Corridor Business Journal Article

gigi@corridorbiznews.com

Needs still exist.

Nonprofits throughout the Corridor are providing services to dozens of families affected by last year’s natural disasters. Add a weak economy with extensive layoffs and many area organizations are finding it difficult to keep up with demand.

There are many worthy nonprofits throughout the region, but when Eastern Iowa was hit with flooding and tornadoes last summer, donors gave generously to recovery efforts.

At the forefront were agencies such as the American Red Cross and United Way, which provided many emergency and immediate services to the area.

United Way

More than 6,000 people volunteered 136,000 hours with the United Way of East Central Iowa, based in Cedar Rapids, to help with cleanup and rebuilding. Many faith-based groups helped with United Way’s efforts, for a total of 355,000 volunteer hours.

Its 211 phone service answered 50,000 calls directing people to services. The agency raised $1.3 million, which has been dispersed to various agencies. And the group is still helping flooded families. United Way has about 350 open flood cases remaining, after closing 700.

“These were people directly impacted by the flood so they have a FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) number and they are looking for help in terms of rehabbing their home,” said Lois Buntz, president and CEO of the United Way of East Central Iowa. “And then some of them might need other kinds of help like mental health or counseling services, financial counseling services, but it’s primarily related to helping them get established in their home if they’re in a temporary home.”

In Johnson County, the local United Way raised $2.65 million after the flood and continues to coordinate long-term recovery efforts. It is managing grant contracts from the Rebuild Iowa Office to provide case management for flood-affected homeowners.

“Part of our work is to make sure our community remains aware of the tremendous needs that still exist for homeowners who have not returned to permanent housing,” Christine Scheetz, president and CEO of the United Way of Johnson County stated in an e-mail. “FEMA, SBA (U.S. Small Business Administration), flood insurance, disaster-relief funds and other forms of assistance have left gaps, and the case advocates and Long Term Recovery Committee are working to ensure that all homeowners meet at least a basic level of recovery – permanent housing, either returning to the home that was damaged by the flood or in a new location; a bed for each member of the household; the ability to cook and store food; and appropriate services for dealing with the psychological and emotional toll of their experience throughout the flood and its aftermath.”

Last year’s disasters may change the agency permanently.

“I think as a result of the flood, we have our three major initiatives, which are education, income and health, and in each of those areas we are continuing to collect information to see how the community has changed,” Ms. Buntz said. “Because obviously with the flood we know housing will be a major issue, we know we have more unemployment now, more basic needs that people are requesting. So we’re looking to see if we need to make some adjustments (in its initiatives) because our community does look different than it did a year ago.”

Girl Scouts

There were other nonprofits that were flooded, which needed to quickly recover and assist clients.

The Girl Scouts of Eastern Iowa & Western Illinois was one. The organization’s office in Cedar Rapids was flooded, as were two of its four campsites in the region. It moved into a temporary location in Marion before transferring, for the time being, to Westdale Mall.

“We were greatly affected by the flood. Our offices in Cedar Rapids, we were based in the former ARC building and we had 8 feet of water come into our offices and I think we had three hours to get out and most people picked stuff up off of their desks and put it on top of filing cabinets,” said Chuck Gysi, a spokesman for the Girl Scouts. “We totally lost everything and weren’t able to salvage anything out of there.”

The group will be one of the first tenants at the Linn County Human Services Campus. The county recently received $10 million from the state’s I-JOBS program to help pay for the facility, which will provide space to about 10 nonprofits that were displaced by the flood.

“We do run a retail operation, so it’s kind of cool being out at the mall for that purpose; it’s given us a new view on retailing somewhat,” he said. “But we also have our offices there and it’s been kind of difficult on our staff, there’s no doubt about that.”

Volunteers traveled to Parkersburg after the tornado hit and assisted girl scouts and their families last May. Then the campsite at Decorah flooded before the water traveled to Cedar Rapids. Later, a camp in Burlington was flooded. The camps were operational last summer, minus a zip-line and landmark bridge that was washed out.

