SHELLEY — Mayor Kim Westergard believes Shelley’s recent designation as a JustServe City is going to help create a better path between those who need and those who are able to serve.

“This is going to help connect all of our nonprofits through one website,” Westergard said. “I think this is going to create a stronger connection between residents and the city when it comes to local projects.”

Westergard said the city of Shelley began to look into garnering the JustServe City designation several months ago, and after she and other city officials attended a meeting of nonprofits in Idaho Falls, the idea picked up steam.

“We watched the city of Ucon receive their plaque,” she said of Ucon becoming a JustServe City. “The conversation was already in place, but that gave us even more motivation.”

JustServe is a platform that works to connect those who need volunteers and other assistance, most nonprofits, with those looking for opportunities to serve. The JustServe City program helps to “unite a community and build a culture of service,” according to the JustServe website, www.justserve.org.

Shelley received its plaque during the Shelley City Council meeting on Feb. 25. It was Jerry Gwynn, who, along with his wife Heather Gwynn, facilitates for the JustServe movement in Bingham County, who presented the plaque to Westergard.

Gwynn said that when a city receives that designation, it allows JustServe to work more closely with those seeking volunteers and other needs in that community.

“When they are looking for volunteer work, we can help them get the word out through our website and our social media,” he said.

While most of the effort is in assisting nonprofits, Gwynn said the city can benefit as well. If there are projects the city has that don’t require an expertise of some kind, such as a clean-up day at a park, the city can search for volunteers for that project through JustServe as well.

JustServe began in San Jose, Calif., in 2012 and over the years has grown internationally. In January, Idaho became the first JustServe State. It came about as part of the state’s move to declare Idaho a state of volunteerism and the setting of the 250,000 acts of kindness goal. More about that can be found at the official website, www.idahokindness.com.

Westergard said she is excited that Shelley has become an official JustServe City and points out her city was not the first to receive the designation in Idaho; it was the first after Idaho became a JustServe State.

“JustServe is a worldwide organization that’s all about serving,” she said. “It has a free website that is going to help connect the part of our community that needs volunteers with those who want to volunteer.”

Those wishing to volunteer through JustServe can just go to the website and type their city into the search bar, and it will list those seeking assistance within a 25-mile range of that city. So if there isn’t something in your town, there will likely be something within a relatively short drive.