Aryn Henning Nichols

Helping Services was founded in 1973 by a group of Luther College students and faculty. It originally began as a drop-in center for youth called the “Hobbit Hole,” located on Water Street in Decorah, Iowa, and a “trouble line” for folks to call with questions and concerns, many related to drug and tobacco use. 

Over the past 50 years, Helping Services has evolved to meet changing community needs. The “trouble line” became the Domestic Abuse Resource Center Hotline [(800) 383-2988]. The focus on drug use and smoking tobacco education and prevention expanded to include vaping and the opioid crisis. And the organization itself went through name changes and expansions in scope, size, and geography. 

Today, Helping Services for Youth and Families is a thriving and exemplary nonprofit, with 26 full time staff members overseeing services at nine offices in Northeast Iowa.

“Your programs have really made a difference in our family.”

– Helping Services client

While some things have changed, the organization’s mission remains the same: to create healthier and safer communities in Northeast Iowa. 

“Our organization is here for you,” explains Ben Krouse-Gagne, Director of Community Engagement. “If you need help or want to get involved today or 10 years down the road. You may not see many of our advocates driving around and meeting with survivors of domestic violence or you may not think anything of an adult with a youth, but that’s our youth mentoring in action. You don’t always see it, but it’s there, it’s real, and it strengthens our communities.”

Helping Services operates under four pillars of service that focus on different areas of community need: youth mentoring, prevention education, family education, and domestic abuse advocacy and resource hotline. Their service goals are straightforward: to provide tools, resources, and encouragement for community members. 

“I’ve really enjoyed getting to know my mentee & it’s been great showing her new places & exploring new places together. It has also been great seeing our relationship grow.” 

– Mentor, Allamakee County

“We may be helping your neighbor, your relative, you may not even know it,” adds Carson Eggland, Helping Services Executive Director. “I guess I would just say that sometimes it’s hard to see the impact. But I’d like people to know the impact is real and meaningful.”

It’s an impact Helping Services has every intention to continue far into the future.

“We want to be in your communities,” affirms Eggland. “If you see a need in your community that either is not being addressed or if you see that there may be some connection to the work we’re doing currently, don’t hesitate to reach out. I see us as a continued driving force in NE Iowa for healthier and safer families and communities.”

So in honor of 50 years of Helping Services, here are 50 Ways Helping Services Helps in Northeast Iowa:

Pillar 1: Youth Mentoring

Adult volunteers pair with youth mentees for a year full of shared experiences, fun, support, learning, and cross-generational friendship.

1. Mentoring Coordinators match caring adults with youth ages 6-16

2. Mentors spend 4+ hours per month with their mentee

3. Mentors provide a positive role model for lifetime impacts

4. Mentor for a Day (MFAD) program allows interested mentors the opportunity to mentor a youth on the waiting list for a full-time mentor

5. Bowl-a-thons in Decorah and Manchester bring the communities together and raise money for the Youth Mentoring program 

6. Tasty Thursday Ice Cream Events at Sugar Bowl, Decorah encourage mentorship community 

7. Mentors/Mentees look forward to the Annual Summer Picnic celebration

8. Mentoring encourages: – Skill building

9. – Relationship building

10. – Mutual learning opportunities

11. – Increased sense of belonging

“I enjoy the one-on-one time with my mentee while also being a part of a bigger group. I like being able to spend quality time & try to make a positive difference. I like that my mentee is given different experiences through the group outings.” 

– Mentor, Winneshiek County

Pillar 2: Prevention Education

This includes a wide variety of services, programs, and training, with the goal of prevention, aiming to ensure that community youth are safe, drug-free, and grow into responsible adults. 

12. Teaching safe medication practices

13. Teaching safe prescription drug disposal and providing community drop-off points

14. Stopping tobacco and nicotine use

15. Opioid and stimulant use education

16. Reducing alcohol and marijuana use

17. Problem gambling prevention

18. Youth and Youth Group prevention programming linked to the statewide movement, ISTEP (Iowa Students for Tobacco Education & Prevention) 

19. Youth leadership: high school groups that are teen-led with experienced Helping Services staff offering guidance

20. Helping Services’ Annual Youth Leadership Day at Camp Ewalu in Strawberry Point 

21. Presentations for schools and community organizations covering topics such as: drug trends, marijuana, prescription drugs, tobacco, alcohol, and gambling presented by Prevention Specialists 

22. Curriculum-Based Support Group (CBSG) Program allows youth to meet in confidential, small group settings and learn essential life skills, including how to: cope with difficult family situations, resist negative peer pressure, respect others, set and achieve goals, make healthy choices, and refuse alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs

23. CBSG also teaches protective factors and major messages such as: Autonomy–“I am,” Confidence–“I can,” Interdependence–“I have,” Problem Solving–“I will,” and Sense of Purpose and Future–“I believe”

24. Education regarding the Social Host Law, which makes it a criminal offense in Iowa to allow youth to drink alcohol in your home or on your property

