Rock Valley, Iowa — A Rock Valley-based organization that has been serving persons with disabilities for over 50 years will become the parent organization for another northwest Iowa organization that has had a similar mission for almost the same amount of time.
Hope Haven Incorporated of Rock Valley has announced that “Faith, Hope & Charity” of Storm Lake will become a division of Hope Haven in a partnership that will continue the 50-year impact Faith, Hope & Charity has had on children and their families.
Established in 1967, Faith, Hope and Charity is a not-for-profit organization providing residential care and community services to children and young adults with special needs. They say they serve children and young adults with disabilities, mental health issues and/or chronic health conditions throughout the state of Iowa, and that their services are designed to help improve the quality of life by supporting both children and families.
According to Matt Buley, Chief Executive Officer of Hope Haven, there is wisdom in these two organizations uniting to continue services in Storm Lake. He says that the world of disability services in Iowa has gotten increasingly complex. Changes are frequent, and throughout the industry, there are questions about funding through managed care. He says the two organizations can have a greater impact by combining their strengths.
Buley says that Faith, Hope & Charity began to look at a wide array of options for the future of the organization and its mission almost two years ago. Cindy Wiemold, Faith, Hope & Charity Chief Executive Officer says that partnering with a solid, well-respected organization such as Hope Haven just makes sense. She says their organization began over 50 years ago with educational services to local children with special needs, and the heart of their work has always been in rural Northwest Iowa. She says this decision will maintain FHC’s local roots, while strengthening their mission for years into the future.
Buley says Hope Haven has a transition team in place and will offer employment to all existing Faith, Hope & Charity staff. The locations in Storm Lake will also retain the Faith, Hope & Charity name.
Buley says Hope Haven is not interested in growing for the sake of growing, but, “When an organization like Faith, Hope & Charity asks us to consider partnering, we take it seriously.” He says he’s excited to see this play out, and confident the children, their families and the community as a whole will, “see continued excellence in our services in Storm Lake.”
