Blog

We were proud to attend the The City of Iowa City Government Human Rights Breakfast to accept the Bill Reagan Business/Community Award for our work with Shelter House.

The Free Lunch Program started in 1983 and serves an average of 130 meals per day, six days a week. Volunteer teams prepare and serve meals using their own food or food from local restaurants, grocery stores, and food distributors via Table to Table and the HACAP food reservoir. For volunteer opportunities, or to make a donation, visit www.icflp.org

In the spring of 2017, we participated in the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life in honor of our friend, mentor, and partner Chris DeGroot, who lost his heroic battle with cancer in 2016. The $75,000 that were raised at this event will go toward cancer research, patient care programs, Hope House lodging, and prevention programs. Please consider donating, volunteering, or signing up for a Relay for Life walk in your area at www.cancer.org.

Our 2017 Pulling for Honor team was co-sponsored by McComas Lacina Construction, Design Engineers, and Raker Rhodes Engineering. To participate, each team had to raise a minimum of $2,500. Proceeds from the pull went to the Eastern Iowa Honor Flight, which organizes flights for area veterans to Washington, D.C. For more information on the Eastern Iowa Honor Flight visit: http://eihonorflight.org/

We had a great time getting our hands dirty at the ARC of SE Iowa’s pArc – accessible playground and sensory garden. Our crew went out to tidy up and help rebuild and prepare the sensory garden for planting. The ARC of SE Iowa assists individuals with developmental disabilities, their families and community. The organization hosts a variety of programs, services, events, and fundraisers throughout the year that welcome single and group volunteer assistance. For a list of volunteer opportunities visit www.arcsei.org/volunteer

In honor of Bike to Work Week 2017, we spent a couple of hours hosting a commuter breakfast – handing out protein bars, yogurt parfaits, and bananas to area bicycle commuters. Bike to Work Week is part of National Bike Month, showcasing the many benefits of cycling and encouraging more people to give biking a try.

The City of Iowa City’s STEAM Fest is a free, family-friendly festival featuring hands-on educational activities in science, technology, engineering, art, and math. This past April, we took our house of cards to give young and old the opportunity to explore their inner architect and engage in the power of play.

In honor of Earth Day 2017, a crew from Neumann Monson got together to provide cleanup assistance at the Whispering Meadows Wetland on the southeast edge of Iowa City. Wetlands provide many benefits to an ecosystem, are a wonderful place to enjoy the outdoors, and are an invaluable asset to water quality, especially near urban areas. For more nature-inspired volunteer opportunities, contact your local city parks and recreation department. We encourage you to get outside and celebrate Earth Day every day!

To mark Neumann Monson’s 40th anniversary, we bundled a few recent thoughts in this “Gray Book” and distributed it across Central and Eastern Iowa. The Gray Book is the precocious little sister to an earlier, more introspective “White Book” that helped define our culture and describe our process. With a 40-year head of steam, we’re focusing our appreciation and excitement externally. The Gray Book notes some regional opportunities we’re proud of and affirms the values that unite us as Iowans.