Record Year at Holiday Lights
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Record Year at Holiday Lights

Helping Services for Youth & Families thanks all of the volunteers, sponsors, and visitors that made Holiday Lights’ 16th season a record year. Holiday Lights continues to be a wonderful community event that also serves as Helping Services for Youth & Families’ most important fundraiser. Helping Services for Youth & Families is a nonprofit organization…

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National Mentoring Month

January is National Mentoring Month! Helping Services for Youth & Families is celebrating mentoring friendships and inviting others to engage in their community with the theme ‘Take ONE step to build a friendship. Become a mentor!’  Mentoring has a positive impact on youth. Research confirms that quality mentoring relationships bring about powerful and positive changes…

Youth Mentoring Match Delivering Joy in Cresco
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Youth Mentoring Match Delivering Joy in Cresco

Autumn Nolan from Cresco Iowa became a mentor to Khloe Stermer in February of 2020 through Youth Mentoring at Helping Services. 2020 has been a different year for us all, this amazing match took it upon themselves to spread some much needed “joy” in Cresco.  Autumn and Klhoe created specialty gift bags they called “joy…

Child Safety This Holiday Season
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Child Safety This Holiday Season

This holiday season brings the excitement of new toys for little ones. New toys require your vigilance for your child’s safety. The potential toy dangers range from choking and strangulation hazards to batteries and magnets. To keep your child safe, follow these guidelines when choosing toys: Know the danger of balloons Follow age recommendations for…

Rural Focused Grant to Support Victims
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Rural Focused Grant to Support Victims

Helping Services for Youth & Families’ Domestic Abuse Resource Center (DARC) has been awarded a new grant from the US Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women. This three year grant under the Rural Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, & Stalking Program will total $472,600. The grant is designed to enhance victim safety…

Domestic Violence Awareness Month
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Domestic Violence Awareness Month

Helping Services for Youth & Families’ Domestic Abuse Resource Center (DARC) is hosting Domestic Violence Awareness during the month of October. In Iowa and around the world, October is a month to create awareness around domestic violence, using the color purple to symbolize the cause.   Throughout the month of October you will notice areas that…

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Holiday Lights to Return

We are excited for the Holiday Lights drive-thru experience for the 16th season starting on Wednesday, November 25th. This year has impacted all of us, and Holiday Lights has had its challenges as public safety is our number one concern. We have been working with the City of Decorah, Winneshiek County Public Health, volunteers, and…

Introducing Prevention Intern, Karen
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Introducing Prevention Intern, Karen

My name is Karen, a non-traditional student at the University of Northern Iowa. I am excited about the opportunity to intern with Helping Services for Youth & Families. As a Cresco native, it is my dream to work within the communities served by Helping Services. I feel that prevention work is important as I am…