Social Determinants

Neighborhood and Built Environment

Goal: Create neighborhoods and environments that promote health & safety and create opportunities for connection & interaction.

This domain includes conditions such as quality of housing, parks & other amenities, availability of healthy foods, and access to transportation. 

Building on the momentum of the sports recreation economy in Waterloo and the City of Waterloo’s strategic vision to be the most sports-friendly town in Iowa, the Waterloo Development Corporation and partners are constructing an indoor hard court tournament facility in the heart of downtown Waterloo, known as Waterloo Court Works. Waterloo Court Works will meet a need in the Cedar Valley region by attracting thousands of visitors per weekend for youth sports tournaments. The facility, which can be configured to hold eight basketball courts or sixteen volleyball courts, will provide space for local sports teams to practice during the week. This exciting project will drive economic activity in the Cedar Valley and create a new, vibrant space. 

The 415 Walnut Collective is comprised of a group of committed individuals dedicated to rehabilitating the historic Walnut Street Baptist Church for community use. Located in the historic Walnut neighborhood, the former church stands as a resilient symbol of the Cedar Valley's tumultuous civil rights history and as a beacon of hope for a reemerging neighborhood rich with culture & opportunity. Building on the revitalization efforts in Walnut, the Collective will bring to life a vision for the building and create a path for the creation of new community spaces. 

Social and Community Context

Goal: Increase social and community support.

This domain includes conditions such as cohesion within community, workplace conditions, civic participation and other supportive environments.

Creating opportunities for youth connection builds bridges in the community and supports individuals and working families. The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Cedar Valley and the YWCA of Black Hawk County both provide important youth educational and empowerment programming. As important, these organizations provide safe and engaging spaces for youth before & after school and during summer breaks. The Boys & Girls Clubs and the YWCA not only serve youth in our community, they support working families by easing barriers to affordable and convenient childcare. 

Immigrant and refugee populations are a growing demographic in the state and local community. Two grant partners are addressing the unique needs and experiences of the newcomer populations. Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Dubuque is recognized as a regional leader in the legal aspects of immigration. Not only does Catholic Charities provide legal consultation and representation in Black Hawk County, the organization is viewed as providing credible, expert education to the community regarding immigration trends & issues. RIYO | Refugees and Immigrant Youth Organization utilizes a peer-to-peer model to mentor, educate and embrace refugee & immigrant youth in Waterloo. RIYO inspires and equips young people with the tools, resources, and support they need to overcome challenges and build a better tomorrow for themselves & their communities. 

Economic Stability

Goal: Help people access resources essential to one's life and wellbeing. 

This domain includes conditions such as poverty, housing stability, food security, and employment.

As a key partner in distributing financial assistance in Waterloo, the Jesse Cosby Center eliminates barriers to self-sufficiency. The Center provides emergency food, shelter and utility assistance to individuals experiencing homelessness and economic insecurity. Through partnerships with Northeast Iowa Area Agency on Aging, Meals on Wheels, We Arose Co-Op, Veggie Vouchers and other agencies, Jesse Cosby Center increases access to healthy foods and delivers nutritious meals to home-bound individuals. The organization's Senior Center provides opportunities for the elderly to remain active and develop critical social interactions to support a thriving senior population. Located on the northeast side of Waterloo, the Jesse Cosby Center has been a neighborhood cornerstone for over 50 years.  

Health And Health Care

Goal: Increase access to comprehensive, high-quality health care services.

This domain includes conditions such as availability of health care including primary and mental health services, health insurance coverage, and health literacy.

It is estimated that 20,000 children in Iowa lack the eyeglasses they need to see in school or read a book. Students with uncorrected vision problems often avoid reading, suffer headaches, and have trouble focusing in class; further, they are more likely to fail at least one grade and less likely to read at grade level by third grade. Vision To Learn addresses the lack of vision care and glasses driven by structural health and educational access inequities. Utilizing a mobile vision clinic, the organization provides Waterloo students free eye exams and glasses. Students who require glasses are provided two pairs - one to keep at school and one pair to take home. Students served by Vision To Learn often lack access to vision care despite the presence of Medicaid coverage for pediatric vision care. This disparity in access is driven by a shortage of low-cost optometric providers who accept Medicaid, a lack of transportation options, and the inability of parents to take time off work to take children to medical appointments. By bringing vision services directly to schools and youth-serving organizations, Vision To Learn eliminates many barriers to care.   

Education

Goal: Increase educational opportunities and the proportion of children who are developmentally on track and ready for school. 

This domain includes conditions such as educational attainment in general, high school graduation, enrollment in higher education, language and literacy, early childhood education & development.

Iowa Jobs for America’s Graduates (iJAG) assists students facing multiple barriers to success to graduate from high school and transition to continued education and careers through counseling, mentoring, tutoring, career exploration and post-secondary planning. The iJAG program is housed within partnering Waterloo schools and is delivered during the day, for credit. Each program has a full-time Site Specialist who works with an average of 50 participants each year and plays a unique role of teacher, counselor and mentor. The organization utilizes an evidence-based model that operates in three domains: (1) Graduation/Academic Success: Adult mentoring and academic remediation, tailored to individual need; (2) Workplace Skills: Classroom instruction using a competency-based curriculum that includes work-based learning, providing students opportunities to interact with local employers both in the classroom and on the job site; and (3) Post-secondary Transition: Twelve months of follow-up services, including job and post-secondary placement services. Statewide, iJAG participants have achieved a 95% graduation rate and the achievement of Waterloo participants matches the Iowa benchmark.