At Ellipsis, our impact begins with meeting the most essential needs — safe shelter, nutritious and consistent meals, access to education, and supportive, meaningful relationships. Whether it’s steady progress over years or a small, powerful breakthrough in a single day, we walk alongside youth and families through some of life’s hardest seasons.

When kids feel safe, supported and seen, they begin to realize their potential, allowing them to heal, grow and build a future they can believe in. That kind of personal transformation ripples out, strengthening families and uplifting entire communities. 

What Does Our Impact Look Like?

  • 47,000 meals provided to kids in residential services
  • 23,763 nights of care provided last year
  • 2,134 therapy sessions provided to kids and families

Ellipsis measures impact in a variety of ways across our programs and services. For us, these are more than just numbers. Each represents a collection of single moments when our team has helped or been there for a child or family in our community or state. In 2024, Ellipsis staff made an impact in the following ways:

Our Impact...

  • 755 youth served
  • 306 youth served residentially
  • 2,073 skill-building sessions provided to kids and families
  • 27% more kids in cluster structured apartment living were successfully discharged
  • 13% more boys in the Qualified Residential Treatment Program were successfully discharged
  • 53% of Ellipsis Youth have an ACE Score of 4 or more

Who We Impact  

Every day, Ellipsis serves more than 750 kids and their families through residential care, counseling and therapy, behavioral health intervention services, care coordination, and family support. Our work helps children and families move beyond turbulent pasts to create safe, stable and fulfilling futures.

Many of the youth who come to us have experienced significant trauma. As part of our intake process, we often assess for Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) — 10 types of potentially traumatic events that can occur before age 18, including physical, emotional or sexual abuse; neglect; and household challenges, like substance use or parental mental illness. A higher ACE score suggests a greater exposure to adversity during childhood and a higher likelihood of experiencing negative health and social outcomes in adulthood, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

While 15.8% of Americans report an ACE score of four or more, 53% of Ellipsis youth fall into that category. The average ACE score for those we serve is 4.2 — a stark contrast to the general Iowa adult population, where nearly 60% report a score of zero or one. 

These numbers tell a powerful story: The kids and families we serve face overwhelming odds. We know that with the right support, healing is possible.

Our Impact Starts With Your Support

The impact we make at Ellipsis starts with someone like you, someone who chooses to take action and create change. Your support makes a difference, whether you give, volunteer or bring a friend to one of our events to have some fun while doing good. Visit our Get Involved page to find a path that works for you.