About Us
Visit our Contact Us page if you are interested in volunteering, or call 319-294-9706.
President: Leanne Loehr
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My name is Leanne Loehr. I was born and raised in Illinois. I moved to Iowa in 1987 and married my husband Ed in 1989. My husband and I own JHK Construction which does siding and windows. I have been married for 20. We have 3 biological children and 7 adoptive children ranging in age from 4 - 20 years old. We have a busy house full!! I started Families Helping Families after completeing the 40 days of purpose through our church and it talked about giving back to our community! It is truely unbelievable the children we have helped and the wonderful people that have touched my life in our path to make a difference in these children's lives. And we are just getting started! I want every child to feel they are special and give them the necessities that we take for granted. |
Vice President: Wendy Marner
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My name is Wendy Marner. After only being able to have 1 child my husband and I became foster/adoptive parents. In 6 years we adopted 3 children and fostered many others. We knew we couldn't keep adopting, but wanted to keep helping somehow. I needed to have an active role in my new found passion of helping children in foster care and the families doing this very important work. I was told about another woman who had similar passions and had just started an organization to try to bring about some positive changes in the foster care community. Who knew what we were in for when a social worker introduced Leanne and I 6 years ago! It has been an amazing ride, brainstorming about what we would like to do, and then doing whatever work was necessary to make things happen. It is our goal to assist and advocate for the children in foster care to give them the very same feelings of empowerment. Building their self esteem and self worth while instilling in them the confidence that they have the power to become whatever they want and do whatever they want to do. They can be defined by their achievements, not where they came from. |
Treasurer: Ellen Ledger
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My name is Ellen Ledger and I have been the treasurer for Families Helping Families for the past 4 years. I have not been a foster or adoptive parent, but I support Leanne's passion for helping these children and families in need. My work with this charity has become a family affair. My grown children and their spouses have also become active, helping annually with the Spring Galas and other functions where extra volunteers are needed. How wonderful to be able help those in need, and what more could you ask than to be able to do that work along side the ones you love most. |
Board Members:
Emily Engelken
My name is Emily Engelken. Like a few of the other board members, I have not been a foster or adoptive parent. But the convictions of the people I knew on the board convinced me that this was a worth cause to give my time. I am in charge of the Shoe Voucher program. In this program, we partner with the local Kiwanis and both parties contribute equal amounts to an account. From this account we are able to present vouchers to kids for new shoes. It sounds like such a simple thing, and admittedly I once felt the same way. But now that I'm involved and see the situation from the other side, I'm developing my own fire and passion for helping these children in need.
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
My name is Amber White and I have been on board with FHF for over a year. I have been a teacher for eleven years and I am currently teaching 4th grade in the
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 Comm.:
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
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.