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Provides one-on-one mentoring relationships between a child facing adversity and an adult volunteer to promote self-confidence, academic achievement, and strong relationships with peers and adults.

Programs include:

- Community-Based Program: Children ages 5-16 are matched with adult mentors, who spend at least 8 hours a month with them for at least 1 year

- Lunch Buddies Program: Elementary and middle-school children meet with mentors every other week during their school lunch period

Provides a re-entry program that assists individuals returning to the community from the correctional system. Assists individuals with the following:

• Learning basic skills.
• Leadership development.
• Interview preparation and job readiness.
• Group mentoring and peer-to-peer sessions.

  Offers the following services:

• Case management.
• Job placement.
• Educational assessments.
• Advocacy.
• Counseling.
• Recreational activities.

Long term residential placement for youth 10-18 years of age. Outpatient substance abuse treatment and therapy services available for youth placed in the long-term residential program.

Behavioral health services for youth 5-18 years of age depending on the program or service.

Volunteer mentoring program for 3rd through 12th grade in math or reading skills.

Family preservation services in Iowa and Nebraska.

Educational programs for professionals working with youth.

Serves middle school and high school teens who are experiencing challenging times. The staff builds relationships with youth through tutoring, support groups, and one-on-one mentoring.

Seeks to build better schools and a healthier community by reaching out to every hurting, lost, or at risk teen in the community and build caring relationships with them and offer opportunities for life transformation.

Character and leadership development. Programs include aquatics, arts, sports, fitness and recreation, health and life skills, educational and career development, job training, career preparation, tutoring services, and age appropriate community service.

Outdoor activities, including Carter Lake Summer Camp (Mon-Fri 8 am-4 pm).

Meals served. Limited bus service - call for details.

Serves children ages 7-21 by matching them with a caring, positive adult role model. The child and mentor meet in the community and spend time doing different activities they both enjoy and/or interact on any video conferencing platform that is not observable by BBBS. The participants commit to meeting for a minimum of 4 hours in 2-4 outings per month for a minimum of 12 months. Mentors can be a Big Brother, Big Sister, or a Big Couple. (Married couple or 2 individuals in a committed relationship for 3 or more years who currently live together.)

The following programs are part of the Community Based Mentoring program and serve a specific population of children:

- Juvenile Justice – Youth in this program have had some contact with the juvenile justice system (delinquency court appearance, parole intake or actual arrest) and can benefit from a friend and role model who helps guide them as they work towards making better choices.

- Mentoring Children of Prisoners – The children in this program have one or both parents currently incarcerated. Bigs in this program can help just by being their friend and giving stability to that youth.

- Latino Mentoring – Children in this program have Latino heritage and may have Spanish speaking parents, and may prefer a Spanish speaking mentor. These matches are supported by bilingual Big Brothers Big Sisters’ staff members.

- Foster Care – Youth in foster care placements have interpersonal, developmental challenges and are vulnerable as they transition into adulthood. These youth can benefit from a friend and role model who helps guide them as they work towards making healthy choices.

- LGBTQ+ – One-to-one mentoring can help LGBTQ+ youth confront challenges and promote positive personal and educational outcomes.

Character and leadership development. Programs include aquatics, arts, sports, fitness and recreation, health and life skills, educational and career development, job training, career preparation, tutoring services, and age appropriate community service.

Outdoor activities, including Carter Lake Summer Camp (Mon-Fri 8 am-4 pm).

Meals served. Limited bus service - call for details.

Provides programs for families involved in the child welfare system or in crisis that need encouragement while they change their lives. Services include advocacy, mentoring, mediation, alternative counseling, workshops, outreach and 3rd party visits. Also provides group sessions and trainings.

Links homeless families with a social worker and a church-based "neighboring group" which actively participates in the family's life, has monthly activities with the family, a monthly Bridge of Hope night, and makes weekly phone calls. Commitment to the support is for up to two years.

Church-based mentoring groups are made up of volunteers from local churches and then matched to the mothers in the Bridge to Hope program.

