HISTORY OF I-CARE

          The Iowa-Central American Relief Effort (I-CARE) is a not-for-profit organization based in Des Moines, Iowa, United States.  I-CARE was founded in April 2005 by Ben Parrott and Kirk Schuler, two Drake University Law School students. 

In 2002, Ben studied in Managua and traveled throughout Nicaragua.  In 2004, Ben returned with Kirk to visit Nicaragua.  As a result of those trips, I-CARE was born with the mission to “improve the quality of life of our less fortunate Central American neighbors through the charitable delivery of goods and services.”

In December of 2005, I-CARE was officially awarded 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status by the United States government.  As a result, I-CARE is exempt from paying taxes and donations to I-CARE are tax deductible.

I-CARE is currently engaged in two projects to benefit Nicaragua.  Our first project is to benefit the Hospitál Escuela Oscar Danilo Rosales in León, Nicaragua.  We have met our fundraising goal and will provide the hospital with bedding, air conditioning, plumbing, vitamins, and other necessities.  Our second project, “Operation Hawkdrop” is currently collecting bed linens from hospitals, linen supply companies and private donors.  When a sufficient amount has been collected, the linens will be shipped to Nicaragua and distributed to hospitals there.

I-CARE has also engaged in other projects.  During the 2005 holiday season I-CARE completed “Operation Christmas.”  During Operation Christmas, I-CARE volunteers collected clothes and vitamins which were sent to Nicaragua and distributed to the families of cancer patients.  During 2005, I-CARE also hosted Nicaraguan, Yody Elizondo, as part of a cultural exchange.  Yody volunteered in Marshalltown, Iowa teaching English as a second language and tutoring mathematics classes.

Looking to the future, I-CARE has two simple goals: 

1)      continue to expanding fundraising capacity; and

2)      ensure that every dollar raised directly benefits needy Central Americans.