This holiday season, CommUnity Crisis Services and Food Bank will provide all the necessary groceries to prepare a full holiday meal to almost 1,300 families in Johnson County. The Project Holiday program is in its 36th year, and the need for food bank assistance is greater than ever. “We’ve seen the need for food assistance […]
CommUnity Crisis Services and Food Bank
Posted inLetters
Letters to the editor: Think of the hungry this holiday season
These four letters were submitted separately between Nov. 16-20. By Dan Feltes, Iowa City It is easy to think that families going hungry and food needs may have peaked at the height of COVID-19. In reality, the need in our community is only growing. CommUnity Crisis Services and Food Bank, which serves the greater Iowa […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Iowa food banks in ‘dire situation,’ anticipate more strain if governor signs restrictions on SNAP benefits
Food banks across the state continue to struggle to meet the needs of their communities as food insecurity rises in Iowa. On Tuesday morning, CommUnity Crisis Services in Iowa City sent out a news release to let the public know the strain its food bank is under. The food bank, which expanded in 2020 and […]
Posted inLetters
Letter to the editor: CommUnity’s food bank needs our help
By Ellen Ballas, Iowa City Eastern Iowans: our local food bank in Iowa City needs monetary or food donations to help keep our neighbors fed. I received their email stating their donations are down and their inventory is scarce. There were “1,640 more visits to the Food Bank in January than the month prior.” Additionally, […]
Posted inEastern Iowa
Best of the CRANDIC: CommUnity CEO Sarah Nelson on how the 988 lifeline ‘changed everything’
Sarah Nelson is a graduate of Iowa City West High and the University of Iowa. She led Foundation 2 in Cedar Rapids before taking over as CommUnity Crisis Services’ CEO in 2021, and can now say she’s overseen the only two National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (NSPL) centers in the state. At CommUnity — winner of […]
Posted inCommunity/News
CommUnity is expanding its fleet of crisis responders, providing an alternative to 911 for locals in mental health crises
CommUnity’s Mobile Crisis Outreach program is getting a new fleet of eight vehicles, as well as three full-time counselors, thanks to a nearly $1 million grant from Iowa City. The addition of staff and vehicles will shorten response times in the area. Since 2015, the mobile crisis program has dispatched mental health counselors all across […]
Posted inCommunity/News
After its first year providing crisis services, the GuideLink Center assesses its accomplishments and obstacles
During its first year, the GuideLink Center, a facility that provides care for mental health and substance use disorders, has helped over 1,000 people, said Executive Director Abbey Ferenzi. The center offers 24/7 services, including rapid assessment, triage and crisis stabilization, medically monitored withdrawal and a sobering unit. “GuideLink Center was designed to fill the […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Free mobile clothing closet helps locals in need bundle up, dress for school or jobs
Around 40 people picked out clothes on Thursday, when the Corridor Community Action Network’s (CCAN) brought its free mobile clothing closet to Pepperwood Plaza in Iowa City. The event was the first test drive for CCAN Clothing Cruise’s RV, which was packed door-to-door with winter, professional and school clothes. Plans for the Clothing Cruise began […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Cranksgiving, the cycling scavenger hunt that supports local food banks, returns to Iowa City and Cedar Rapids
Cranksgiving is returning to both Iowa City and Cedar Rapids this year, and though its name might sound like a holiday dinner with your QAnon-curious relatives, it’s actually a good thing. Cranksgiving is a combination bike race, scavenger hunt and food drive that benefits local nonprofits. Cyclists are given a manifest listing specific items and […]
Posted inCommunity/News
CommUnity and Field to Family partner to bring fresh, local produce to underserved areas
Having easy access to fresh, locally-produced produce can often depend on where you live, or if you have enough free time to attended events like the Iowa City Farmers Market. But starting next week, two nonprofits will be working together to make fresh fruit and vegetables more accessible to underserved areas of Johnson County.
Posted inCommunity/News
CommUnity’s Project Holiday helps families in need enjoy a holiday meal
The name of the nonprofit changed earlier this year, but its mission didn’t. CommUnity Crisis Services and Foodbank, formerly the Crisis Center of Johnson County, still offers crisis counseling, assists families struggling to pay rent and utility bills, help individuals starting new jobs with basic necessities (such as buying boots and uniforms) and runs a
Posted inCommunity/News
Cranksgiving, a cycling scavenger hunt that benefits local food banks, comes to Iowa City
Cranksgiving is coming to Iowa City for the first time on Saturday. For those who have never heard of Cranksgiving, it’s not a support group for people whose Thanksgiving involves talking to relatives who are political cranks. The event, which started in New York City in 1999 and has spread nationwide, is a combination bike race, scavenger hunt
