If you're looking for services we provide for foster families, please click the "Family Services" button above. If you're wanting to volunteer your time or donate resources, please click the "How to Help" button above. 

Family Services

What is Extending Grace?

Extending Grace is a ministry of Grace Community Church that seeks to serve and support all foster and adoptive families in the Corridor. This is done using a variety of services to help the transition into new homes be as seamless as possible for everyone involved, as well as provide practical assistance and fun activities throughout the year for the whole family. We desire to assist families in building relationships with the children in their care.

In 2008 two women had a passion to help the foster and adoptive community and Extending Grace was born. While it started small, Extending Grace has grown immensely. Our first storage space was a 200 square foot room, now we fill a 700 square foot space. The first giveaway hosted had only two people attend; now nearly 150 attend each giveaway.  We started with only two volunteers, now we have a dozen dedicated volunteers who donate their time on a weekly or monthly basis, as well as a dozen more who help with special events once or twice a year. We are truly grateful to God for each volunteer who helps us extend our reach, and for each new family who allows us to join forces in helping them as they love and support their foster and adopted children.



How do we accomplish our mission?

Through the help of generous donors and dedicated volunteers, we collect, organize, and provide clothing, infant supplies, and other items to help foster parents. For teens, we offer hygiene packs as well as a gift card so they are able to buy what they need. Whenever a family receives a new placement, they can sign up for a grocery delivery, and if the new placement is during November and December, they can also sign up to receive a Christmas present for the child.

We are grateful to work with DHS & Four Oaks, the state licensed organizations who work directly with the foster parents and children. At Four Oaks, we are able to provide hygiene packs, as well as bags with about a week's worth of clothing for the social workers to give to the children when they arrive at a new foster home. DHS provides showers for children immediately upon being removed from their homes and while waiting for a foster home. Extending Grace provides a clean outfit, complete with undergarments and socks, for each child to change into after using the showers.

Extending Grace not only cares about the first days of transition with a new placement, but we also recognize the need to support each family with foster or adopted children in their home. The two most important ways we choose to come alongside families are our bi-annual giveaways and annual training seminar. Our spring and fall giveaways are huge events where parents and children are able to “shop” for free from our donated surplus of clothing, shoes, toys, and so much more. Our fall giveaway coincides with our backpack giveaway, when foster, adopted, and biological children in the home are all offered a new backpack with school supplies. 

Each spring, we offer Hope for the Journey training, which is usually 6 CEUs for all licensed participants. As a follow up to this research based training, training videos are available for checkout anytime throughout the year.

While we are always looking for new ways to support families by offering fun events, we currently host a number of pool parties at our local indoor pool. These are a great way for families to bond and create memories together. In addition, we annually organize special events for families, such as day passes to a local water park, or hosting a family-friendly comedy night.





Why is it important?

So often the foster/adoptive community feels neglected and unsupported by the community at large.  Many times there is significant trauma when a child is taken from their home and put into a foster home, and this causes tremendous stress on the day-to-day needs. Motivated by Jesus’ love, Extending Grace desires to come alongside these families as much as possible in order to reduce isolation in the amazing work that the families are doing for children in need.

 

How can people help?

Monetary Donations:

The easiest way to support the work of Extending Grace is through financial support. Donations can be sent to Grace Community Church, designated for Extending Grace. (can insert the designated giving link)

Volunteer:

We are always looking for more volunteers to donate their time for sorting clothing or setup and teardown for our special events.

Donate Goods:

We could not continue to do what we do without the generous donation of new & gently used clothing, ranging from newborn to teen sizes. These can be dropped off at the church during office hours, or during a pre-arranged time that is more convenient to the donor. Please see the list below of items we accept and items we do not accept.

 

If you have items to donate that are not needed by Extending Grace, consider taking them to Stuff Etc where you can donate under Extending Grace’s account. Once items are sold, we receive the funds from the sales. These funds help us purchase items such as new socks and underwear for the DHS bags (see above). Extending Grace has accounts at the Iowa City, Coralville, and Cedar Rapids Stuff Etc. locations.



 



What to Donate

We are now accepting newborn to teen sized, new or gently used clothing.
•Plain pants and Shorts with no patterns
(such as jeans, khakis, black /navy cotton pants)
•Shirts
•New underwear
•New socks
•Athletic Wear
•Outfits (coordinating shirts/pants)
•Winter coats
•Diapers
•Wipes
•Formula
•Unexpired Car Seats
•Dining booster seat (like this)
If you have baby furniture (cribs, changing tables etc. we will try to find a home).

At Stuff Etc.

Anything can be donated at Stuff ETC. because they sell your donations and give Extending Grace part of the money from the sale. We turn around and buy diapers, formula and other needed items.

Where to Donate

Simply drop-off any donations at the following locations. At Stuff Etc. you'll need to tell them that the items are for the Extending Grace account. Charity donations are accepted without an appointment.

Grace North Liberty Campus • 2707 Dubuque St. NE
Stuff Etc. • 2818 Commerce Dr, Coralville and 1027 US-6, Iowa City
Stuff Etc. • 2818 Commerce Dr, Coralville and 1027 US-6, Iowa City

Extending Grace Team

Natasha Miller, Emily Isaacson and Krystal McFadden all attend Grace Community Church and decided to come together to meet the needs of foster families from all over the state of Iowa. 

Natasha Miller EG Photo

Natasha Miller

Director

Emily Isaacson EG Photo

Emily Isaacson

Volunteer Coordinator

Krystal McFadden EG Photo

Krystal McFadden

Volunteer Coordinator

Contact the Extending Grace Team

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