Iowa Community Action Association - C.A.R.E.S.
Iowa Community Action Association - C.A.R.E.S.
Northeast Iowa Community Action Corp Operation: New View Community Action Agency Operation Threshold North Iowa Community Action Organization Upper Des Moines Opportunity, Inc. Mid-Sioux Opportunity Community Action Agency of Siouxland West Central Community Action New Opportunities, Inc. MATURA Action Corporation South Central Iowa Community Action Program Des Moines Community Action Agency Red Rock Area Community Action Program Mid-Iowa Community Action Hawkeye Area Community Action Program Community Action of Eastern Iowa Community Action of Southeast Iowa Southern Iowa Economic Development Association


Last year 1,905 Iowa families reduced their heating costs through weatherization programs, and 14,363 families received financial support for emergency energy assistance (Read More).

Contribute to ICAA

SocialTwist Tell-a-Friend  

C.A.R.E.S.

The C.A.R.E.S. program - Community Allies Reaching-out Equals Support - is an innovative program based on the Circles of Support model. This voluntary program is sponsored by Upper Des Moines Opportunity, Inc., and is currently active and available in Hamilton and Humboldt counties.

 
C.A.R.E.S. consists of both participants and allies who volunteer their time, talents and gifts to build a community where everyone has enough money, meaning and friends. Participants are people who face barriers such as poverty, parenting skills or social isolation. Allies are those who believe everyone has something to offer regardless of social status, race, or income.
 
Participants and allies work together to build community by coming together twice each month to share in a provided meal and meeting. Allies, participants and their families eat together and share in all roles and responsibilities of the evening. Following the meal, the youth attend a planned group program. The adults also attend a program each evening. This is an opportunity to build friendships and trust, to share experiences, learn new skills and get involved in community efforts.
 
As trust and comfort levels build, the concept of Circles of Support becomes a major role in the C.A.R.E.S. program. A Circle of Support is made up of three allies and one participant or family. Both allies and participants will have had an opportunity to complete an initial interest survey. The program coordinator will use the survey to match the Circles based on common interests. Sometimes allies and participants will ask each other to become part of a Circle on their own.
 
In the C.A.R.E.S. program, Circles meet outside of the Community Leadership Team nights. Members get together once per month for an hour or more to enjoy each other’s company and to review the progress of the participants’ goals. Circle members rely on each other for needed support and use the power of the group for needed guidance. Being on a Circle is not a requirement for participation in the C.A.R.E.S. program.
 
To date, C.A.R.E.S. has aided participants in networking, finding low income housing, finding jobs, becoming active members of the community, childcare issues, family mentoring, budgeting, goal setting, as well as in many other areas. Participants in the C.A.R.E.S. program report having a sense of belonging; enhanced meaning in their lives; a desire to do better; being empowered, not enabled; and a view of themselves as survivors, not victims. Participants and allies work as a team to build stronger families and a stronger community in which everyone can live.
 
For more information about UDMO's C.A.R.E.S. program visit UDMO's website at www.udmo.com or call (800) 245-6151.