Families Helping Families of Iowa is proud to offer support programs to help families and children in foster care throughout the state of Iowa. Our support programs are utilized by thousands of families across the state each year, from preparing students for school through tutoring and activity scholarships to providing clothing options for foster and adoptive families in need.
Clothing Closet
With generous donations from sponsors and the community, Families Helping Families offers new and gently used clothing, infant supplies, and hygiene items suitable for foster and adopted children aged newborn to 18 years old. Our Clothing Closet is located in the Families Helping Families office at 6000 7th St SW Cedar Rapids, IA 52404, and is staffed by volunteers.
Shoe Voucher Program
Through a collaboration with the Kiwanis Club of Cedar Rapids, each child placed in foster care, relative, or other approved placement is eligible to receive two shoe vouchers per year through our Shoe Voucher Program. These vouchers are redeemable at any Kohl’s department store. Thanks to funds received from the Kiwanis Club, private donations, and grants, we have offered more than 1,000 pairs of shoes for foster and adopted children throughout Iowa.
Birthday Bundles
We want to celebrate your child’s birthday! FHF offers celebratory birthday bundles for foster and adopted children ages 1-18. Our Birthday Bundles include an age-appropriate gift, birthday card, and birthday banner shipped directly to you within 2-3 weeks.
OCCC
To enhance accessibility to clothing and other essential resources to families across Iowa, we have partnered with Goodwill to form our Outer County Clothing Closet Program. Eligible families may receive two $30 vouchers per year for use at participating Goodwill locations.
Soaring Towards Success Tutoring Program
Our Soaring Toward Success Tutoring Program offers tutoring opportunities for students throughout the school year to help them gain confidence and success in the classroom. This program also covers school supplies, books, and study materials to help kids succeed.
Spread Your Wings Activity Scholarship Program
Kids involved in extracurricular activities build strong connections with their peers, learn new skills, and perform better academically. The Spread Your Wings Activity Scholarship Program provides funding for children in foster care, relative, or other approved placement to enroll in extracurricular activities and camps of interest including art, music, sports, and more. Through this program, hundreds of foster children have received financial assistance for program fees, equipment, uniforms, and more.
Haircuts for Kids
We offer a Haircuts for Kids program to help foster and adopted children look and feel their best. Eligible students in foster care can receive two complimentary vouchers for haircuts per year, provided by professional hairdressers at local salons.
Senior Photos
Every high school senior wants to feel good about their legacy in the school yearbook. Families Helping Families of Iowa offers a complimentary one-hour photography session to foster kids through our Senior Photos Program. We have partnered with local photographers to provide free, professionally taken photos to seniors. Foster parents and guardians receive electronic copies of the final photos, so they can print them at their leisure.
Senior Celebration
Only about half of foster children graduate high school. Graduation is a time to celebrate a foster child’s graduation with the Senior Celebration program. Through the Senior Celebration program, families can get help paying for their foster senior’s graduation party.