The Beacon

About The Beacon – Des Moines, Iowa

Founded in 1980, The Beacon of suburban Des Moines, Iowa, is a residential community for women in crisis. They aim to provide a supportive place for those who, through trauma and systemic inequity, face homelessness, substance use, and involvement with the criminal justice system. In 2024, they transformed a former motel into 32 efficiency units called The Beacon Village, a safe place for women to continue their recovery journey.

They operate under the evidence based wheel of wellness created by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). This model has eight parts. The first is occupational, through which they partner with organizations like Project Iowa and Central Iowa Works for job skills training and placement. They also partner with Dress for Success to supply work clothes.

The intellectual section encompasses things like motivational interviewing and onsite educational classes, in addition to library access.

For the financial portion, they’ve joined with the Evelyn K Davis Center and Freedom Financial Bank to offer women budget coaching and a bank account. They’re also able to provide reduced rent and utilities.

The physical aspect of the model involves nutrition counseling and fitness classes, and they’ve partnered with the Drake University College of Pharmacy and Health for medication reviews and support. For the spiritual side of things, they focus on activities for mindfulness in both private and shared spaces. They can also facilitate referrals for clients with specific religious or spiritual needs.

Under the environmental umbrella, their 18 hour staff delivers trauma informed care. Daily chores and community activities are practiced. There are weekly house meetings to keep up with the lives of the residents.

The last two areas of the SAMHSA model are emotional and social. These are achieved through weekly case management and individual and group counseling. Peer to peer mentoring is provided, as are weekly sober social activities. Once a year they host the Cake Gala, a nonprofit event with food and music to benefit the Beacon and fund its services.

It’s also neat that The Beacon Village is near local attractions like Chamberlain Park. If you get some free time, you can stretch your legs and unwind a bit.

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