About Our Organziation

Iowa City, Iowa

Despite its impression as a progressive town, Iowa City’s most marginalized citizens are often left behind and face numerous difficulties such as homelessness, mental and physical health problems, food shortage, insufficient job opportunities and training, substance abuse, and more. When a community member without the resources afforded to financially stable citizens struggles in one of these areas, the police are usually called as first responders. IFR believes that the most marginalized citizens deserve to have their problems addressed not by those with a badge and a gun, but by professionals who are trained in compassion and resource-provision. We believe that social ills are not cured through intimidation and punishment, but through community support and services that get to the core of the problem. We believe that people’s social struggles, including the things referred to as crime, are not due to a genetic or cultural inferiority of a person, but often because they don’t have adequate resources and support to thrive. ICPD is funded at approximately 50% higher than the second highest funded department in City Government. IFR is confident that moving funds away from the department that largely works to control, track down, and incarcerate the most marginalized citizens, and into departments that provide basic human rights, will be far more successful in reducing social ills and providing health and the freedom of self-determination to Iowa City’s most marginalized citizens.