CommUnity Crisis Services
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1970
- HeadquartersIowa City, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What CommUnity Crisis Services does
CommUnity Crisis Services is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1970 and headquartered in Iowa City, Iowa, that delivers integrated crisis intervention, food security, and emergency financial assistance to residents of Johnson County, Iowa County, and Southeast Iowa. Its core service portfolio comprises four operational pillars: 24/7 Crisis Helplines (phone, text, and chat, including contracted answering of 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline chats and texts for the state of Iowa), Mobile Crisis Response (in-person counseling dispatched within 60 minutes across Johnson and Iowa Counties and four Southeast Iowa counties), a Food Bank program operating two pantry locations plus a refrigerated Mobile Food Pantry vehicle (Meals on the Move), and Financial Support services covering rent, utilities, and basic needs. The organization supplements these pillars with the Healing Prairie Farm therapeutic agriculture program, the BE YOU youth program, the Post-Attempt Family Engagement Model (PAFEM) for youth post-crisis, the Coping with Suicide Loss Support Group, and the 1105 Project Kitchen (a commercial kitchen rental facility).
The organization is volunteer-driven, with trained crisis counselors — including staff, community volunteers, and AmeriCorps members — delivering the majority of direct service, supported by a professional staff of 101–250 employees under Executive Director Sarah Nelson (appointed May 2021). Service delivery relies on accredited protocols (International Council for Helplines re-accreditation) and a Law Enforcement Liaison model co-developed with the Iowa City Police Department and Foundation 2 to provide mental health crisis response as an alternative to arrest, achieving an 88% hospital and jail diversion rate in FY2021. Revenue is generated almost entirely through a non-commercial model: individual donations (91.61% of Food and Financial Support funding in Q1 FY23), government contracts (East Central Region funding for Mobile Crisis; Iowa 988 Lifeline contract), corporate sponsorships (Hills Bank, MidWestOneBank), ancillary rental income from the 1105 Project Kitchen ($20/hour and monthly storage subscriptions), and foundation/endowment support at Hills Bank & Trust and the Community Foundation of Johnson County. All client-facing crisis, food, and financial services are provided free of charge.
The business is geographically concentrated in eastern Iowa with no global footprint, operates without AI/ML capabilities, and has no equity funding rounds, subsidiaries, or M&A activity. Recent strategic activity has focused on geographic expansion (Southeast Iowa Mobile Crisis), service-line broadening (mobile food pantry, youth programs, kitchen rentals), and ecosystem integration (law enforcement, healthcare, and corporate partnerships), positioning the organization for continued regional scale within the human-services nonprofit sector.
CommUnity Crisis Services firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- CommUnity Crisis Services
- Legal name
- CommUnity Crisis Services
- Website
- https://builtbycommunity.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1970
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
CommUnity Crisis Services industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Crisis Intervention and Community Support Services
- NAICS
- Individual and Family Services (6241), Emergency and Other Relief Services (62423), Community Food Services (624210)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Behavioral Health Crisis Services Management (988/Hotlines/Mobile Crisis Coordination) (HLAEAHAK)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Mental Health & Crisis Support Services (BPAGACAD), Housing Assistance & Homeless Services (BPAGAEAB), Mental Health & Crisis Support Services (BPAGAEAH)
Keywords
Where CommUnity Crisis Services is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Iowa City
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
CommUnity Crisis Services business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others
Revenue model
- Government Contracts: Contracted to answer 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline chats and texts in the state of Iowa. Mobile Crisis is funded by the East Central Region.
- Individual Donations: 91.61% of funding for Food and Financial Support programs came from individual contributions in the first quarter of FY23.
- Corporate Sponsorships: Sponsors such as Hills Bank (Strike Out Hunger) and MidWestOneBank (Giving Tuesday/Project Holiday) provide funding support.
- Kitchen Rental Revenue: 1105 Project Kitchen generates revenue through hourly rental fees and monthly storage fees.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Kitchen Use Rental |
| Subscription | Monthly | Dry Storage |
| Subscription | Monthly | Cooler Storage |
| Subscription | Monthly | Freezer Storage |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels7 records
CommUnity Crisis Services product offering
Product offeringCore offering
CommUnity Crisis Services provides free 24/7 crisis intervention via phone, text, and chat helplines (including the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) plus in-person Mobile Crisis Response across Johnson County, Iowa County, and Southeast Iowa. The organization also runs a Food Bank with mobile distribution, emergency Financial Support for rent/utilities/prescriptions, youth programs (BE YOU, PAFEM, Healing Prairie Farm), a suicide loss support group, and a paid 1105 Project Kitchen commercial rental facility. All client-facing crisis, food, and financial services are provided at no cost; only the kitchen rental and storage carry fees.
Product overview
CommUnity Crisis Services is a nonprofit organization offering a portfolio of interconnected crisis intervention and basic needs programs. The core services include Crisis Helplines (24/7 phone/text/chat support), Mobile Crisis Response (in-person mental health crisis counseling), Food Bank services (food pantry and mobile food distribution), and Financial Support (emergency assistance for rent, utilities, and basic needs). Additional programs include the Healing Prairie Farm, BE YOU Youth Program, and the 1105 Project Kitchen commercial rental facility. The organization operates the Let's Talk About It summer learning series through its PAFEM program and hosts a Coping with Suicide Loss Support Group. Together, these services provide immediate and non-judgmental support for individuals and families facing emotional, food, or financial crises in Johnson County, Iowa.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- 1105 Project Kitchen: A commercial kitchen rental facility available to local bakers, chefs, and home cooks for culinary operations
- Healing Prairie Farm
- BE YOU Program
- PAFEM (Post-Attempt Family Engagement Model)
- Mobile Crisis Response
- CommUnity Food Bank
- Strike Out Hunger
- Legacy Society
Products and services
- Crisis Helplines
Quantifiable outcome
- 88% of mental health crises result in diversion from hospitals and jails
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use CommUnity Crisis Services
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
CommUnity Crisis Services technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
CommUnity Crisis Services partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- International Council for HelplinescoreICH provides independent accreditation for helpline programs, evaluating CommUnity for compliance in governance, leadership, training, program management, and suicide prevention standards. CommUnity earned re-accreditation demonstrating commitment to high quality service and best practice standards.
