P R E V E N T
One Eighty works to PREVENT repeating cycles of crisis, poverty and addiction.
We believe every child has immense potential – unfortunately, many of the kids we
serve in West Davenport have that potential thwarted by the cycles of addiction, crisis and
poverty affecting their families.
We partner with local churches, volunteers and public schools to help PREVENT these repeating cycles. We know that when we break cycles of destruction in the lives of children, they have hope for the abundant life God offers.
We have found that THREE things help kids build resilience and fulfill their potential.
1. A stable environment at home and school.
One Eighty comes alongside struggling families to ensure basic needs of kids are met by
providing in-school food pantries, beds for kids sleeping on floors, or other practical supports.
These practical measures help kids be ready to learn while at school.
2. Connection to caring adults and opportunities.
We create pathways to connection such as free baseball and basketball leagues at neighborhood schools, free tutoring, and access to enrichment activities through Opportunity for All. Such connections can change a child’s beliefs about their purpose, their potential and their future. And changing a child’s future is what changes our community. Our hope and prayer is to connect every child in need with a positive supporter from our community
3. A faith foundation
This foundation provides a struggling child with hope for the future and confidence they are loved. We sponsor Quest for Christ clubs that meet in public schools and open our doors to kids and their parents every Saturday morning at West End Initiative.
Interested in volunteering? Find out more on the Volunteer Page.
Here are some basics about the programs we offer:
Food Pantry
We partner with River Bend Food Bank and select Davenport schools to provide students and their families access to wholesome, fresh food twice a month. Staff at the school identify families who can use the pantry, located at The Hope Center at 306 Cedar Street. Most food is provided by River Bend Food Bank and it is staffed by volunteers.
Family and School Support
We partner with the school to act as a social service provider to help meet some of the needs students may have that the school can't fulfill. We provide things like lice treatment, furniture, beds, etc to families that the school identifies and refers to us.
Athletic Leagues
We run free baseball and basketball leagues for students attending specific elementary schools in West Davenport so they can connect with positive adult mentors, learn new skills, and experience successful teamwork.
Opportunity for All
We operate the Opportunity for All mini-grant program to connect students to enrichment
activities in our community. Students are nominated by staff in Davenport Schools grants to
participate in things like martial arts, dance, music lessons, art classes and sports teams. Our
goal is to remove barriers to kids having a full and rich childhood experience. We are thrilled to partner with community organizations that cater to kids. WATCH THIS VIDEO
Quest for Christ
We invite elementary students to connect with Jesus and each other once a week before or after school at our Quest for Christ clubs. We offer a fun-filled hour of Bible teaching, high-energy games, music and laughter. It’s a unique way for kids to explore their faith alongside school peers. We provide the volunteers and resources for about 14 clubs to run in area elementary schools, serving nearly 500 kids.
Smart Middle School Outreach
We provide outreach and support to students at Smart Middle School in order to build deep relationships with students and help them build resilience and avoid risky behaviors. SmartStart meets before school five days a week from 7 - 8:45 am so kids have a safe and supervised place to go before their school day begins. SmartSummer provides students an engaging and stretching summer opportunity to explore their community and themselves.
The Hope Center
We opened The Hope Center in 2022 to serve as a hub of opportunities to kids and families in west Davenport. The Hope Center is located at 306 Cedar Street (one block from Smart Middle School) and is home base for most of our Prevent initiatives. You can find students there often during the week, participating in free extra curricular activities like dance, playing games, eating a meal and enjoying supportive community.