Partner Non-Profits Merge to Create New Organization

July 6th, 2023: Bidwell Riverside Center and Hawthorn Hill have been providing compassionate, life-changing assistance to families on their path to self-sufficiency for over 100 years. Now, they have officially joined forces to form Families Forward to oversee the existing four programs.

DES MOINES, Iowa. Bidwell Riverside Center and Hawthorn Hill – both sharing roots with the United Methodist Church as well as being United Way of Central Iowa pattern agencies – traditionally worked in parallel to provide different programs with the similar goal of helping children and families in need.

On July 1st, 2023, Bidwell Riverside Center and Hawthorn Hill officially merged into Families Forward, an organization where the original four programs – Bidwell Pantry, Child Development Center, New Directions Shelter, and The Home Connection – work together to provide compassionate, life-changing assistance to families and their path to self-sufficiency.

“”We’re looking forward to continuing to serve low-income families in Central Iowa with this new organization,” said Executive Director Tim Shanahan.

The locations remain the same with the Bidwell Pantry and Child Development Center at 1203 Hartford Ave, and the main offices for New Directions Shelter and The Home Connection at 3001 Grand Ave.

To learn more about this new partnership and how you can get involved, visit our new website at www.familiesforward.org and follow us on social media.

About Families Forward

Families Forward is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that establishes and operates housing, food, and childcare programs for families to help families achieve economic self-sufficiency.