- Iowa City Police DepartmentcoreCollaborative partnership implementing the Law Enforcement Liaison model to provide alternative response for mental health crises, reduce unnecessary arrests, decrease repeat 911 calls, and connect community members to resources.
- Foundation 2coreCollaboration on the Law Enforcement Liaison model with Iowa City Police Department for mental health crisis response alternatives.
- Table to TableminorFood rescue and distribution partnership in Johnson County.
- Habitat for HumanityminorCollaboration on community initiatives and volunteer coordination.
- Johnson County SEATSminorPartnership for transportation and community coordination.
- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline / 988 LifelinecoreCommUnity operates as part of the national 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline network, providing 24/7 crisis support and connecting to national resources during overnight hours.
- Your Life IowacoreResource system for help with mental health; CommUnity's Mobile Crisis is dispatched through Your Life Iowa line at 1-855-581-8111.
- GuideLink CentercoreCommUnity partners with GuideLink Center for crisis stabilization, sober assistance, and detoxification. Hosts the Coping with Suicide Loss Support Group at GuideLink Conference Room.
- NAMI Johnson CountyminorLocal affiliate providing mental health education, support, and advocacy; CommUnity references as community resource.
- ChompminorDonating $1 to CommUnity for every food order placed on Giving Tuesday 2020.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights6 records
CommUnity Crisis Services competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Boys Town National Hotline: Long-standing national crisis helpline serving youth and families with phone, text, and chat services; highly comparable in service modality and youth focus to CommUnity's crisis helplines and PAFEM program.
- Crisis Text Line: National non-profit providing24/7 text-based crisis support, directly overlapping CommUnity's chat/text crisis intervention services and operating as part of the 988 ecosystem.
- The Trevor Project: Non-profit providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention for LGBTQ+ youth via phone, text, and chat. Comparable as a mission-driven, volunteer-supported national crisis helpline with youth specialization similar to CommUnity's BE YOU and PAFEM programs.
- Foundation 2: Iowa-based non-profit providing crisis intervention, mobile crisis response, and mental health services across the same region. Explicitly named as a partner on the Law Enforcement Liaison model, making it both a collaborator and the closest comparable peer in terms of service mix and geography.
Broad incumbents
- United Way: National non-profit funding and coordinating a portfolio of health and human services at the community level; comparable as a diversified, multi-program community support intermediary.
- Vibrant Emotional Health: Administrator of the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline and longstanding operator of the prior National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. Comparable as the national backbone operator of the network CommUnity plugs into for Iowa chats and texts.
- Feeding America: National hunger-relief organization with a network of regional food banks; CommUnity's Food Bank program is comparable in mission and operating model to Feeding America affiliates.
- NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness): National non-profit providing mental health education, support groups, and advocacy; CommUnity directly references local NAMI Johnson County as a community resource, indicating parallel community-based mental health programming.
- Catholic Charities: National network of non-profit social service agencies offering crisis assistance, food, financial, and housing support — directly comparable in portfolio breadth to CommUnity's crisis, food, and financial support programs.
Regional players
- Your Life Iowa: Iowa-specific mental health and substance use resource hotline that dispatches CommUnity's Mobile Crisis Response; directly comparable in mental health crisis routing at the same geographic level.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
CommUnity Crisis Services social profiles
Digital presenceCommUnity Crisis Services financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
CommUnity Crisis Services leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles16 records
CommUnity Crisis Services funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
CommUnity Crisis Services M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about CommUnity Crisis Services
What does CommUnity Crisis Services do?
CommUnity Crisis Services provides free 24/7 crisis intervention via phone, text, and chat helplines (including the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) plus in-person Mobile Crisis Response across Johnson County, Iowa County, and Southeast Iowa. The organization also runs a Food Bank with mobile distribution, emergency Financial Support for rent/utilities/prescriptions, youth programs (BE YOU, PAFEM, Healing Prairie Farm), a suicide loss support group, and a paid 1105 Project Kitchen commercial rental facility. All client-facing crisis, food, and financial services are provided at no cost; only the kitchen rental and storage carry fees.
Is CommUnity Crisis Services a public or private company?
CommUnity Crisis Services is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was CommUnity Crisis Services founded?
CommUnity Crisis Services was founded in 1970. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is CommUnity Crisis Services based?
CommUnity Crisis Services is headquartered in Iowa City, United States, in the North America region.
How does CommUnity Crisis Services make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Government Contracts are the primary driver. The others are individual Donations, corporate Sponsorships and kitchen Rental Revenue.
Who are CommUnity Crisis Services's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Boys Town National Hotline, Crisis Text Line, The Trevor Project and Foundation 2. Broad incumbents are United Way, Vibrant Emotional Health, Feeding America, NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) and Catholic Charities. Your Life Iowa is listed as a regional player.
Does CommUnity Crisis Services have an API?
No public API is recorded for CommUnity Crisis Services.
What industry is CommUnity Crisis Services in?
CommUnity Crisis Services's product category is Crisis Intervention and Community Support Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAEAHAK, Behavioral Health Crisis Services Management (988/Hotlines/Mobile Crisis Coordination), with a secondary code of BPAGACAD, Mental Health & Crisis Support Services. Its NAICS code is 6241 and its SIC code is 8300.