Help create a community center for addiction recovery through A Community Thrives initiative

Friends Mike Madden and Jessie Goodwin had a dream to open an addiction recovery house in Des Moines. Both men had struggled with addiction in their pasts and wanted to help others who needed help staying sober.

Five years ago, they formed the nonprofit Kingdom Living Iowa and bought their first two recovery houses. They now have 12 recovery houses in Des Moines, 10 for men and two for women. They house up to 128 people at a time, and more than 350 individuals graduate from the program each year.

Most Kingdom Living residents come to the program from incarceration; others come from treatment centers; some were homeless. The program provides a safe, structured environment to live in while they find employment, participate in 12-step recovery, and rebuild relationships damaged by their addictions. 

“People come through our doors who have been struggling with addiction, getting in trouble with the law, putting their families through hell for a long time,” Madden said. “We provide the structured environment they need so they can do the hard work of rebuilding their lives.”

Kingdom Living recently purchased a building to serve as a community center where they will hold 12-step recovery meetings, workshops and social events for current residents, program graduates and family members — helping people stay sober after they’ve reentered the community and reunited with their families. The organization needs to raise $200,000 to remodel the 9,000-square-foot building to meet their needs. 

How you can help

You can donate to help Kingdom Living Iowa through A Community Thrives, an initiative of the Gannett Foundation.

Kingdom Living Iowa is one of 17 Iowa nonprofits focused on community building eligible for crowdfunding support and grant money from The Gannett Foundation.

To donate to Kingdom Living Iowa or another nonprofit, go to acommunitythrives.mightycause.com. Search by location or category, find a cause to support, and donate by Friday, August 12 to be a part of the A Community Thrives challenge.

Organizations keep all funds raised from crowdfunding and some will share $2 million in grant funding from the Gannett Foundation. The grants are scheduled to be announced in October.

Iowa organizations participating in A Community Thrives

Go to acommunitythrives.mightycause.com to contribute to these organizations during the fundraising period through Friday, Aug. 12. 

• Central Iowa Wind Ensemble, Ankeny
• Civic Music Association, Des Moines
• Community Healthcare Resources, Bettendorf
• Everybody Wins! Iowa, Des Moines
• Family Promise of Greater Des Moines, Des Moines
• Girl Scouts of Greater Iowa, Urbandale
• Highland Park Community Development Association Inc., Des Moines
• Home Allies Inc., Ames
• Iowa Service Dogs, West Des Moines
• Kingdom Living Iowa, Des Moines
• Martha's House of Hope, Ames
• Shalom Community Impact Center, Urbandale
• Shelter House, Iowa City
• The Arc of Southeast Iowa, Iowa City
• The Center for Afrofuturist Studies, Iowa City
• United Upper Nile South Sudanese Community Association in Iowa, Des Moines
• Young Men's Christian Association of Greater Des Moines, Des Moines