In support of breast cancer awareness month in October, we fired up our 3-D printing machine to create a bra for the annual Bras for the Cause fundraising gala in West Des Moines. Design inspiration for our bra, titled In-Tension, came from the aesthetic beauty, and structural stability of suspension bridges. Bras for the Cause is a volunteer-based, nonprofit organization that raises funds to eradicate breast and cervical cancer – especially through early intervention mammograms and cervical screenings for women across Iowa. Learn more at www.brasforthecause.com

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.

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