“It was kind of a double whammy last year,” he said. “We did the cleanup, there were a lot tree branches down and mud and picnic benches were carried downstream to our camp and we lost some of ours.”

The flood and economy have not impacted donations to the agency, he said.

“Our donations maintained the same levels as far as I know,” Mr. Gysi said. “We’ve been able to keep on our toes for the most part and I don’t think there’s been any backlash.”

Habitat for Humanity

Businesses continue to show an interest in providing volunteers and financial support for constructing houses with the Iowa Valley Habitat for Humanity, despite the economy.

“With the economy, everyone always assumes that nonprofits are hit the hardest because people and businesses, no longer have the money to give,” Kasie Ver Schuure stated in an e-mail. “However, we've had a lot of businesses step up lately in unique ways to provide us with much-needed support. Just goes to show that even when times are tough, businesses can still be very active in the community if they are creative.”

One company donates $10 to nonprofits when customers fill out an e-mail feedback form. Another donates unused snacks and drinks to building volunteers. Yet another charges employees $5 to wear jeans on casual days and donates the money to Habitat. A retail store put out upside-down umbrellas that people throw loose change into, generating more than $3,000.

“No matter how businesses choose to support local nonprofits, whether it be through in-kind donations, funding or volunteer support, each contribution is essential to our affiliate in one way or another,” she said. “It’s basically like a puzzle; everything counts and everything, no matter how large or small, is an important piece to making our work a reality.”

Iowa City school foundation

With the state’s many budget cuts, school foundations are asked to fill in the gaps and help schools pay for unfunded services. The Iowa City Community School District Foundation was noted in a Wall Street Journal story in December about the growing trend of schools turning to foundations to generate income for programs.

The foundation is a separate entity from the district and is able to raise money for programs that individual parent-teacher organizations can’t, said Jacki Brennan, executive director of the foundation. The group recently funded more than $56,000 in grants for projects identified by the district.

A major need is new technology, both hardware and software. New LCD projectors, for example, cost $750, while replacement light bulbs go for $250, she said. The foundation is also collecting donations for a pilot program, a biotechnical engineering class at West High, which requires expensive books, software and classroom kits.

“Education is a real priority in this community, so I think we might have an easier job than some school districts,” she said. “We have a lot of people who understand and appreciate the importance of education, businesses that realize if the public school system is strong in the community it’s a good way for them to attract employees to live here.”

Donations and pledges are down somewhat because of the flood and the economy, she said, but because education is a top priority, the foundation is faring better than other nonprofits, she said.

The school district cut summer school this year because of budget cuts, so the foundation is providing money to pay tutors to help students with remedial math and reading.

Horizons

Demand is high for morning, afternoon and day-care services at Horizons, A Family Service Alliance, in Iowa City. The morning program this summer grew rapidly because the school district cancelled summer school and cuts in after school programs. Demand is so high, Horizons will begin an afternoon program in August.

“We’re hearing that people are having trouble this summer finding day care for those who work and that the service they had last year won’t be available because it’s already filled up, enrollment’s been over the top,” said Beth Ward, iCAN supervisor at Horizons.

Up to 20 children are showing up to the summer day camps, many of whom arrive early and hungry. Breakfast bars are handed out and counselors teach them various skills, such as coping and anger management. Half of the children are paid for through Title 19, many others have no money and Horizons absorbs the costs through penny-pinching and soliciting donations.

“We work off such a shoestring budget, every penny counts,” Ms. Ward said.

Many area nonprofit leaders plan to start their next fundraising campaigns this fall and said it could be more difficult to raise money this year over last because the economy is weak and people are still recovering from the flood. While financial donations were plentiful following the flood, nonprofits might not be so lucky this year with the economic situation.

“It could be a very challenging year this year; we have the economy that will play into that,” United Way’s Ms. Buntz said. “We’re all seeing a little bit of a dip in companies being able to do sponsorships and events, there’s just less money.” CBJ

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