup, according to United Way of North Central Iowa.

Community Kitchen of North Iowa has two projects available: a free meal program requiring four to eight volunteers from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. to help with food prep, packaging and serving, and a landscaping project needing four to eight volunteers during either an 8-11 a.m. or 1-4 p.m. shift, according to United Way of North Central Iowa.

Four Oaks Family and Children’s Services is planning a playground transformation at its residential facility, seeking six to eight volunteers for approximately three to four hours to remove existing pebble rock and replace it with playground mulch, according to United Way of North Central Iowa. Meals on Wheels of Mason City is looking for one to three volunteers per delivery route to pick up and deliver meals to homebound residents from about 10:45 a.m. to noon.

Other projects include yard cleanup and cot-cart painting at Charlie Brown Preschool & Child Care, outdoor cleanup and office organization at Elderbridge Agency on Aging, beautification work at 43 North Iowa’s Becker Center, and program packet assembly at Friends of the Family, according to United Way of North Central Iowa.

Project spots are limited and will be filled as teams register, according to United Way of North Central Iowa. Businesses and community members can sign up their teams at unitedwaynci.org.