The holiday season is a terrific time to get involved in volunteer activities. The spirit of the holidays seems to capture our hearts and compel us to help those less fortunate than ourselves.

Volunteering helps strengthen our community. Imagine what our lives and communities would be like without people from all walks of life giving a helping hand to those in need. We would surely lack that welcoming and neighborly atmosphere that is so much a part of our lives here in Central Iowa.

A recent survey underscores the generosity of Iowans. The Points of Light Foundation recently announced the results of its research estimating state volunteering rates. Iowa ranked second in the nation in volunteering in the past year — 40.8 percent of people aged 16 and above volunteer in Iowa. The average volunteer contributes 15.5 hours annually. Valuing economic impact of this volunteerism at a national rate of $17.19 per hour, that’s $252.3 million of volunteer time provided each year in the state of Iowa.

This is no surprise. Take a look around our community and read the newspapers and you’ll see the amazing work of volunteers. Thousands of Thanksgiving meals were prepared and distributed by volunteers to those in need last month. Drive through Water Works Park in the evenings from now until Jan. 1 to see the Jolly Holiday Lights for the Make A Wish Foundation — volunteers make it happen. Volunteers participate in community toy and gift drives for the Marine Corps Toys for Tots and similar programs. Recently, a party was held for more than 400 shelter residents, with transportation, food, entertainment and gifts for the children. All of the fund raising and coordination of this event was done by volunteers. Hundreds of families are adopted for the holidays, when companies identify families in need and employees provide gifts to brighten their holiday season. The generosity and dedication of our community volunteers can also be seen in front of our grocery stores, where they are ringing bells for the Salvation Army.

The holiday season is an ideal time for volunteering. It is a time to think about others, to share our values of helping and caring with our families and to set an example for our children. The opportunity we have is not only to do good during the holidays, but also to offer our time to those in need throughout the year. All year long, volunteers are needed in our community. Their efforts are essential to our quality of life, no matter how big or small the contribution. There are hundreds of ways to get involved — as a family, as a couple or as an individual. Volunteers are always needed to provide and serve meals in our homeless shelters, to read to young children at our elementary schools and child-care centers, to collect school supplies for our youths, to mentor and tutor, to drive the elderly to their doctors and to deliver meals.

You can help now. For the holidays, there are still ways you can make a difference. Even more important, there are year-round needs and opportunities to improve the condition of people’s lives by volunteering. Take a look at how you can help now. A searchable database of volunteer opportunities in our community can be found on the United Way Web site, www.unitedwaydm.org. You also can call 246-6545 to get involved. Help to brighten the holidays and the whole year of someone in need. Happy Holidays!

Shannon Cofield is president of United Way of Central Iowa.