About Us
Siouxland CARES is a volunteer driven community coalition which aims to improve the quality of life in Siouxland by helping young people to make healthy choices about substances by strengthening protective factors and reduce risk factors. CARES is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt corporation.
Siouxland CARES is an affiliated agency of the United Way of Siouxland and a former Drug Free Communities Support Program grantee from the SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) and ONDCP (Office of National Drug Control Policy).
Past Recognition:
- Siouxland CARES and Sioux City were the recipients of the 2011 Iowa Community of Character Award.
- CARES coordinated the effort to have Sioux City, Iowa certified as a SAFE (Substance Abuse Free Environment) Community in 1991 and is a former member of the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA).
History:
Thirty-five years ago, community leaders came together for an entire week to talk about how our community could collectively make an impact to combat underage drinking. This group was convened as the result of a United Way needs assessment that identified adolescent substance use as a priority concern. At the conclusion of the week, the consensus was that Siouxland needed a permanent, full time coalition to address these issues.
Organizers of this effort were Nancy Mounts from the Sioux City Schools, Cheri Phillips from Jackson Recovery Centers, Vickie Hepperlen (Parent), and Barbara Aalfs, representing the United Way. They named the coalition Siouxland CARES.