YSS Annual Holiday Giving Campaign Wraps Up for 2023

YSS’s annual Holiday Giving campaign helped spread hope and joy to families in need. This year YSS saw a huge amount of support from supporters and local businesses around Iowa!  

Through the YSS Adopt-a-Family program, donors had the opportunity to sponsor anonymous youth in Ames, Des Moines and Mason City. Donors were encouraged to spend around $75 per sponsored individual to fulfill their holiday wish lists. YSS staff and volunteers collected and distributed the gifts to families before Christmas.  

+ A total of 2,408 gifts to fulfill 602 wish lists.

+ A total 95 volunteers in Ames and Des Moines helped collect, wrap, and distribute the gifts before Christmas for a grand total of 275 hours! 

“Thanks to your generosity, we were able to spread hope and cheer to families in need this holiday season,” said YSS Community Engagement Coordinator Sara Roberts.  

Giving trees were held by local business where customers could come and shop for essential supplies needed by our YSS programs. Locations varied from Ames, Des Moines, Denison, Huxley, Waukee, Boone, and more!  

The following businesses participated:  

+ Ames: Ames Center for Cosmetic & Family Dentistry, Ames Fitness Center, Ames Elks Lodge, Athletic Club of Ames, Bold Dance, English Bulldog Cigar Lounge, Farrell’s eXtreme Bodyshaping, First Interstate Bank, First National Bank, First United Methodist, Greater Iowa Credit Union (Lincoln Way, Somerset, Southgate), Green Hills, ISU Athletics, Life Distilled, Lockwood Cafe, Member’s First, North Grand Mall, REMAX Real Estate Center, RES Properties, Sage 68, Sigler, St. John’s by the Campus, Summit Carbon Solutions

+ Ankeny: First National Bank, Greater Iowa Credit Union, Holy Trinity Lutheran Church 

+ Boone: Bfit Nutrition, Boone County Courthouse, Boone VisionBank (SE Marshall), Dr. Thompson Chiropractic, Duncan’s Heating & Plumbing, Flynn Real Estate, Member’s First, Seven Oaks Recreation, US Bank 

+ Clear Lake: Dean Snyder Construction 

+ Denison: Greater Iowa Credit Union 

+ Des Moines: Greater Iowa Credit Union (East Des Moines, Westown), Iowa State Bank (Hubbel, SW 9th, EP True, Hickman, Capital), Iowa State Bar Association, Pure Barre (West Des Moines), Valley West Mall 

+ Garner: Veteran’s Memorial Recreation Center 

+ Gilbert: REMAX Real Estate Center 

+ Huxley: Edward Jones 

+ Indianola: Greater Iowa Credit Union 

+ Mason City: Fleet Farm, Trinity Lutheran Church 

+ Story City: First Interstate Bank 

+ Waukee: Greater Iowa Credit Union 

Thank you to everyone who sponsored a youth this year. A special shout-out to the volunteers who helped make it all happen — including Iowa State University students and Drake University student-athletes through the DU Great Collective as well as our volunteer groups from Workiva, Gilbert Lutheran Church, ITA Group Inc., The Stelter Company, and MidAmerican Energy. We’re grateful for the community support that allows us to share hope and joy this holiday season. 

“What a heart-warming way to end 2023,” YSS President & CEO Andrew Allen said. “To see our communities embrace the season and lift each other up has me excited for all we will accomplish in this new year.”