Story County Family

Address: 126 S Kellogg, Suite 101
Ames, IA 50010 Phone: (515) 268-2276 Email: alundva@dhs.state.ia.us Website: http://www.storycountyfamily.org/

Story County Empowerment

Iowa Community Empowerment began in 1998 as a statewide initiative to build partnership between communities and state government with an emphasis to improve the wellbeing and quality of life for children ages 0 to 5 years and their families. There were initially 58 community empowerment areas across Iowa representing 99 counties.  Story County received designation as a community empowerment area in 1999.  State legislation in 2010 modified the community empowerment initiative to the current Early Childhood Iowa initiative.  Local community empowerment areas are now referred to as local Early Childhood Iowa (or ECI) Areas.

Story County Empowerment/Early Childhood Iowa partners with various community agencies and organizations to conduct community assessment and planning efforts to address the needs of children and families throughout Story County.  The Empowerment/ECI Area and Story County Decategorization projects share staff coordination services, which further enhances planning efforts to meet identified needs within Story County.