Archives

Hillcrest House is the original site of the agency now known as Hillcrest Family Services. Purchased by Dr. Nancy Hill and the Women’s Rescue Society of Dubuque in 1896, it has served untold numbers of individuals and families during the years since Dr. Hill and her group of dedicated women established the Industrial Training School here. Through those early years, unwed mothers and their children were not only cared for in the building, the mothers were taught skills which would enable them to earn a living when they moved back into a community which did not always welcome their return with open arms.

The years of the Baby Fold
Beginning in 1914, following Dr. Hill, Methodist Deaconess Anna Blanche Cook took the reins and the renamed Hillcrest Baby Fold became known far and wide for its compassionate care of babies and children. Operating for nearly a half century as the Baby Fold, thousands of youngsters were born and lived the early part of their lives here before being adopted into loving homes. The joy experienced by parents in this building during that moment of reaching out and holding their child for the very first time is something they’ve never forgotten. And, over the years, we are happy that so many have chosen to share that experience with us through visits or in cards and letters.

Ever-changing needs and responses
As the needs of society changed, so did the services offered in Hillcrest House. In 1963 the institutional care of children became a thing of the past. Children needing temporary care were placed in foster family homes, and infants released for adoption were placed directly with adoptive parents upon discharge from the hospital. The building filled a new need, be-coming a residence for unmarried mothers.

A few years later, Hillcrest House became a residential treatment facility for troubled adolesecents. In the mid-1990’s the last youngsters moved out of Hillcrest House — a move made possible by the construction of new youth cottages on our campus.

“Bigger and better” is not just a slogan for Dubuque’s Reflections In The Park: A Hillcrest Lights Festival. With 54 major displays, 12 animated arches, 250 oversized stars and miscellaneous lights numbering in the tens-of-thousands, Dubuque’s Reflections In The Park will continue its tradition of change and improvement each year.

More than 330,000 visitors have viewed the lights since its inception in 1995. Last year alone, Hillcrest received positive comments through the mail from visitors in 14 states and 2 foreign countries!

New Displays plus old reliables
Among the new displays available for viewing this year are a gigantic teddy bear, an animated fly fisherman, a drive-thru display of giant lights, skating penguins, horse and sleigh, plus many others. And, the volunteer crew setting up the displays has guaranteed that the animated golfer will once again sink each and every putt, and the deer leaping over your car will never put a dent in it!

Sharon Faley, who has chaired the event since its inception, is once again heading up the project this year. Under Sharon’s leadership, the project has raised over $430,000 for Hillcrest.

In addition to Sharon, a group of 16 community volunteers serve on the steering committee and sub-committees which oversee the event. This group is aided by somewhere around 300 volunteers who are involved in various aspects of Reflections In The Park — including replacing lights, collecting money, distributing programs, and setting up or dismantling the displays and other lights.

Once again this year, Reflections In The Park will be open daily beginning on Thanksgiving (November 23), with the last day being January 1, 2001. Hours are 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.

We are no longer able to use the home to house children for a number of reasons, including state and licensing regulations. During the past few years we have used part of it for isolated offices, but inadequate heating and cooling systems, the lack of technology infrastructure and the general dilapidated condition of the building has made it impossible to utilize the building effectively.

With the steady growth of our services in past years, we are aching for office space. Presently, administrative offices in the adjacent 1954 building are mixed with the clinical programs, with three and four staff members sharing small places, and with children sitting on the floor in the public hallway to wait for appointments with doctors and counselors. At times, children and counselors have had to look for an office that is unoccupied for a short time, perhaps even moving to another office in mid-session. The treatment so desperately needed by these youth is greatly compromised in these cases.

Clients have little privacy in their treatment. A single reception room may serve a young female client waiting for her appointment in the family planning clinic, a distraught family about to place their troubled child into one of our homes, a wide-eyed job applicant, a computer sales person, and a member of the Board of Trustees waiting to attend a board meeting. These situations, and many more like them, do not allow for the quality, compassionate care Hillcrest pledges to the many children and families who need our help.

We are in the process of moving the administrative offices into the renovated Hillcrest House. When completed, the 1954 building will be used for counseling and therapy sessions, as well as for an expansion of the women’s health programs. This will go a long way toward ensuring adequate privacy for the individuals utilizing our services.

