We are grateful to everyone who braved the snow and helped with Meals From The Heartland packaging on Jan. 17. You, too, can use your Community Service Leave and be #rockinthehairnet.

There is still time to use your Community Service Leave benefit this fiscal year.

There are so many opportunities to utilize your 8 hours of Community Service Leave before the end of the fiscal year. Community service leave can be used for:

• Volunteer or service work for non-profit community service organizations;
• Volunteer work at a school, including the school your children or grandchildren attend (including field trips, events and school-related projects);
• Participation in a Drake-sponsored community service activity;
• Blood, bone marrow, and organ donation;
• Disaster relief and emergency volunteer activities

If you need guidance in finding an organization or event, the Office of Community Engaged Learning has an online platform, DUgood, to connect you with partners in Des Moines and beyond. Need help creating a DUgood profile, logging hours and accessing data. Register now for the March 19 DUgood Basics BUILD session.

Let’s make the most of this benefit, which strengthens ourselves and our communities.

— Elissa Johnson, On behalf of All Staff Council