Community Action changes people’s lives,

embodies the spirit of hope,

improves communities, and

makes America a better place to live.

We care about the entire community,

and we are dedicated to helping people

help themselves and each other.

We are dedicated to

Building stronger communities

By addressing the effects of poverty

On individuals and families.

For 56 years, Upper Des Moines Opportunity, Inc. has been providing services for low-income

individuals, families and communities in northwest Iowa. Over those years, UDMO, Inc., has evolved

over time to meet the needs of the various communities throughout our service area. Though we are

technically a small agency, we served over 19,000 individuals from 8,100 households in our 12 county

service area. Our services are delivered by approximately 205 dedicated and skilled full and part-time

staff and over 2,161 volunteers. This annual report reflects their hard work and dedication.

The first years of our existence were focused on education and vocational training for those in poverty

with many of the programs moving to other agencies over the decades. Other programs, such as our home

health programs, are now operated by private and public sector organizations such as county/public health

departments. UDMO’s services since the early 1980s have targeted health, pre-school, energy and

nutrition, emergency assistance and child care.

Our future is in our past. Many of our programs such as Head Start, Low Income Home Energy

Assistance Program (LIHEAP), Weatherization, Family Development & Self Sufficiency (FaDSS),

Women Infants & Children (WIC) and Outreach have changed over the years and have also given rise to

other programs with a similar focus such as Head Start which now provides Early Head Start, Shared

Visions Early Childhood Initiative, and WRAP Around Child Care. Also, Self-Sufficiency Advocates for

Individual Life Skills (SAILS) which mimics the FaDSS program, to name a few. As in the past, these

programs were developed to meet the ever changing needs of the low-income individuals, families and

children throughout northwest Iowa.

Our services will continue to evolve over time. We are needing to change the hours and also the

supportive services that we provide to individuals and families. Employment isn’t as big of need as

enhancing vocational skills. Supportive employment services such as child care is becoming more ad-

vanced and is not just seen as a support service, but as a vital piece in children’s development.

Nothing is simple and success takes more than ourselves to achieve. Our success is based on the

availability of services throughout our daily lives. Setting goals and maneuvering our lives through these

community obstacles requires experience and yes, the support of others. Additionally, more home-based

services is becoming the key for many programs.

Our staff and the programs have met the challenges in the past and are no doubt prepared for what lies

ahead. I’m certain we will continue to adapt and have a positive impact in our communities. Thank you to

all of our staff, board, volunteers and partners for helping us to succeed in the past and to plan for our

future.

“We must open the doors of opportunity. But we must also equip our people to walk through those doors.” - Lyndon B. Johnson – 36th President of the United States

Katrina C. Heller Jamey M. Whitney Board Chair Executive Director

“Unfortunately, many Americans live on the outskirts of hope—some because of their

poverty, and some because of their color, and all too many because of both. Our task is to

help replace their despair with opportunity. This Administration today, here and now,

declare unconditional War on Poverty in America.”

- Lyndon B. Johnson -

Nearly 4 million

people in America

live in poverty.

People of color

are disproportionately

impacted

1 in 6 children

go hungry at some point during the year

million people spent at least half the year working or looking for work

fell below the poverty line

of Iowa’s counties, serving

Buena Vista, Clay, Dickinson, Emmet, Hamilton, Humboldt, O’Brien, Osceola, Palo Alto, Pocahontas, Webster and Wright

Children are more likely than adults to live in poverty in America. Community Action Agencies

provide the path to opportunity by strengthening families with children. Upper Des Moines Opportunity, Inc.

helps parents overcome barriers to improve the economic stability of their families and offers high-quality

early learning that cultivates the skills and abilities children need to enter school ready to learn. By addressing

the needs of the whole family, Upper Des Moines Opportunity, Inc. is opening pathways for parents and

children.

of America’s children

live in poverty.

In rural counties,

approximately 1/4 of

children live in

poverty.

