The Waterloo Community Foundation is pleased to announce the establishment of the Elevate Agency Fund, a flow-through fund created to support the work of Elevate in expanding access to behavioral health and crisis services across Black Hawk County and surrounding communities.
Mental health needs in our region and across the country continue to grow, with more individuals and families seeking timely, accessible support. The Elevate Agency Fund is designed to help meet that need by strengthening services that are often the first line of response during moments of crisis and ongoing mental health challenges.
“We are seeing a continued and growing need for accessible mental health and crisis services in our community. Too often, individuals and families are struggling to find support when they need it most,” says Jennifer Stevenson, Executive Director of Elevate.
Elevate was established in 2020 as a recipient of a two-year federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) grant focused on expanding high-quality care for individuals who are uninsured or underinsured. Since then, Elevate has continued to develop a community-based approach to care that prioritizes accessibility, responsiveness, and person-centered support.
Through its “no walls” approach, Elevate provides a full continuum of behavioral health, substance use disorder, and crisis services to individuals across Black Hawk County and surrounding communities. From Mobile Crisis Response and mental health assessments to ongoing treatment and recovery support, Elevate helps individuals stabilize, connect with appropriate care, and build a path toward long-term wellness.
Elevate’s substance use treatment program, Strive Recovery, provides Partial Hospitalization (PHP), Intensive Outpatient (IOP), Outpatient treatment, and recovery-focused peer support services. These programs help individuals build a strong foundation for long-term recovery through connection, encouragement, hope, and lived experience.
For individuals with significant and ongoing mental health needs, Elevate also offers specialized services through Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) teams, Intensive Residential Service Homes (IRSH), and the iSTART program. These intensive, community-based supports help individuals remain stable, independent, and successful within their communities while reducing hospitalization and crisis involvement.
Elevate’s mission is to help people where they are, when they need support most, by providing person-centered care that promotes hope, recovery, independence, and overall wellness.
“Through every service we provide, our goal is to meet people where they are and help them move toward stability, recovery, and a better quality of life,” Stevenson said. “This fund strengthens our ability to respond quickly and provide care in the moments that matter most. Support from partners like the Waterloo Community Foundation helps ensure these services remain available, responsive, and sustainable for the long term.”
Community members who wish to support the Elevate Agency Fund can give online at https://wloocf.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/create/fund?funit_id=3475. Checks can also be mailed to the Waterloo Community Foundation, PO Box 1253, Waterloo, IA 50704. All checks can be made out to the Waterloo Community Foundation with “Elevate Agency Fund” in the memo line.
