(Council Bluffs, Iowa) – The Community Foundation for Western Iowa and SHARE Iowa, today (Thursday), announced Ruth Kreger, volunteer with “Share My Smile,” as the second annual Do-Gooder of the Year award winner.  Do Good Days Is April 24 – April 27^th. During Do Good Days, SHARE Iowa and the Community Foundation for Western Iowa encourage community members and nonprofit organizations to honor what doing good means to them.

Falling on National Volunteer Week, a major focus for Do Good Days this year is volunteerism. SHARE Iowa, an initiative of the Community Foundation for Western Iowa, provided online educational opportunities for nonprofits and presented the second annual “Do-Gooder of the Year” award. All nonprofit organizations participating on the SHARE Iowa platform were encouraged to nominate their volunteers or “Do-Gooders” of the year. Share My Smile nominated Ruth Kreger for the award.

According to the nomination, Ruth has been volunteering since the inception of Share My Smile and is the coordinator of the Project Birthday Joy program since 2017. Every month, Ruth single-handedly prepares birthday boxes for all the foster and guardianship children enrolled in Share My Smile who will be celebrating an upcoming birthday. She shops for the items included in the boxes so that the children can have an actual birthday party, such as cake mixes, cans of frosting, fun birthday plates and napkins, plus small gift items like playing cards and the like. (Photos courtesy Catrina Trabal,Community Partnerships Manager)

Community Foundation CEO Donna Dostal presents award to Do-Gooder of the Year Ruth Kreger

From Left to Right: Share My Smile Executive Director Michelle Irions, Community Foundation for Western Iowa CEO Donna Dostal, Do-Gooder of the Year Ruth Kreger, Share My Smile Founder Chelsea Best, Share My Smile Program Specialist Michaela Harrington, Community Foundation for Western Iowa Community Partnerships Manager Catrina Trabal

Ruth Kreger, Do-Gooder of the Year

She also orders Walmart gift cards for each child. Ruth personally packs each box, addresses them, and brings them to the post office. Additionally, she also signs and addresses birthday cards for all the adopted and biological children in our program and adds a gift card to their envelope. The impact that Project Birthday Joy has on the lives of these foster children is immeasurable. Often, these children have never had a birthday party before so it’s due to Ruth’s volunteer efforts that these children are made to feel special.

Chelsea Best, founder and President of Share My Smile, says “Ruth is one of my most favorite people. She is such a dedicated and reliable volunteer – the things you just can’t teach, she has it. Ruth has the biggest heart and is one of the sweetest human beings ever.”

SHARE Iowa is a dynamic online resource for our nonprofit partners that helps them to better reach and engage with people who want to have an impact into their community by donating dollars, shopping from nonprofit wish lists, attending events, or discovering volunteer opportunities. Donna Dostal, CEO of the Community Foundation for Western Iowa, states “We created the Do-Gooder award to honor and recognize the amazing individuals like Ruth who give of their time and talents to make a difference in other people’s lives and our community. Ruth epitomizes a ‘Do-Gooder’ and is making a lasting impact in the lives of the children Share My Smile serves. We are honored to recognize her efforts.”

Go to www.sharegoodiowa.org to learn more and support nonprofit organizations making an impact in western Iowa.