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Whether it’s picking someone up for a hair appointment or helping a resident fix a fence, the Urbandale Caring Corps tries to fill a void in the town’s human services.

The organization, which started in 1999 as “just an idea,” officially received 501(c)(3) status in 2003, said Desiree Dixon, the nonprofit’s executive director and only employee. Dixon said the city of Urbandale conducted a study to determine which needs weren’t being met, and found that transportation was an important fixture that was missing in the community.

“That is really what started (Urbandale Caring Corps),” she said.

As a result of the study, Dixon said, one of the main programs that the Caring Corps provides is transportation for the elderly or disabled. Currently, more than 50 volunteers serve as drivers and about 125 residents utilize the service.

“I think the most important thing is the one-on-one relationships, whether you’re a senior citizen or you just have some hardship that doesn’t allow you to drive, it’s nice to know that someone will pick you up at your door and take you to your destination,” she said. “The volunteers feel like they are doing something that is worthy, and a lot of the time they become friends.”

Dixon said she believes the organization helps people stay in their homes longer, especially senior citizens, by assisting with tasks such as taking them to the grocery store or doctor appointments or taking the garbage to the curb every week. She said the extra help provides the independence the elderly need to stay at home.

“There are needs, and we are here to help,” she said.

However, Dixon said the Caring Corps services extend beyond the elderly or disabled. For instance, every spring and fall the organization sponsors a community-wide cleanup day, and around the holidays, it organizes an adopt-a-family program.

“Our motto is ‘Neighbors helping neighbors’ and I really feel like that says it all,” she said.