For more than 40 years, the Embrace Iowa charitable program has been a valued source of temporary, but vital financial relief to generations of fellow Iowans. And it’s not always the funding of a big-ticket item or expensive medical procedures that can make an immediate and very real difference in a person’s life.
Kossuth County resident Vickie Thiede’s life needed a lift. “I had just moved into an apartment, and I didn't have a mattress. I just had a piece of foam, and it was too low to the ground,” she explained. To make matters worse, Theide was in the uncomfortable position of waiting for a scheduled appointment for hip surgery.
It was Thiede’s son and friends at the local senior center who recommended she speak with the knowledgeable and sympathetic staff at the North Iowa Community Action Organization. This agency, combined with 15 others overseen by the Iowa Community Action Association, extends the reach of the Embrace Iowa program to all 99 Iowa counties, creating opportunities for relief to every eligible Iowan.
The project distributes grants valued at up to $750 to assist with a diverse variety of financial crises, including urgent doctor and dentist visits, essential car repairs, and help with clothing or furniture for young children.
As long as an applicant is an Iowa resident and can demonstrate a gross annual income of 200% or less than the federal poverty guidelines, agency staff will analyze each individual’s personal story and advise on a plan of action.
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For Thiede, that meant a trip to Mason City to provide details of a suitable mattress, its price, and contact details of the retailer, and then the organization took care of the rest.
“A brand-new mattress,” she said. “They bought it, they delivered it, and put it down on my bed.”
During December and January, Embrace Iowa partners with the Des Moines Register to encourage readers to tap into their generous spirit and donate to a fund that has benefited thousands of fellow Iowans over the decades.
Last year’s drive reached a record-breaking final total of $418,492 and ultimately assisted 878 deserving and low-income individuals across the state.
A key to safeguarding trust is the careful distribution of its funds. No money is handed back to the applicant as a bank account payout or cash reward. All of the funds are paid directly to the creditors, contractors, or retailers. That also ensures the money is redistributed back into the local economy.
Highly appreciative of Embrace Iowa's speedy assistance, Thiede successfully completed her surgery and now has a level of comfort in her home that her personal finances couldn’t achieve. “I'm able to move a little bit better,” she said. “It's just perfect.”
How you can help
This year’s fundraising campaign is gratefully accepting donations until Jan. 31, 2026. Easy-to-follow instructions for making online pledges are posted at secure.qgiv.com/for/embrace25-26, a safe and secure website for bank and credit card transactions. Donors who prefer to send in a check can mail it to Embrace Iowa, P.O. Box 10611, Cedar Rapids, IA 52410-0611.
Richard Lane is a freelance writer based in Des Moines.