25. Alcohol/Beverage Server Training for local retail establishments and their employees

26. Prevention Specialist presentations for businesses to explain laws regarding sale of alcohol and tobacco products

27. Cheers Award for businesses that complete and pass the Alcohol Retailer Risk Assessment

28. Assisting companies in creating workplace policies that best define the restriction of tobacco, drugs, and alcohol in the workplace 

29. Supporting and partnering with community coalitions that are made up of business owners, educators, law enforcement, and community leaders

30. These coalitions provide training, policy changes, educational experiences, and awareness campaigns

31. Coalitions also equip neighbors and youth with the knowledge to make educated decisions when it comes to substance use

Pillar 3: Family Education

Family Educators work with young families to help them start off their parenting journeys strong by learning about developmental stages, offering support, and connecting with other families.

32. Using the Parents as Teachers™ approach, families who are pregnant and those with a child age birth to three work with a bilingual family educator to receive a myriad of support and services, including: 

33. – Breastfeeding support

34. – Child passenger safety

35. – Developmental assessments

36. – Healthy home environment checklist

37. – Vision/Hearing screenings

38. – Weight Checks

39. – Resource referral and parent support

40. – Zumbini (baby Zumba) group movement classes

41. – Parent-Child playgroups

“Family Educators helped me gain confidence as a first-time mom. They answered any concerns or questions without judgment.”

– Helping Services client

Pillar 4: Domestic Abuse Advocacy and Resource Center

Highly trained Domestic Violence Advocates and volunteers listen without judgment and empower individuals and families to overcome dating and domestic violence and become survivors. All services are free and confidential and are client led.

42. Domestic Abuse Resource Center Call line [(800) 383-2988], a free and confidential 24-hours-a-day, 7-days-a-week emergency and non-emergency phone line, offers assistance related to intimate partner violence. It is staffed by highly trained volunteers who listen without judgment and provide support.

43. Domestic Abuse Resource Center online Chat line accessible via helpingservices.org/chat

44. Support offered such as: safety planning, crisis counseling, community resources, and referrals to area providers 

45. Individual and group advocacy, including: legal advocacy and child and teen advocacy

46. Support group facilitation

47. Transportation needs for clients provided by volunteers

48. Gas or grocery gift cards

49. Supply pantry with diapers, wipes, laundry detergent, household cleaning supplies, toilet paper, paper towels, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, canned goods, boxed food, peanut butter, cereal, pots, pans, silverware, and stamps 

50. One final way Helping Services helps all of us in the Driftless: Holiday Lights!

“If we can bring a little bit of joy to people, especially in these dark hours, it’s nice,” said Krouse-Gagne. “And Holiday Lights also supports all of our programs!” 

Bonus: 3 Ways YOU can help Helping Services:

1. Invest in Helping Services by donating your time, money, supplies, gas/grocery gift cards, and used cell phones

2. Join Helping Services for a community celebration honoring 50 years of service in NE Iowa on April 22nd! 

3. Be an advocate! “We need you to be an advocate for what we’re doing,” Eggland implores. “However that fits into your life right now.” The easiest way to do so? Share this article and/or tell a friend about the many amazing services Helping Services for Youth and Families continues to provide in Northeast Iowa, and advocate for the organization as it heads into the next 50 years of service and education!

Supplies – Gather your things for your paper seed starter boxes:
1. Newspaper (our local newspaper was more of a tabloid size when we made this tutorial. If your newspaper is more of a traditional size – think 11-12 inches wide – you won’t need to trim it).
2. Inspire(d) Magazine for measuring (a ruler works too, hah) – pictured here is the Spring 2022 Inspire(d)!
3. Scissors
4. Seeds of your desired future plants
5. Soil – check out this throw-back post for tips on soil and seed starting in general
6. Spade or other soil moving utensil

You’ll use one full sheet of newspaper, or half a sheet if your newspaper is more the standard size. This one, as mentioned, is more of a tabloid size.

Fold the newspaper back in half and use your Inspire(d) Magazine to measure your 11-12 inches. Trim off the excess newspaper and recycle.

Open paper back up and turn it the long way.

Now fold it in half, meeting the two edges (so you might have to go slightly against the regular
newspaper fold). Use a scissors or tool to make your crease nice and defined.

Fold it in half again (hot dog fold), and use your tool to make your defined crease again. So far, this feels a lot like making a paper airplane.

With that paper airplane idea in your mind, open the paper back up, and turn it with the folded edge toward you.

Fold the lower righthand corned into the middle. Then fold the lower lefthand corner into the middle (see, just like a paper airplane)!

With the point facing down, fold just the top flap of your newspaper to the “airplane” edges.

Fold that flap over itself again, so now it’s forming what looks like half a hat (upside down).

Flip the whole project over.

Turn it on its side, making note of where your middle crease is located.

Fold the bottom half up to the middle crease.

Rotate the project and do the same on the other side.

Aim the point toward yourself again and fold the whole top section down to meet the folded edges.