48% of 5 year olds

in low-income

families are school

ready compared to 75%

of 5 year olds in high

income families

Upper Des Moines Opportunity, Inc. provides support to families with children through our Early

Childhood Programs (Head Start and Early Head Start), KIDS Program and Hand in Hand Program.

Our Early Childhood Programs are comprehensive, family-centered, child development programs to meet the

educational, emotional, social, health, nutritional and psychological needs of low-income families.

The KIDS Program is a home-based family support program that offers practical ways to encourage learning,

manage behavior, develop routines and build strong parent-child relationships.

The Hand in Hand Program provides education to daycare centers to promote social-emotional development

and early childhood mental health.

Low-income households carry a larger burden for energy costs. Community Action Agencies provide

financial assistance and services to create energy-efficient homes for the low-income.. Upper Des Moines

Opportunity, Inc. assists individuals in overcoming financial burdens to improve the stability of their homes.

By addressing the needs of the household, Upper Des Moines Opportunity, Inc. is opening opportunities for

low-income individuals.

Low-income households typically spend

of their annual income on

energy costs

An estimated

families seek assistance

through the LIHEAP

Program

of U.S.

households have trouble paying

their energy bills

Over

in funding used

Upper Des Moines Opportunity, Inc. provides support to families facing energy burdens through our

Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and Weatherization Program.

The Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program was established to help low-income individuals and

families with their primary heating costs. The assistance is based on household income, household size, type

of fuel and type of housing.

The Weatherization Program’s purpose is to make the homes of low-income families and individuals more

energy efficient by reducing energy costs and increasing comfort.

Lower household income has been consistently associated with poorer diet quality. Community Action

Agencies provide nutritional education to help strengthen families of low-income. Upper Des Moines

Opportunity, Inc. helps families overcome barriers to improve the nutritional needs and offer high-quality

training that cultivates the skills and abilities to prepare and cook healthy meals and also encourage family

meal time. By addressing the needs of the whole family, Upper Des Moines Opportunity, Inc. is opening

pathways for parents and children.

Children live in food insecure

households.

Of American households

obtain SNAP benefits

Unhealthy diet contributes to approximately

deaths each year in the U.S.

Upper Des Moines Opportunity, Inc. provides support to families facing nutritional needs through our

Child & Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) and Women, Infants & Children (WIC) Program.

The CACFP Program offers financial reimbursement to childcare providers and our Head Start centers for

serving nutritious meals, assuring parents that their children are receiving healthy, nutritious meals and

snacks. Children learn proper eating habits at a young age, encouraging a lifetime of healthy eating.

The WIC Program offers financial allotments to pregnant, postpartum or breastfeeding women, or parents of

children age five and under to purchase healthy foods. Nutrition assessments and education is also provided

by licensed dieticians.

Stagnant and rising rents mean that housing consumes an ever-increasing share of household budgets.

This challenge for families in Upper Des Moines Opportunity, Inc.’s service area becomes even more

prevalent because there isn’t enough safe, affordable housing options to meet the need. Upper Des Moines

Opportunity, Inc. helps families with rent assistance and to maintain safe homes they can afford putting

dollars back into their family budget.

Nationally, only 21 of

every 100 rental

units are available for

extremely low-income

renter households

On average, minimum

wage workers would

need to work 99

hours every week of

the year to afford rent for

a modest one-bedroom

apartment

Approximately,

experience homelessness per year

Over

in funding used

Upper Des Moines Opportunity, Inc. provides support to families facing housing crisis through our

Emergency Solutions Grant and Tenant Based Rental Assistance Programs.

The Emergency Solutions Grant is designed to assist people to quickly regain stability in permanent housing

after experiencing a housing crisis and/or homelessness.

The Tenant Based Rental Assistance Program provides homeless and low-income households with security

and utility deposits as well as rent assistance.

Self-Sufficiency is the quality of feeling secure and content with oneself, a deep-rooted sense of inner

completeness and stability. Community Action Agencies provide suppor t programs to help low-income

families. Upper Des Moines Opportunity, Inc. aids families towards individual growth through goal-setting.

