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For more than 40 years, the Embrace Iowa charitable program has been a valued source of temporary, but vital financial relief to generations of fellow Iowans. And it’s not always the funding of a big-ticket item or expensive medical procedures that can make an immediate and very real difference in a person’s life.

Kossuth County resident Vickie Thiede’s life needed a lift. “I had just moved into an apartment, and I didn't have a mattress. I just had a piece of foam, and it was too low to the ground,” she explained. To make matters worse, Theide was in the uncomfortable position of waiting for a scheduled appointment for hip surgery.

It was Thiede’s son and friends at the local senior center who recommended she speak with the knowledgeable and sympathetic staff at the North Iowa Community Action Organization. This agency, combined with 15 others overseen by the Iowa Community Action Association, extends the reach of the Embrace Iowa program to all 99 Iowa counties, creating opportunities for relief to every eligible Iowan.

The project distributes grants valued at up to $750 to assist with a diverse variety of financial crises, including urgent doctor and dentist visits, essential car repairs, and help with clothing or furniture for young children.

As long as an applicant is an Iowa resident and can demonstrate a gross annual income of 200% or less than the federal poverty guidelines, agency staff will analyze each individual’s personal story and advise on a plan of action.

For Thiede, that meant a trip to Mason City to provide details of a suitable mattress, its price, and contact details of the retailer, and then the organization took care of the rest.

“A brand-new mattress,” she said. “They bought it, they delivered it, and put it down on my bed.”

During December and January, Embrace Iowa partners with the Des Moines Register to encourage readers to tap into their generous spirit and donate to a fund that has benefited thousands of fellow Iowans over the decades.

Last year’s drive reached a record-breaking final total of $418,492 and ultimately assisted 878 deserving and low-income individuals across the state.

A key to safeguarding trust is the careful distribution of its funds. No money is handed back to the applicant as a bank account payout or cash reward. All of the funds are paid directly to the creditors, contractors, or retailers. That also ensures the money is redistributed back into the local economy.

Highly appreciative of Embrace Iowa's speedy assistance, Thiede successfully completed her surgery and now has a level of comfort in her home that her personal finances couldn’t achieve. “I'm able to move a little bit better,” she said. “It's just perfect.”

How you can help

This year’s fundraising campaign is gratefully accepting donations until Jan. 31, 2026. Easy-to-follow instructions for making online pledges are posted at secure.qgiv.com/for/embrace25-26, a safe and secure website for bank and credit card transactions. Donors who prefer to send in a check can mail it to Embrace Iowa, P.O. Box 10611, Cedar Rapids, IA 52410-0611.

Richard Lane is a freelance writer based in Des Moines.

With a roster full of returners and a few new contributors coming on board, the Iowa State women’s basketball team was expected to accomplish a lot of big things this season. While the season is far from over, the Cyclones have already managed to achieve something that hasn’t been done in more than a decade.

The 10th-ranked Cyclones matched the best start in school history by beating host Houston 80-62 at the Fertitta Center in Houston, Texas, on Dec. 31. With the win, Iowa State improved to 14-0 on the season including 2-0 in Big 12 Conference play. It ties the 2013-14 squad for the best start in program history.

That Iowa State squad rattled off 14 straight victories to begin the season. They ended up winning 20 games and reaching the NCAA Tournament. This Cyclones team is poised to do even more after an easy road win to continue their hot start to the season that has carried on into conference play.

Audi Crooks scored a game-high 35 points and grabbed 13 rebounds in the win for Iowa State. Crooks, who has scored at least 30 points in five straight games, connected on 17-for-21 shots from the field. The Cyclones also got a big game from point guard Jada Williams, who tallied 16 points, five rebounds and 14 assists.

Iowa State, which hadn’t played in 10 days, looked a little rusty early on, connecting on just three of its first 10 shots and falling into an early 14-9 hole. The struggles didn’t last long, though. Iowa State connected on four straight shots and took a 17-14 lead on a 3-pointer by Sydney Harris with 44 seconds left in the first quarter.

Houston battled back and cut the lead to two. But the Cyclones, who connected on seven 3-pointers in the first half, began to pull away in the second quarter. Back-to-back 3-pointers by Harris and Arianna Jackson kicked off an 8-0 run. A layup by Jada Williams before the buzzer gave Iowa State a 45-31 lead at halftime.

Crooks connected on 5-of-9 shots from the field and scored 11 points in the third quarter as the Cyclones started to pull away from Houston.

Iowa State now has a chance to make even more history. The 2025-26 Cyclones are one victory away from having the best start in school history all to themselves. It won’t be easy. Iowa State hosts No. 21 Baylor on Jan 4.