Mission, Services & Staff



Mission

The Crisis Center provides basic emotional and material support through trained volunteers and staff in an accessible, nonjudgmental, and caring environment.

Services

All services are free and confidential. Most services are available 24 hours every day of the year.

Crisis Intervention Counseling is available 24 hours a day, every day of the year to anyone needing support and assistance. Just call 351-0140 to talk with our caring volunteers. Face-to-face counseling is available from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. We receive about 7,000 Crisis Intervention contacts each year from area residents.

Information and Referral are provided for almost any need, issue, or question. We make referrals to other agencies and services. Call 351-0140. See also this list with links to frequently referred local services.

Suicide Prevention, Intervention, and Postvention services are available. Counseling and support are available by telephone 24 hours a day at 351-0140 for persons contemplating suicide, those who have attempted suicide, and concerned friends and family members.

Food Bank services are available to residents of Johnson County needing emergency and supplemental food assistance. Food is distributed on Monday through Friday from noon to 4:30 p.m. About 650 households receive food and other material support from the Center each week. More than 4,100 local families request assistance each year.

Free Clothing is provided through agreements with Goodwill Industries and the Crowded Closet. This service is made possible through the donation of usable clothing at the Crowded Closet and area Goodwill stores.

Project Holiday food baskets are distributed to more than 1,000 local families each December. The food baskets contain items, including a turkey or a ham, to help provide a special holiday meal.

Transient Services are provided to people who are stranded in our community. Information and referrals are provided, as well as transportation assistance with gasoline, a bus ticket, or minor car repair.


Staff

Carole Campbell Yack, Coordinator of Services, cyack@jccrisiscenter.org

Dawn Newbill, Development Director, dnewbill@jccrisiscenter.org

Dayna Ballantyne, Food Bank & Emergency Assistance Program Director, daynab@jccrisiscenter.org

Doug Chaney, Warehouse Assistant

Elizabeth Haas, Food Bank Services Assistant, elizabeth@jccrisiscenter.org

Judy Atkins, Interim Executive Director, jatkins@jccrisiscenter.org

Keri Neblett, Crisis Intervention Program Director, kneblett@jccrisiscenter.org

Laura Lovell, Office Manager, llovell@jccrisiscenter.org

Michelle Martin, Director of Volunteer Services, mmartin@jccrisiscenter.org

For immediate help:

(319) 351-0140
24 hours a day

Top 10 Suggested Donations to Food Bank

  1. Canned Fruit
  2. Canned Vegetables
  3. Canned Meat
  4. Canned Soup
  5. Pasta
  6. Jam or Jelly
  7. Toilet Paper
  8. Rice
  9. Potato Products
  10. Juice

Special thanks to:

The Crisis Center is a partner of the United Way
The UI Student Government supports the Crisis Center