Last fall, we laced up our walking shoes for the Susan G Komen Race for the Cure in Des Moines. Proceeds raised from the event went to help fund programs for screening/diagnosis/treatment services, providing safe and accurate breast cancer information, and patient navigation programs. For more information on volunteering, donating, or participating in an event in Iowa, visit www.komengreateriowa.org

During the month of June, our Des Moines studio participated in the ninth annual Yankee Doodle Drive Against Hunger. The goal was to provide 50,000 meals for Iowans in need and to raise awareness of hunger in the state. All items went to benefit the Food Bank of Iowa.

This past spring, we collected donations for the Johnson County Crisis Center. For a list of top ten needed donations or for volunteer opportunities, visit www.jccrisiscenter.org

Staying informed is paramount to function productively within society, and information needs to be easy to access for everyone, including those that are blind and print handicapped. IRIS is a free radio reading service that reads print information from local newspapers aloud to over 3,000 print-disabled listeners throughout Iowa. IRIS has reading locations in Fort Dodge, Des Moines, Sioux City, Mason City, Cedar Falls, Iowa City, Ames and soon – in Dubuque. If you would like to add your voice to the reading contingent, call the IRIS at 515-243-6833.

Neumann Monson collected funds that went to sponsor 12 cats and 1 dog at Furry Friends Refuge. Sponsoring a cat or dog waives adoption fees to qualified adopters and helps cover the cost of food, shelter, and vet bills. Furry Friends Refuge serves animals of West Des Moines, Urbandale, Clive, and Windsor Heights. Information on sponsorships and volunteer opportunities can be found at www.furryfriendsrefuge.org. And if you’re ready to add a furry friend to your family, consider adopting from a shelter near you.

For Community Reading Day 2017, we visited the Hawkeye Area Community Action Program (HACAP). We brought a few of our favorite books to read with the kids and followed up with a fun, interactive activity. HACAP is a non-profit, community-focused group which works to empower and improve families living with barriers of poverty. For more volunteer opportunities visit www.hacap.org

Neumann Monson is committed to serving Iowa’s communities through volunteer programs and events. Our non-profit design services have earned recognition from the Iowa City Human Rights Commission.

Twenty-five extraordinary developments from around the world were selected as finalists for the Urban Land Insitute’s (ULI’s) 2017 Global Awards for Excellence, widely recognized as one of the land use industry’s most prestigious award programs. This year’s finalists include three located in Asia, two in Europe, and 20 in North America. Neumann Monson is proud to be included for Plaza Towers in downtown Iowa City.