Willis Dady Homeless Services receives $100,000 grant to expand mattress recycling program

CEDAR RAPIDS — Willis Dady Homeless Services has been awarded a $100,000 grant to expand its mattress recycling program after it made a pitch at the Cedar Rapids Downtown Rotary Club's fourth annual Grand Impact event.

The event, held Monday in Cedar Rapids, brought together three local nonprofits to present their most pressing funding needs to an audience of community members and business donors.

Each nonprofit had the opportunity to showcase their mission, impact and specific project goals in hopes of securing financial support.

Willis Dady's winning proposal focused on scaling up its existing mattress recycling operation, which launched in July 2024. The program deconstructs mattresses, separating the foam and springs to repurpose and recycle the different parts. It also helps people who have been out of work get back into the workforce.

Willis Dady runs the mattress deconstruction program out of a warehouse, located at 800 First Ave. NW, where the mattresses are cut open and separated by material type.

The program has experienced quick growth. In the first quarter of this year, 564 mattresses were deconstructed and recycled at Willis Dady, up from 412 in 2024, marking a 36 percent increase. The organization originally budgeted for about 120 mattresses per month, but it’s receiving 200.

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The other nonprofits that pitched at the Grand Impact event were The New Bohemian Innovation Collaborative (NewBoCo) and Trees Forever.

The Grand Impact concept was created in 2021 by five local business leaders. The inaugural $100,000 award was given to Matthew 25 for its corner store concept on Ellis Boulevard.

The Cedar Rapids Downtown Rotary Club hosted the second edition in 2023, awarding funding to Together We Achieve, which used it to build infrastructure and capacity at its food bank. Kingdom Community Center used its 2024 $100,000 award to buy a van to improve youth transportation access.