By addressing the needs of the whole family, Upper Des Moines Opportunity, Inc. is opening pathways for

parents and children.

Nearly, 17% of Iowa

working households earn

below the self-sufficiency

level of income

of Iowa residents are Family Investment

Program (FIP) recipients

More than, 36.5% of

women and 28.5% of

men experience domestic

violence in their lifetime

Upper Des Moines Opportunity, Inc. provides support to families facing self-sufficiency needs through

our Family Development & Self-Sufficiency (FaDSS) and Self-Sufficiency Advocate for Individual Life

Skills (SAIL) Programs.

The FaDSS program helps area families receiving FIP move towards individual growth, job retention and

economic stability. Families are able to improve their job skills, budgeting skills, the safety of their homes and

children, and learn to access community activities and resources.

The SAIL program imitates the FaDSS program but works with families that are off FIP but still may need

assistance reaching full self-sufficiency.

of families exited with increased

income

of families were involved in activities for work

preparedness

of families were past or present

victims of domestic violence

Upper Des Moines Opportunity, Inc.’s outreach services are the one stop shop for low-income families

and individuals needs. Our twelve outreach offices provide a var iety of programs and services and also

refer families to other programs so we are able to help with every need.

Program # Households

Served

# Individuals

Served

Total Funding

Baby’s Room 237 932 $12,386

Back to School 892 3867 $76,906

Coats for Kids 551 2155 $23,165

Embrace Iowa 46 134 $15,466

Emergency Disaster 70 148 $238,556

Emergency Energy Utilities 663 1838 $107,400

Food Programs 8136 42661 $107,919

Health Services 10 24 $204

Holiday Projects 2378 8620 $243,280

Household Goods 115 303 $2,095

Housing Assistance 43 96 $7,395

Senior Programs 332 401 $34,800

Transportation 120 317 $3,985

Youth Programs 190 849 $12,503

Other Misc. Services 152 343 $2,666

Referrals 1452 3886 -

FEDERAL FUNDING

Child & Adult Care Food

Program $306,196

Community Services Block

Grant $489,022

DPI Food Reimbursement $313,093

Early Head Start $2,993,385

Emergency Solutions Grant $180,999

Family Development &

Self-Sufficiency $145,223

Head Start $3,956,622

Low Income Home Energy

Assistance Program $2,999,432

Prevent Child Abuse $40,675

Safe Town Alliance $39,872

Tenant Based Rental

Assistance $65,998

Weatherization $966,849

Women, Infants & Children $420,010

WRAP $434,073

Total Federal Funding $13,315,449

STATE & LOCAL FUNDING

Alliant $38,385

Child Development Centers $189,409

CHORE $31,800

Community 4-year old Program $583,263

Embrace Iowa $15,495

Family Development &

Self-Sufficiency $174,713

General Relief $1,759

Hand in Hand $59,114

I Care $4,291

Iowa Individual Assistance $261,050

Kommunity Involvement

Development Support $236,125

Northwest Early Childhood Iowa $142,147

Palo Alto County Gaming

Development Corporation $3,365

Prevent Child Abuse $2,320

Project Helper $13,503

Project Share $4,245

Riverwest Apartments $6,028

United Way $27,996

Weatherization $375,087

Total State & Local Funding $2,170,095

Don Altena, Buena Vista County Juli Kwikkel, Buena Vista County

David Scott, Clay County Katrina Heller, President, Clay County

Tim Fairchild, Dickinson County Glenn Bohmer, Emmet County

Doug Bailey, Hamilton County Carrie Hisler, Hamilton County

Bruce Reimers, Humboldt County Mariah Martinez, O’Brien County

Ron Graettinger, Vice President, Palo Alto County Clarence Siepker, Secretary/Treasurer, Pocahontas County

Nick Carlson, Webster County Rick Rasmussen, Wright County