Who We Are

     Community Connections of Iowa promotes the well-being of families. 

     

     After a derecho struck our community in Aug. 2020, Sean Zirtzman saw community members rise up and help their neighbors in need. They inspired him so much that he wanted to help, too, so he and his mother, Cindy Petersen, along with several others, formed a small group, and decided to name it, "Community Connections," because of the power he saw when neighbors connected with each other.

     But Sean didn't want to stop there. His mother suggested having a clothes giveaway for kids going back to school. She remembered the struggle her mother had, and how stressful to was for her, too, as a single parent, to buy school clothes when the new school year began. The first Back-to-School event was a success!

     That year, the group held its first holiday event and invited the public to visit with Santa. The group held other fun events, made snack bags for the homeless population, and helped other nonprofits fulfill their missions. 

     In 2023, the group officially became a 501c3, which has given them new opportunities for growth. Their latest project, Community Reads, promotes literacy in the community by offering free books and tutoring. 

Our Mission

Our mission is to promote the well-being of families in our community. We do this by hosting free family events and giveaways; promoting free family events and resources in our community; and by volunteering and partnering with other nonprofits in our community to help ease insecurities within our community.

Anti-Discriminatory Statement

We, the members of Community Connections of Iowa, believe everyone should be treated equally regardless of race, sex, gender identification, sexual orientation, national origin, native language, religion, age, disability, marital status, citizenship, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Our Core Values

Community Connections of Iowa Maintains the following Core Values:

  • Promote - We promote and support the well-being of families
  • Service - We provide service to the community
  • Events - We sponsor free family activities
  • Courage - We put aside our own fears to help others grow.
  • Collaboration - We work together to find solutions.
  • Equality - We promote equality for all.
  • Integrity - We hold ourselves to the higest standards.
  • Compassion - We treat others with dignity and empathy.
  • Respect - Everyone deserves the same respect.
  • Transparency - We are open to questions and feedback.