Our Wish List Through Children & Families of Iowa’s Friend of the Family Program, you have an opportunity to make special gifts to the agency that will have lasting value to the over 21,000 families, children and individuals we serve each year. Our mission is to restore hope, build futures and change lives. You can help us by meeting the needs of the children, teens, adults and families in our care right now: Casseroles for our domestic violence programs: Our domestic violence programs need large, freezable/reheatable casseroles in disposable pans for meals at the shelter. All types of food are welcome!  New Window Air Conditioning Units: Help our clients keep cool in the summer. Garden Tools and Supplies: Youth in our residential treatment facilities learn responsibility and gardening skills by caring for a teen garden. We need seeds, tools and other gardening supplies during the growing season. Linens: A warm, comfortable bed, fresh towels and washcloths are essential in creating a healing environment for our four residential programs. You can help by donating new or gently-used twin sheet sets, blankets and comforters, new pillows and pillow cases, bath towels, hand towels and washcloths. Our clients can also use robes, slippers and slip-on shower shoes. Baby Items: Many clients need diapers (especially large and extra-large sizes), pull-ups, wet-wipes, diaper rash ointments, bottles, sippy-cups, formula, baby food, Pedialyte, teething rings, baby swings and walkers for babies or young children. School Supplies: The children in our programs always need school supplies, including back packs, paper, notebooks, pencils, pens, markers, crayons, glue and scissors. Therapy Supplies: We use a variety of items in our programs to help children, families and individuals in their therapy or treatment. Art supplies (markers, crayons, pens, pencils, sketchbooks, journals, paint, play dough, etc.), board games, doll houses, children's dress-up clothes, photo albums, cameras and film are all used as part of the healing process. Toys: Our programs can always use new (non-violent) toys for children of all ages, especially teens. These include books for all age-levels, board games, video games (non-violent, non-fantasy), blocks, dolls and balls. Sorry, we cannot accept used, stuffed toys! Cleaning and Household Items: We accept cleaning supplies like laundry detergent, paper towels, (new) cleaning materials, brooms, mops, etc. Our clients also need kitchen items such as dishes, glasses (plastic), serving and cooking utensils, pots and pans, storage containers and hot pads. Other common household items include alarm clocks, fans, irons and calendars. Medical Supplies: Although we cannot accept medicines, medical supplies like band aids, thermometers, cotton swabs and cotton balls are always a need. Disposable cameras: Our families love to capture their memories, and disposable cameras help them in therapy to build stronger bonds. Gift Cards, Vouchers and Pre-Paid Phone Cards: You can help our clients get the things they need by providing gift cards, bus tokens and pre-paid calling cards. Personal Care Items: Many of our clients come to us with nothing but the clothes on their backs. They need personal care items such as shampoo, deodorant, toothbrushes and toothpaste, hairbrushes, tampons and pads, soap and Kleenex. We also accept new beauty items such as hair clips and ties, nail polish and polish remover, make-up, perfume, hair dryers, curling irons and lotion. We are happy to accept full- and trial-sized personal hygiene items. (New items only, please.)  Children & Families of Iowa also accepts cell phones for victims of domestic violence. Working cell phones (along with chargers) will be given to victims of domestic violence to use for 911-only service and non-working cell phones are recycled for cash, with all money going to our domestic violence programs. Other Donations: If you prefer, you can make a cash donation to Children & Families of Iowa or any of our programs that will allow us to meet the immediate needs of our clients.