Accomplishments

Mental Health: Mind Matters, a new traveling exhibit at the Science Center of Iowa presented by HealthPartners UnityPoint Health, will use hands-on interactives and immersive multimedia experiences to help visitors explore mental illness and its prevalence in society. The exhibit will build awareness and understanding by giving visitors the opportunity to see how mental illness has been treated in the past and to better understand what it’s like to live with mental illnesses such as depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Central Iowa stands 4 Equity. To build a more equitable and inclusive region we are beginning with a focus on racial equity. We ask leaders to commit to using this tool when presented with a decision-making moment for plans and activities. This is the first step in creating an inclusive Central Iowa.

Loans through NFC’s Front Porch Program are available to homeowners in NFC lending areas seeking repairs to the exterior of their homes.

The Iowa Soil and Water Future Task Force released their report after capturing input from more than 115 advisory committee members. The report recommends that the primary pathway to success is public/private investment in the state’s Nutrient Reduction Strategy, by identifying ten recommendations for addressing the goals of the Strategy. The report is available online.

Through Healthy Homes Des Moines, households with children suffering from asthma will receive home repairs to address asthma triggers, and families will receive tailored health education to self-manage asthma and maintain a healthy home.

Could improving your well-being really be just a dentist appointment away? Studies have shown that adults who visit the dentist once a year are 37 percent more likely to report good or better dental health, and adults who report good dental health are almost twice as likely to report good or better overall well-being.

The Teaching Employees Accountability Matters (TEAM) program is a comprehensive training curriculum that sets the stage for employees and supervisors to exemplify and promote a “can do” workplace environment. No matter where you work or what you do, TEAM can help improve your workplace culture.

Your company can do its part to make Iowa the healthiest state in the nation, and this toolkit can remove your barriers to entry. Each month, businesses can download a new one-page poster that lays out wellness tips, facts, and resources that will give employees immediate takeaways that they can implement in their daily lives. Employers can also download information packets that contain more health facts, suggestions for activities to implement in the workplace, and daily health tips that they can email to employees. Each month will feature a specific themes. For more information on strategies to roll out and implement a formal wellness program in your workplace, see this Healthy Iowa Worksites toolkit from the Iowa Department of Public Health.

Through a collaboration between education, business, and the community, Waukee Aspiring Professional Experience (APEX) develops highly skilled, adaptable, global innovators and leaders. Waukee APEX draws on the expertise of business partners to bring real-world experience to high schoolers. Through passion-based learning, authentic projects, and experiences, students add value to business partners while exploring career possibilities identified by economic trends within our metro area and state.

After 30 years of helping establish Iowa’s extensive trail system, INHF launched Iowa By Trail, an interactive mobile app that connects Iowans to trails and surrounding natural areas.

Nearly 200 of Central Iowa’s business, civic, and regional community leaders traveled to our nation’s capital and presented a federal public policy agenda to promote regional policy priorities and economic development projects during the Greater Des Moines Partnership’s annual advocacy trip to Washington, D.C.

When you Seize Des Moines, you are empowered to take charge of your personal and professional journey and shape the direction of the region’s future. With a growing population, world class amenities and national recognition as a great city to advance a career, now is the time to live life in Central Iowa and tell the world how you Seize Des Moines.

Adopt a Stream connects us directly to our streams – so we can clean them, enjoy them and celebrate the improvements in our water quality and soil erosion over time. As we become ever better water and soil stewards, we’ll see improvements in the health of our lands and people.

Improving respect and civility in our community isn’t someone else’s job. It can start with you. Show Some Respect, a campaign of the Iowa Civility Project, urges Iowans to be respectful and encourage others to do the same.

The Evelyn K. Davis Center for Working Families helps families and individuals improve their financial position and connecting them with their work and career goals. From its location in the heart of Des Moines, Iowa, the state’s capital city, the Evelyn K. Davis Center is helping many Central Iowans build their educational and job dreams. This first-of-its-kind center is a beacon for those looking for educational, job training and career opportunities by delivering these workforce services.

Central Iowa leaders have announced the launch of a Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA), which provides a vision for a healthy community environment that supports and enables all Central Iowans to live healthy lives and encourages everyone to take responsibility for their health. In alignment with the Capital Crossroads Regional Vision Plan, a steering committee that included Broadlawns Medical Center, MercyOne, UnityPoint Health – Des Moines, the Dallas County Public Health Department, the Polk County Public Health Department, Warren County Health Services, Mid-Iowa Health Foundation, United Way of Central Iowa, and Everystep, led the CHNA process. Following a request for proposals, a contract was awarded to Professional Research Consultants (PRC) to partner in conducting the 2021 CHNA.

Learn more.