Character and leadership development. Programs include aquatics, arts, sports, fitness and recreation, health and life skills, educational and career development, job training, career preparation, tutoring services, and age appropriate community service.

Outdoor activities, including Carter Lake Summer Camp (Mon-Fri 8 am-4 pm).

Meals served. Limited bus service - call for details.

Offers a program designed to empower young entrepreneurs to develop entrepreneurial skills to launch their own businesses. Students receive mentorship from business professionals from the Des Moines Metro area where they obtain hands-on skills and connections to confidently pitch their business ideas at the conclusion of the program.

Character and leadership development. Programs include aquatics, arts, sports, fitness and recreation, health and life skills, educational and career development, job training, career preparation, tutoring services, and age appropriate community service.

Outdoor activities, including Carter Lake Summer Camp (Mon-Fri 8 am-4 pm).

Meals served. Limited bus service - call for details.

Mentors model appropriate behavior, provide guidance and skill building, and offer an opportunity to motivate their mentee through interest exploration and social interaction.

Community-based mentoring matches a child with an adult volunteer in a community-based relationship.

School-based mentoring is incorporated into the school structure and meets during lunch/recess at the child's school. School-based matches are able to participate in BBBS sponsored and other community activities, but are not required to do so.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Mississippi Valley provides age appropriate activity enhancements through our community partners that help grow the relationship and strengthen the development of the child. Enhancements involving elementary children and their mentors explore literacy, community service, health and wellness, financial literacy, and STEAM. Enhancements involving middle and high school youth and their mentors explore careers, post-secondary education, financial literacy, leadership, social and mental health, and community service.

Character and leadership development. Programs include aquatics, arts, sports, fitness and recreation, health and life skills, educational and career development, job training, career preparation, tutoring services, and age appropriate community service.

Outdoor activities, including Carter Lake Summer Camp (Mon-Fri 8 am-4 pm).

Meals served. Limited bus service - call for details.

Matches youth ages 5-12 with caring, positive, committed, adult role models. The youth (Little) and mentor (Big) meet in the community 2-4 times per month for a minimum of 4 hours and spend time exploring activities they already enjoy and trying some new ones.

Character and leadership development. Programs include aquatics, arts, sports, fitness and recreation, health and life skills, educational and career development, job training, career preparation, tutoring services, and age appropriate community service.

Outdoor activities, including Carter Lake Summer Camp (Mon-Fri 8 am-4 pm).

Meals served. Limited bus service - call for details.

Provides opportunities for refugees, asylees, victims of human trafficking, survivors of torture, and other immigrants to thrive in America. Services include:

Reception and Placement: Meeting critical needs in the early months after arriving in the United States. IRC staff and community partners ensure newly arrived refugees are greeted at the airport, have a furnished home, receive time-limited rental assistance, have access to nutritious food, healthcare and education, and are given appropriate social services referrals.

Employment Services: Early self-sufficiency through employment is the foundation of the US Refugee Program. IRC staff and volunteers provide job readiness training, vocational counseling, resume preparation, job search and placement services, and financial assistance for basic needs with the goal of helping refugees find their first job in America. Employment services are provided to refugees for up to five years from their date of arrival.

Intensive Case Management: Some refugees face barriers that make rapid employment difficult. Others face cultural barriers that require additional training and orientation support to learn to navigate American systems independently. Still others face crisis after an initial period of stability. For those refugees, IRC provides intensive case management services for up to five years after arrival.

Financial Coaching: Financial Coaching at IRC offers new Americans and other vulnerable populations an opportunity to build their financial knowledge, skills, and assets. Through a combination of one-on-one coaching and financial education classes, IRC delivers innovative, effective programs by combining evidence-based strategies with an unparalleled ability to deliver culturally and linguistically accessible programs. As a result of these programs, people are able to build their family income and assets, contributing to the economic vibrancy of communities across America.

Can also offer youth tutoring and mentoring for those in the community that need a little extra help.