OUR WORK IN CEDAR RAPIDS
LBA first began in Cedar Rapids, Iowa as an after school basketball program designed to provide a safe space for children to get active, learn, and develop relationships with caring adults. In these early days, it became clear that there was a greater need for meaningful programming and mentorship for youth in the community, and also for resources to help both children and their families access opportunity and advance.
LBA stepped up to help fill the need, expanding beyond basketball to provide support and resources designed to not only support youth, but build a safer, more connected community. This included hosting community events, developing a cirriculum to help youths see and plan for their futures, recruiting and training adults (called vision coaches) to play a supporting role, enlisting local businesses to provide job shadows and other opportunities, providing students free learning opportunities — and much more.
Today, our CR dreams program is in place in the Cedar Rapids Community School District, and work in Cedar Rapids is as important as ever. Learn more about our other community programs below.
Community Programs
CHANGE: Supporting Cedar Rapids’ Most Vulnerable
This program focused on taking a more organized approach to gun violence alongside Cedar Rapids’ Safe, Equitable and Thriving (SET) Communities Task Force. Using a case-management style approach, LBA individual mentors partnered with law enforcement and corrections personnel, and local mental health care providers and consolers to under the root causes of violence on our community. It also focused on providing through trauma-focused mental health care, personal counseling, as well as individualized mentoring and support mechanisms to help at-risk youth assume a successful path.
Taking valuable lessons from this important project, LBA now continues to work with local groups and individuals in the same case-management style to assist those most at-risk and bring this individualized, but community-centric approach to youth across our community.
Cedar Rapids Outreach Program: Building a More Connected, Safer Cedar Rapids
Developed in coordination with City of Cedar Rapids leadership and concerned community citizens, the Cedar Rapids Outreach Program (CROP) exists to create better relationships between at-risk youth and the community, with a goal of making Cedar Rapids a safer city for all. Central to the program:
Events with local law enforcement personnel to facilitate connection
Coordinated events with the Cedar Rapids Parks and Recreation Department
Site visits, learning seminar, job shadows and internships offered by local businesses
By facilitating connections between youth and community members, municipal leaders, and law enforcement, CROP seeks to increase awareness of community resources, feelings of connectedness and decrease gun violence.