The American Red Cross provides services to active duty military members and veterans and people displaced from their home due to a disaster. Training in CPR, First Aid, Swimming Lessons, Lifeguard Training and other safety courses is available.

Bethany Christian Services provides free and confidential services to new and expectant parents facing an unplanned pregnancy. Our experienced pregnancy counselors can talk with expectant parents about their options by providing unbiased guidance and support, answering questions, connecting expectant parents to local resources and services, and planning for the future.

The Bridging the Gap program provides assistance to families that are in need of home furnishings. These may include (but not limited to) couches, beds, dressers, dinning room tables and chairs, dishes, cookware and bedding. To receive services from the program you must have a referral from an in-home counselor or case worker and there MUST be children in the home.

A team of Career Navigators is dedicated to helping students discover their own unique career pathway and connect¬ing students with the resources they need to achieve their career goals. Understanding that every person has a unique set of skills, experience, values, challenges, and goals, we help develop a career pathway that is customized for each student, which will include a combination of career exploration activities and career education training.

Career Navigators assist students with the following services: career and education guidance, training program placement, one-to-one advising, tuition assistance, transportation assistance, childcare assistance, soft skills development, job placement assistance, and much more.
Call 515-574-1972 for more information.
Website - https://www.iowacentral.edu/businessandcommunity/GAP.asp

The Fort Dodge Housing Agency is dedicated to providing and ensuring quality affordable housing by being an innovative leader in setting housing standards. We are committed to establishing creative partnerships and sound economic practices to benefit the entire community. Low-income rental assistance program, Section 8, HUD housing. We provide basic needs such as homeless shelter, housing, assistance in paying for private housing, and rental/utility deposit assistance. We also have a self-sufficiency program that supports individuals in becoming employed/educated and connects them to area/community resources. This helps clients in getting the help they need and ultimately using less public assistance in the end.

The Fort Dodge Noon Lions Club provides eye screenings for all children birth - five years through day cares, pre-schools and schools. They also provide eye glasses for children through grade 12 through referral from school nurse.

Gene Giraffe Project is a 501c3 charity devoted to raising awareness, and providing funds for rare and inherited diseased children and families. We devote our time to providing awareness for rare diseases and providing help for families who endure long hospital visits due to rare diseases.

Hawk-i is low cost/no cost health insurance for children. They offer two plans - a medical and dental plan and also a dental only plan. The cost per month is based on the family size and income. There are many services that Hawk-i covers such as doctor visits, hospital care, prescriptions, well-child check-ups, vaccines/shots, emergencies, surgery, dental care, vision exams, hearing services, mental health & substance abuse care, chiropractic care and speech therapy. This program is managed locally by the Webster County Health Department.

The Iowa Central Community College School Nurse provides health assessments, referrals, food pantry, hygiene supplies, over the counter medications, flu shots and a listening ear for students at Iowa Central Community College.

Operation Christmas is an organization that helps to provide Christmas gifts, clothing and food to needy families during the holiday season. It is seasonal and only operating during the month of December each year.

Emergency funding for prescribed medication for the needy. This program is managed by the Webster County Health Department and the United Way of Greater Fort Dodge.

Cash benefits for the retired, disabled and survivors. Cash benefits for people with low income and resources who are either blind, disabled or over age 65. Assistance filing for Medicare and extra assistance for prescription drugs.

United Way of Greater Fort Dodge is a 501(c)3 public charity dedicated to supporting and uplifting families and youth. United Way of Greater Fort Dodge supports numerous organizations and agencies that help families become self-sufficient and stable for the long-term.

United Way of Greater Fort Dodge is also dedicated to ensuring the best possible future for our youth by promoting positive choices and behaviors and helping youth access available services and resources so they have a greater opportunity to achieve their full potential and pursue their goals and dreams. By providing leadership and supporting a coalition of organizations, agencies, services and programs, United Way is building a synergistic network that effectively connects youth to opportunities that will provide them with the chance to grow and develop in a positive and healthy way; and in doing so, help them create an optimistic future filled with hope.

As one of 18 Community Action Agencies in Iowa, Upper Des Moines Opportunity, Inc. (UDMO) works in conjunction with general relief offices to provide emergency assistance programs and services to low income residents in need.

The United Way of Greater Fort Dodge's Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program provides free tax preparation for individuals and families who qualify based on our income guidelines and ensure taxpayers take advantage of every tax credit for which they are eligible such as the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC).

Please call the VITA Director at 515.571.3381 with any questions or to make an appointment. If she is unavailable or out of the office, please leave a voicemail with your contact information and she will call you back to set up an appointment. Appointments are available Monday and Thursday 5-8 PM and Friday 12 PM - 5 PM and Saturdays 9 AM - 2 PM starting January 30 and going through April 15. More information is available at www.unitedwayfd.org/cms-view-page.php?page=free-tax-preparation.

Provides public health programs, home health services, nursing care, health counseling and immunizations and vaccinations. Additional services also include screenings, CPR/First Aid classes, nutrition programs, environmental health services, senior health, adolescent mental health, communicable diseases, maternal health, child health, developmental screenings, Breast & Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program and a child care nurse consultant program. Other programs managed by the Webster County Health Department include: Family Foundations, Healthy and Well Kids in Iowa (Hawk-i), I-Smile Dental Health, Prescriptions for Kids, Teen Information Pregnancy Prevention Program (TIPP), Tobacco/Smoking Cessation Program, Webster County Family Planning Clinic and the Women, Infants & Children (WIC) Program.

Call the Health Department with questions Monday through Friday from 8 AM to 4:30 PM. An on-call nurse is also available 24/7 for questions/concerns.