Articles Tagged: Foundation 2

The number of students in Cedar Rapids schools charged with a crime fell by nearly 50 percent last school year, the result of work by a group violence intervention program that aims to prevent crime.

Get to Know Gives Back talks to Kara Grafft from Foundation 2 Crisis Services about the services they provide and how to get involved.

Eastern Iowa nonprofits are preparing for change as the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services works to finalize details of its new behavioral health districts, which will go into effect on July 1.

Challenges persist for the agencies that answer the phone calls and text messages that come in through the 988 number, including high turnover among crisis counselors.

Get to Know Foundation 2, an area nonprofit that provides incredible services in Eastern Iowa. This podcast is hosted by The Gazette, sponsored by Collins Community Credit Union.

“For too long and for too many Iowans in need of help, navigating and accessing services across the system has been too difficult for patients and providers alike,” the governor said.

Foundation 2 Crisis Services celebrated the opening of its new headquarters after a $5.4 million renovation of the Witwer Building at 305 Second Ave. SE in downtown Cedar Rapids. It “legitimizes crisis response for the critical service it is,” CEO Emily Blomme said.

Iowa Republican U.S. Rep. Ahsley Hinson and Iowa GOP Sen. Joni Ernst met with Volodymyr Zelenskyy earlier this month in Ukraine.

Starting in December, tenants will begin moving into a new affordable housing development in southeast Cedar Rapids that will add 44 rental units to the city’s core. Five units are reserved for young people aging out of the foster care system.

The Leadership for Five Seasons Class of 2023 recently presented checks to Foundation 2 Crisis Services and Tanager to support community mental health services.

Foundation 2 has taken over management of Group Violence Intervention, the community gun violence reduction strategy, but Cedar Rapids officials say the effort continues to see success in keeping people alive and out of jail.

The national suicide prevention crisis number was shortened to the three digit number 988 in July, resulting in an increase in call volumes across the United States. The two nonprofits that serve as answering centers for the line in Iowa have been keeping up with demand, despite high staff turnover.

The new affordable housing development will add 44 rental units in Cedar Rapids with supportive services provided by Foundation 2. Some units are set aside for youth aging out of foster care to help set this vulnerable population up for success.

See the replay video from Part 3 of our Business Spotlight Series. This installment is all about Growth for the Future.

Foundation 2 is pursuing a more than $3 million renovation of the historic Witwer Building in downtown Cedar Rapids, largely supported by local and state American Rescue Plan funds, to serve as its new headquarters. The move will consolidate five existing Foundation 2 buildings into one hub for training and services.