How you can help The gifts we receive throughout the year from our annual mailings support our day-to-day work. But additional projects, such as the Hillcrest House renovation, require special gifts from many sources

We invite you to consider a gift to the Hillcrest House Renovation project. All gifts will be recognized in our annual report published in March, 2001. In addition, gifts of $1000 and more will also be recognized on a donor board in the center of the home. Opportunities for naming areas in honor of loved ones are available at higher levels.

The original concrete on the driveway, steps and front porch area — which was badly cracked and crumbling — has been replaced, and a new railing has been installed adjacent to the front walkway. To top off the project, the house has been completely re-sided.

Marywood is operated as a transitional residential rehabilitation facility in which participants are involved in all aspects of the programming and day-to-day operation. It is a five bed facility staffed twenty-four hours per day, seven days per week, by a trained and caring staff. Jerry Schroeder, Assistant Program Coordinator, oversees the operation, which prepares residents for eventual living in their own homes and apartments in the community.

While nonprofit groups, faith-based groups, businesses and others all have roles in building strong communities and helping to support vulnerable families, our state and federal government continue to be important players. Iowa is a reflection of what is happening across the country. Many good programs fail to reach all who could benefit because of lack of staffing or other resources.

The Child Welfare League of America, has proposed that a small percentage of the projected $4.6 trillion federal budget surplus be spent in FY 2001 as follows:

$1.8 billion to expand quality child care services to 150,000 more children and Head Start to an additional 70,000.

$800 million to increase the Earned Income Tax Credit for working families with the highest rates of child poverty.

$605 million for the Social Services Block Grant, to help the country’s neediest children and families.

$308 million to protect nearly three million abused or neglected children

$200 million to provide drug and alcohol treatment to 34,000 families where child abuse or neglect has occurred.

$155 million for violence and delinquency prevention for thousands of youth.

The State of Iowa has the opportunity to increase the number of child abuse investigators and increase the amount and level of reimbursement for treatment services. In 1999 the legislature prioritized the use of tobacco settlement dollars, but much more is needed to erase the over $100 million under-funding of child welfare services.

The benefits of this level of expenditure include less child abuse, less juvenile crime, less teen pregnancy, less poverty, less substance abuse, healthier families, and a more educated and productive workforce. Not a bad return on investment.

Hillcrest and others around the state and country are involved on a daily basis in providing urgently needed care for at-risk children. Because we are on the front lines for children, we know that new investments in good programs will pay great dividends. That is why we strongly urge the Iowa Legislature and Congress to act now.

Fantasy of Lights is a drive-through lights event held at Ellis Park, in Cedar Rapids. Local sponsors (individuals, businesses and organizations) underwrite the cost of the oversized displays and other lighting venues, and the gate admissions have provided income for the work of Hillcrest

Expanding opportunities
In order to expand the sponsorship opportunities even further — and ensure the continued growth of the event — we have invited the Cedar Rapids’ volunteers for Make-A-Wish Foundation of Iowa to become our partner in the event. We are happy to announce that they have accepted our invitation to participate. Funds from the event will not only continue to help support the Hillcrest programs and services in the Cedar Rapids area, but now they will also assist Make-A-Wish Foundation in their important work of supporting the dreams of children.

The work of Make-A-Wish
Make-A-Wish Foundation is the premier wish-granting organization for children in the world. Founded in 1980, the Make-A-Wish Foundation grants wishes to children under the age of 18 with life-threatening illnesses. The organization becomes aware of a child’s wish through wish referrals, which are accepted from parents and guardians or medical professionals. Wishes are granted through the generosity of private donors and volunteers. Proceeds from Fantasy of Lights will make it possible for the organization to increase its wish-granting in the Cedar Rapids area. Hillcest is extremely proud to play a part in their work through this partnership.

Fantasy of Lights 2000
Marcia Correll of Premier Home Management in Cedar Rapids is the Chairperson for this year’s Fantasy of Lights.

Quality Chef/Heinz has agreed to once again be the “Anchor Sponsor” for Fantasy. This will be the fourth year they haveserved as the major sponsor for the event.

Variety Club of Iowa - The Variety Club has made A donation of a new van, which will be used in the Hillcrest Day Treatment program.