Former AmeriCorps Partnering to Protect Children member to enter Iowa Volunteer Hall of Fame

Former AmeriCorps Partnering to Protect Children (APPC) member Paula Falconer of Oskaloosa, IA, will be honored on April 27, 2023 at the State Capitol in Des Moines for a special Iowa

 Volunteer Hall of Fame ceremony. The Iowa Volunteer Hall of Fame is the most prestigious state-level honor volunteers can receive. APPC is a program of Iowa State’s Child Welfare Research & Training Project (CWRTP).

Paula’s Journey to the Iowa Volunteer Hall of Fame:

At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Paula and her teenage daughter spent time thinking about what they could do to help – what needs they saw in their community that many families were facing. They remembered their storage had plenty of t-shirts that they could use to sew bags for the food bank in Ottumwa. Paula noted that it can be challenging to include teenagers in activities they enjoy outside of electronics. Thankfully, her daughter loved having the opportunity to practice her sewing skills. Together, their small group of friends sewed nearly 1,000 food bags to be used for families facing food insecurity in their area. This spurred new ideas about how to help bridge gaps, and helped build a foundation for the Eddyville Summer Food Program where together with other community organizations and businesses, over 8,000 meals were shared with families.

Paula is proud to say that she is a homemaker at heart – and AmeriCorps provided an avenue to expand her world. In thinking back to when she first considered becoming an APPC member, she said, “I knew I wanted to make a difference in my community. I knew I wanted to learn about my community. And I knew I wanted to serve my community - but I did not have a clue how to do any of these things. I also knew I would have to step out of my comfort zone.” She certainly left her comfort zone for brand new adventures, including starting her own nonprofit organization since completing her AmeriCorps service. With her passion for people and community, Paula Falconer will continue to make a long-lasting positive impact in southeastern Iowa.

Governor Kim Reynolds and Lt. Governor Adam Gregg will induct the 2023 Iowa Volunteer Hall of Fame members and present the Excellence in Mentoring awards in a ceremony at the Iowa State Capitol building on Thursday, April 27 at 2:30pm.

Being selected for the Iowa Volunteer Hall of Fame is the most prestigious state-level honor volunteers can receive as recognition of extraordinary donations of volunteer service to their communities. The Excellence in Mentoring Awards gives Iowa MENTOR certified programs the opportunity to recognize outstanding long-time youth mentors.