Crestwood Davenport Emergency Assistance

**COMMUNITY ATTENTION AND MUTUAL AID NEEDED: FAMILIES IN NEED**

My name is Al Womble, Chair of the Iowa Black Caucus and together with local activists and community advocates, we are coming together to raise awareness and money for 45 families in Davenport who are going to experience homelessness on August 1st, if we don’t do something about it.

On June 29 of this year, 45 families received notices of eviction, stating they have 30 days of notice to remove themselves from their homes and find housing elsewhere. These eviction notices were a result of Crestwood Apartments being condemned, then sold to a company that intends to tear down the current apartment complexes to build luxury housing. This is completely unacceptable, that 45 families, many with children were disregarded and left with housing insecurity to make space for luxury housing. This is gentrification, as the current families were also given no viable and AFFORDABLE alternative housing options.

Many of the current residents, who are predominantly Black, Latino and Immigrants, live paycheck to paycheck, are elderly, have disabilities or under employed will not be able to afford the new housing. Many of the residents also have young children who will be subjected to housing insecurity and be houseless one month before school starts.

As a community, we cannot allow this to happen. That is why we are asking you to PLEASE donate so that we can provide options for the 45 families who are experiencing this sudden housing insecurity right now. The money you donate will go towards incurred moving expenses and to find new homes for them.

Average rent in Davenport is around 700 for a 1b, and many families here have children, who need a place they can call home, so they can be children, and go to school without worrying about where they will sleep. Our elderly deserve to be taken cared of. So PLEASE, community, let's come together, and give them a sense of hope by donating and showing that there are people who see them and care.

A group of us will be in Davenport from 10am-2pm cst to distribute donated items to families who need and we are taking in donations for the following items:

Boxes

Packing Tape

Kids Toys

Food

Clothing

If you have any questions, are able to VOLUNTEER, or need to drop off any of the donations above please contact via call or text:

Greater Des Moines Area:

Al Womble - (515) [phone redacted], [email redacted]

Yena Balekyani - (515) [phone redacted], [email redacted]

Cedar Rapids/Waterloo

Michelle Elliott - (515) [phone redacted], [email redacted]