In the last decade, Wired Production Group has been proud to support Foundation 2 Crisis Services in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, through its annual fundraising programs. As an organization, our leadership team encourages every team member to be the best they can be, personally and professionally. Still, sometimes, that is difficult because of life challenges inside and outside the workplace. Foundation 2 Crisis Services offers services to our community that our staff may need – and we want to encourage others to understand how Foundation 2 Crisis Services can assist them in their life journeys.
About Foundation 2 Crisis Services
For the last 50+ years, Foundation 2 Crisis Services has served people of all ages with crisis prevention and intervention services. It is their mission to be a trusted support when life gets tough, serving all people any time and every time. The services that Foundation 2 Crisis Services provides serve people in crisis approximately 100,000 times yearly. Through their services, they are dedicated to building resilience and improving the quality of life of Iowans by ensuring everyone across the state has access to their lifesaving work.
A crisis can include feelings of depression or anxiety, thoughts of suicide or self-harm, trouble managing life responsibilities, stress about financial hardships, and more. Crises affect not only adults but also youth in our communities. Foundation 2 Crisis Services operates multiple youth programs to serve children and young adults, including an emergency youth shelter, Fostering Futures support services for young adults transitioning out of foster care, and J-FAST, a collaborative community program to quickly serve youth with immediate mental health or substance abuse needs.
Foundation 2 Crisis Services operates a Mobile Crisis Outreach service with trained counselors who can provide on-site support for people in crisis within one hour of the initial assistance request. Mobile Crisis Outreach serves all ages across 12 counties at no cost. In addition to the on-site crisis support services available in Eastern Iowa, Foundation 2 also provides support for 988 in the state of Iowa.
What is 988?
The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is a national network of local crisis centers available 24/7/365 for anyone who is struggling with mental health, thoughts of suicide, or other life challenges. These crisis centers provide free, confidential emotional support to people who call, chat, or text with 988. In Iowa, Foundation 2 Crisis Services is one of two agencies providing trained crisis counselors to answer these calls.
If you do not need these services but are concerned about someone you care about and aren’t sure what the best way to help is, you can also contact 988 to have a counselor provide support and guidance.
Let’s Talk About Mental Health
It’s no secret that mental health and suicide prevention can be a hard discussion topic – but it doesn’t have to be. Foundation 2 Crisis Services offers education and training services to employers, students, and other organizations on how to say and do the right thing in times of support. Their trained professionals provide the tools and skills necessary to have healthy, open conversations about crisis and suicide prevention and intervention. You can request a training session here.
How to Support Foundation 2 Crisis Services
All crisis support through Foundation 2 Crisis Services is free and confidential for the community. Our community must step up to reinforce the organization’s efforts, as trusted support is crucial for everyone to live in a healthy, stable community. Foundation 2 Crisis Services has multiple fundraising and volunteer opportunities through its three core fundraising initiatives: Putts for Prevention, Stuff The Truck, and Small Things, Big Impact.
Putts for Prevention
Putts for Prevention is a long-time annual fundraising event for Foundation 2 Crisis Services, where participants are invited to enjoy local food and drinks for an afternoon jam-packed full of fun and mini golf! The nine-hole golf course is spread throughout the Cedar Rapids Downtown area during its spring golf outing, plus in Uptown Marion during its fall event. More than 250 participants register annually, and all proceeds from the event go to the Foundation 2 Crisis Services mission.
Stuff the Truck
In partnership with the Junior League of Cedar Rapids, Foundation 2 Crisis Services hosts its annual “Stuff the Truck.” The long-standing partnership between the two agencies focuses on supporting young people aging out of Iowa’s foster care system. Stuff the Truck – held on Giving Tuesday each year – raises in-kind and financial donations to support the Apartment in a Suitcase program.
The items collected include all of the things that helped you get established in your first apartment, such as kitchen knife sets, suitcases, dinnerware sets, toilet paper, paper towels, pots and pans, kleenexes, all-purpose cleaner, dish soap, laundry detergent, queen-size comforters, queen size blankets, and trash bags. For many recipients, the Apartment in a Suitcase is the first time they’ve had brand-new items of their own.
“If we think back to when we were 18 or 19 years old – maybe going to college or living in your first apartment – many of us had family or friends who helped us get on our feet. For young people aging out of foster care, that safety net of support typically isn’t there. Stuff the Truck can help make it possible for them to live on their own and be successful.”
In 2024, donations will be accepted from 7 a.m.-2 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 3, at Craft’d, 333 1st St. SE in Downtown Cedar Rapids. Donations can also be dropped off through Dec. 13 at Foundation 2 Crisis Services, 305 2nd Ave. SE in Downtown Cedar Rapids. Foundation 2 Crisis Services is open 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. Monday-Friday. Supporters can shop the Amazon Wish List or learn more on Facebook. Wired Production Group is proud to support this fundraising event annually.
Small Things, Big Impacts
With Foundation 2’s commitment to serving young adults transitioning out of foster care, there is a long list of “little things” that can create barriers to long-term success for these individuals. Foundation 2 Crisis Services collects donations from community members to help young people check these little things off the list and establish their independence. Funding from its Small Things, Big Impacts covers basic expenses, including apartment deposits, books for school, basic household necessities, driver’s license fees, utility account down payments, and more. More information about the program and a link to donate can be found on their website.
Interested in more information about Foundation 2 Crisis Services? Want to know more about how to donate or volunteer with Foundation 2 Crisis Services? Visit their website at www.foundation2.org.