Fold that section again, over itself, so it overlaps the folded part. You’ll be opening this back up to tuck it into the flaps inside the folded part. This is the section that gets just a little tricky.

Open up that section you just folded, and grab the top part. You’ll be tucking that into the section just behind the point.

Here’s a different view of where you’re tucking that flap.

It will take a little finagling to get it in there and it might not fit totally perfectly. That’s okay!

Just do your best (like I did here, haha).

Once it’s all tucked in, use your tool to make your creases nice and defined.

Now take this corner (where I’m pointing), and fold it over to the other corner. It will just touch that corner and you’ll be making a defined crease so it will guide the fold make the bottom of the box.

Like so. Use your scissors or tool to make just that section of the fold defined.

When you open it up, you’ll see the defined crease you just made, like above.

Time for the exciting part! Open up the box opposite from the tip.

Fold the bottom crease into itself to form the bottom. It might take a little finagling again.

Use your fingers to shape the edges and bottom of the box a bit. The bottom flap might stick out a little – that’s okay! It sits on the bottom so the soil and plant will hold it down.

Put some soil in your pot, then two or three of your seeds, and top with soil.

Make sure you put these pots on a tray, as the newspaper is obviously not waterproof. You’ll be able to see very well with the soil is dry because the newspaper will let you know! Once it’s time to put your seedlings in the ground, you can plant the whole pot, newspaper and all! Happy Spring! -Aryn

Every year, I wish I could stretch spring out… juuuuust a little longer.

It’s one of the beauties of this fleeting season, though. Blink and you’ll miss it. So keep those eyes open wide. You are here. Let’s live in the now.

Living in the Now is about being mindful of the moment. While we can’t slow down time, we can pause to savor it. My spring infographic dives into this theme, and introduces Olivia Lynn Schnur’s mental health article, with methods for “paying attention on purpose.” The great thing about mindfulness is that it can make every moment, every activity feel brand new, Olivia says. The act of paying attention makes the moment sacred.

Mindfulness also taps into your senses, and spring is perfect for that. The smell of the earth, the sound of birds announcing their return to the region, the texture and feel of the – new paper! – in this magazine in your hands. 

In fact, some things are just better on paper. Magazines, obviously. Books, in my opinion. And community maps! It’s a whole tactile experience. So it was really fun to have writer Renee Brincks profile a handful of Driftless Indie Bookstores, the Midwest Independent Booksellers Association (MIBA), and artist Kevin Cannon in this issue. Kevin’s art is featured on the Spring Inspire(d) cover, and he creates the artwork for the Midwest Indie Bookstore Roadmap. A new roadmap is released each April to celebrate National Independent Bookstore Day. Indie bookstores are huge builders of community, and we love them so much. They invite residents and visitors alike to slow down and meander the aisles (not isles…but who needs trips when you’ve got books?!).

We’ve got a great roundup of Community Builder profiles this issue as well. Decorah’s Jane Kemp has offered many hours of volunteer service to local organizations. John Sutton of Westby, Wisconsin, gathered community around wood carving. Norb Kelly, in Lanesboro, Minnesota, often works with wood too, and hammers and saws… pretty much any tool that helps him fix or build things for people in his community. 

In La Crescent, Minnesota, folks rallied together to build a bridge. Sara Walters writes about how leaders and community members worked to create a more connected and bike-friendly hometown. They opened the volunteer-run Bike Shoppe, and fundraised and organized to have a bridge built over a busy highway. The positive effects these efforts had were pretty much instantaneous.

I loved interviewing sisters Azia Thelemann and Dani Peterslie of La Crosse, Wisconsin’s Drift Mercantile for this Sum of Your Business Q&A. I kept nodding my head and saying “yep” to all their answers – entrepreneurship runs in their blood, and they clearly understand the work that goes into, well, making it work.

Also on my love list? Craig Thompson’s Driftless Natural History Quiz! His light-hearted questions test your knowledge of Driftless nature in the spring. (Don’t worry if you still have much to learn – I do too!)

There are quite a few businesses and organizations celebrating milestones this year. One is Northeast Iowa’s Helping Services for Youth and Family. This incredible non-profit has been helping to make healthier and safer families and communities for 50 years! Christy Ebert Vrtis compiled 50 Ways Helping Services Helps, and we would give 50 high fives if we could.

Many high fives to you all as well. Thanks for reading and being Inspire(d). This is going to be a great spring!

Looking forward,

Aryn Henning Nichols

In this issue, you’ll find: Kevin Cannon + Midwest Indie Bookstores • Community Builders: Jane Kemp of Decorah, IA; John Sutton of Westby, WI; Norb Kelly of Lanesboro, MN • Mental Health: Living in the Now • Building a Biking Community – La Crescent, MN • Sum of Your Biz: Drift Mercantile • Driftless Natural History Quiz • DIY Paper Seed Starter Pots • 50 Ways Helping Services Helps • Probit: Marilun Myrah Bunge • And More! Read the whole thing online here!