Megan Brown-Saldana is absolutely a girl on FIRE, and she’s lighting up the Quad-Cities with warmth, community activism and professional development. The 31-year-old executive director of the growing nonprofit Lead(h)er is ready to celebrate the fifth birthday of the women’s mentorship and empowerment organization. Lead(h)er is hosting their fifth-annual Girl on Fire Awards on Wednesday, Sept. 1st at 12 noon, virtually. They honor women who have exemplified the mission of fueling career and community engagement in the workforce. “Area organizations and businesses are stepping up to make sure... Read More

The YWCA Quad Cities will host a public open house and ribbon cutting on Thursday, July 22. The ribbon cutting is at 4:30 p.m. and the open house will follow the ribbon cutting and last until 6 p.m. On October 1, 2019, the YWCA Quad Cities opened its first Iowa location in Davenport, at One River Place, 1225 E. River Drive, Suite 110, named the “Iowa Empowerment Center.” Due to the overwhelming response for the services the empowerment center provides, especially as a direct result of personal situations created as a direct result of the Covid-19 pandemic, the center experienced significant... Read More

Amy Hessel grew up in an athletic family where the fires of sport, camaraderie and competition forged lifelong bonds, and she still helps create those relationships as the character development coordinator for the Muscatine YMCA. The oldest of four children born and raised in Waukon, Iowa, her father was an avid athlete and his children followed in his stead, including Amy, who played four sports in high school. “It was instilled in us that sports was important, and it really was to me, it’s what helped me get through high school,” Hessel said. “Which is why it’s so important to me to... Read More

On Friday, United Way Quad Cities announced it has awarded $275,000 in grants to local organizations to help reduce and prevent racial inequities in education, income and health. The new “United for Equity” grants will help 25 nonprofits, grassroots organizations and social entrepreneurs provide access and opportunity to people of color in the Quad Cities by focusing on three primary goals — empowering the next generation, strengthening families, and educating and equipping the community. “In these turbulent times, issues of racial equity and social justice have been magnified. And, our... Read More

You can chill out in a winter wonderland in the Downtown Davenport Partnership (DDP) expanded 9th-annual Icestravaganza. The celebration will run from 5 p.m., Friday, Jan. 15, through 10 p.m., Sunday, Jan. 17, at the Freight House in downtown Davenport, 421 W. River Drive. The free event features beautiful ice carvings (more than 24,000 pounds’ worth) on display all three days at the Freight House and throughout Downtown Davenport. This year’s sculpture theme is “Chilling Winter at the Freight House” with Halloween-inspired ice sculptures, such as witches, haunted houses, jack-o-lanterns... Read More

Goodwill of the Heartland on Friday announced a significant donation of $10 million from billionaire writer and philanthropist MacKenzie Scott as part of a generous gift presented to 384 organizations across the nation. This is the largest single gift to Goodwill of the Heartland in its 55-year history, the nonprofit said in a release. The investment comes at a time when more than 10 million Americans are unemployed and urgently need help finding their next jobs. This gift will enable Goodwill of the Heartland to expand and deliver its mission in the 19 counties that it serves (including the... Read More

Today is yet another great day for the future of YWCA Quad Cities. “One of the biggest challenges that we deal with more often than not, is WANTING to provide bigger and better programming, but NOT having the funds available to do it,” says Julie Larson, President and CEO.  “Well, today that changes!” YWCA Quad Cities is 1 of 384 charities throughout the United States that has received a donation from MacKenzie Scott, American novelist, billionaire, and venture philanthropist. Ms. Scott worked with a team of advisors to help her accelerate her 2020 philanthropic giving through... Read More

For four years, the Quad-Cities nonprofit Lead(h)er has spread warmth through its “Strike a Match” mentoring program. Now, it has formally caught fire with its 103-year-old big sister, YWCA Quad Cities. The two nonprofits – which both work to empower area women – now share office space, at the aptly named Iowa Empowerment Center at One River Place, 1225 E. River Drive, Suite 110, Davenport. Leaders of Lead(h)er and YWCA will make a formal announcement of their new match on Dec. 1, at 1 p.m., which also will be livestreamed on Facebook. After months of discussion, the nonprofits decided... Read More

We at QuadCities.com are ALWAYS looking for cool new ways to bring you the best in local entertainment coverage in the Quad-Cities. And so we’re once again giving you our NEW feature — The Month In Events! It’s our way of giving you even MORE great coverage here on your site for the best arts and entertainment reporting in the area — your free, fun, local, award-winning QuadCities.com! QuadCities.com proudly presents Month in Events, a list of events happening in the Quad Cities this month, and every month! On the first of every month we will give you an exciting glimpse into the entertainment... Read More

October is the best time to enjoy the outdoors! So why not join YMCA Camp Abe Lincoln for movie night at camp? Drive In Movie Night will take place this Sunday Nov 1 at Camp Abe Lincoln (1624 W Front St. Blue Grass). Camp will open at 5 p.m. and the movie will begin around 6 p.m. Start off with some fun on the new Kangaroo Jumper and roast marshmallows by the fire while waiting for the show to start. Don’t forget to bring your comfy chair or blanket and favorite non-alcoholic beverages along with some bug spray as we enjoy a night out together with families and friends. Visit https://www.facebook.com/events/745414642982660... Read More