About IRIS: IRIS stands for the Iowa Radio Reading Information Service for the blind and print handicapped. Around 1,000 listeners tune into broadcasts across the state of Iowa provided by a network of 500 volunteers. Drake IRIS serves people experiencing blindness or print barriers in Council Bluffs, Iowa through Drake students’ daily reading of the Council Bluffs Daily Nonpareil. This program has proven to build empathy, disability services knowledge, growth in communication skills, and more for its volunteers.

Faculty Volunteer Information: If you are able, please sign-up for a time slot to volunteer with Drake IRIS during the 2022 spring break. We are piloting this faculty reading week to see if there is interest in the program and feedback to better our services. Reading for IRIS is quick, easy, fun, and makes a big impact on our neighbors in Council Bluffs, Iowa. A bonus is this reading opportunity is a remote volunteer option to help make your experience over the break more accessible. This is the perfect opportunity to record from your desk or home utilizing your community service leave provided by the University!

Sign-Up to Volunteer: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1q6NB1xLV2A4vlaf65j8pNWUMGwjwk8STMxiLSkx9kr8/edit?usp=sharing

— Kiley Kahler, Senior