The 2023–2024 League year was marked by strong member engagement, leadership development, and hands-on community impact through League’s Lockers and a full calendar of volunteer opportunities. Members served with organizations across the Cedar Valley—including Northeast Iowa Food Bank, House of Hope, Habitat for Humanity, Cedar Valley Angels, Girls on the Run of Eastern Iowa, The Job Foundation, Girl Scouts of Eastern Iowa, and Spark to Fire—while Community Impact invested $2,000 back into the community. We again sponsored 30 girls to attend the Young Women in Leadership Conference hosted by the University of Northern Iowa Women in Business, partnered with Girls on the Run for the 5K, supported Future Fest with desserts, and purchased birthday cakes for youth at the North Iowa Juvenile Detention Center. Additional support included contributions to the Boys & Girls Club, calculators for Waterloo West High School (as an extension of League’s Lockers), Wahawks Softball, and the Mayors’ Top Teen Awards.

Our recent year also featured multiple in-person service events—from facilitating activities at Cedar Valley Angels’ Fall Fair to sorting donations at House of Hope on the MLK Day of Service and volunteering at the Girls on the Run 5K—underscoring our commitment to showing up where the need is greatest.

Throughout our history, the League has catalyzed targeted initiatives to meet emerging needs. In 2014, we launched Suitcases in partnership with AMP to support teens aging out of foster care with starter home essentials and provided $3,000 from the Charity Ball appeal. In 2015, we began a continuing partnership with The Job Foundation, providing family dinners and volunteer support at events, as well as a $1,500 Charity Ball appeal gift. Also in 2014, we introduced Y.O.L.O. YES (Youth Empowerment Series) to equip middle school students with practical skills—resume building, interview preparation, financial literacy, health, and positive body image—through monthly, hands-on sessions.