The Loehr Family

Families Helping Families of Iowa was started by President, Leanne Loehr. Leanne and her husband, Ed, have been deeply involved in the foster care system for many years. Through these years, they have fostered over 20 children and adopted 7 of those children. Seeing the necessity of an organization to fight for children in the foster care system, Leanne began recruiting and started Families Helping Families of Iowa.


Visit our Contact Us page if you are interested in volunteering, or call 319-294-9706.

President: Leanne Loehr

Treasurer: Ellen Ledger









Secretary: Teresa Carbo

Board Members:
Wendy Marner







Emily Engelken







Lesley Panos
My name is Lesley Panos and I am a new member of FHF. I have been a teacher for seventeen years. I am currently teaching art in the Cedar Rapids School District. I am married to Dave and have 3 beautiful boys, twins Jake and Reese who are 8 and Tyler who is 4. We have been blessed with a precious 3-month-old foster child. We also have a "flood puppy" named Sadie that we adopted during the flood. We live in Mt. Vernon, which we absolutely love! My favorite activity is spending time with my family. We especially love going to the park, camping and playing games. I also love photography, art and scrapbooking. I am so proud to be a part of FHF and the positive message it represents!

Angie Blass
My name is Angie Blass. I was born and raised in Iowa and currently live in Cedar Rapids. I am a project manager at Pearson in Iowa City. I learned about Families Helping Families before I became a foster parent. After my first FHF board meeting I was hooked. I'm still awed by the amazing opportunities FHF provides the children in foster care and their families. The individuals involved in this organization are the most generous I have ever met. What FHF helps accomplish is nothing short of extraordinary. I am a new foster parent and currently have a 6 year old living with me. As a single, new parent I'm learning tons everyday from this little bundle of energy. The help and support I've received from FHF has made all the difference.

Amber White







Sharon Galing

My name is Sharon Galing.  I joined FHF over three years ago and have grown to love the enthusiasm of our President Leanne!  It has grown leaps and bounds since I have joined because of the generous volunteers and I only see it getting bigger!  My husband Dave and I love to golf in the summer and snowmobile in the winter.  We are unable to have children of our own which is why we choose to foster and hopefully adopt.  We have only taken in one amazing little boy whom has gone to live with his grandmother now.  But, like every foster parent out there would say, he will never be forgotten! 

Committees & Chairpersons:

Gala Committee: Laura Ledger, Co-Chairperson  
                           laural@familieshelpingfamiliesofiowa.com 
Mission: To promote the effectiveness of the mission of Families Helping Families by securing funding for essential programs. This committee is responsible for the annual Families Helping Families Spring Gala, speaking engagements and relations with donors.

Grant Committee:  Angie Blass, Chairperson 
                             angieb@familieshelpingfamiliesofiowa.com    
Mission: To promote the effectiveness of the mission of Families Helping Families by securing funding for essential programs.

Legislative Committee: Leanne Loehr, Chairperson
                                     leannel@familieshelpingfamiliesofiowa.com
Mission: To communicate with local, state and national governmental leaders concerning the needs of children residing in Iowa foster family care and Iowa children seeking families through adoption. This committee will seek to focus on, and seek improvement regarding one pertinent issue per year by investigating the issues and educating leaders in governmental and the judicial systems by meeting with them and writing letters.

Marketing Committee: Deb Frese, Chairperson 
                                    debf@familieshelpingfamiliesofiowa.com 
Mission: Create consistent marketing, advertising, public relations and essential collateral programs to recruit foster care families, inform the community of important legislative issues that impact foster care and provide information, programs and support for children in foster care and their foster care families. 

Back To School Committee: Angie Blass, Co-Chairperson 
                                             angieb@familieshelpingfamiliesofiowa.com   319-594-5237
                                             Lesley Panos, Co-Chairperson
                                             lesleyp@familieshelpingfamiliesofiowa.com
Mission: To seek sponsors and donors to fill the 600 backpacks for school children in local foster care. The goal continues to be to supply school necessities (back packs, school supplies, haircuts, shoe vouchers) for the children so they can confidently begin the school year prepared. The committee seeks to solicit interest in the prepared backpacks directly from the foster parents, and the foster parents will be responsible for picking up the back packs at the Annual Back To School Rally. The balance of the backpacks or any unclaimed backpacks will be forwarded to children entering foster care during the school year, so that they, too, can continue their schooling in an organized fashion. Donors will be solicited throughout the year, and careful records of donors will be kept to promote annual appeals and continued commitment. Tax receipts and thank you letters will be sent to donors within a month of the donation.

The Benjamin Brace House and "Love's Closet" Clothing Closet Committee: 
                               Wendy Marner, Co-Chairperson 
                               wendym@familieshelpingfamiliesofiowa.com   319-366-5886 
                               Sharon Galing, Co-Chairperson 
                               sharong@familieshelpingfamiliesofiowa.com    319-361-8285
Mission: To provide new and gently used clothing, shoes and supplies as needed to children in foster care and their foster families.

Shoe Voucher Committee:  Emily Engelken, Chairperson 
                                           emilye@familieshelpingfamiliesofiowa.com   319-389-9143
Mission: Each child in foster care will be eligible to receive a voucher for a new pair of shoes once yearly. Shoe vouchers are provided in a timely manner in the amount of $50, funds permitting.

Outreach Committee:  Amber White, Co-Chairperson
                                    amberw@familieshelpingfamiliesofiowa.com
                                    Teresa Carbo, Co-Chairperson
                                    teresac@familieshelpingfamiliesofiowa.com
Mission: To support the mission of Families Helping Families by enriching the lives of children and the community. The mission is accomplished through various volunteer activities and financial support.

Welcome to Families Helping Families of Iowa! We are a non-profit, volunteer group designed to help and support foster families. Families Helping Families is focused on meeting the needs of children in family foster care.


We believe that family is an essential part of any thriving community.  We collaborate with local, state and national foster care organizations in an effort to facilitate mutual support, recognition, and the exchanging of ideas.  We are advocates for children placed in foster care, when their voices cannot be heard.



We are always looking for volunteers! Please contact us so we can discuss how to put your talents to work! 

If you are a Foster Parent in Eastern Iowa, please complete the form on the Contact Us page. This puts you on our mailing list and allows us to inform you of the programs and specials that we offer which may benefit the Foster Children in your care. Please be assured that your information will never be shared or sold and you will only be contacted regarding Families Helping Families business that we feel applies to you and your family.

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Families Helping Families has outgrown it's current location at the Benjamin Brace House! We are in need of a new location. If you have ideas or suggestions, please contact:
 Leanne Loehr or Wendy Marner.

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