The Iowa SIDS Foundation provides several grief support meetings across the state of Iowa.  The support groups are led by Foundation volunteers that have been affected by a SIDS death.  These are not professional counseling sessions, rather any opportunity for families to connect, share their experiences and coping strategies, and to provide support to others as applicable.

Monthly meetings are held in Des Moines, Quad Cities and Washington.  Meetings will be held when requested in Knoxville, Cedar Rapids/Iowa City, Clarion and Cedar Falls.  Those attending have been affected by a loss from SIDS.  They are there to provide support and comfort to other families. 

You can receive additional information regarding the meeting dates and times by contacting the Iowa SIDS Foundation.

Waukon Healing Hearts Infant Loss Support Group meets the fourth Sunday of every month beginning at 7:00 p.m. The group meets in the large conference room on the lower level of the Veterans Memorial Hospital, 40 1st Street SE, Waukon. For more information call Cheryl at 563-568-5486.

Red Oak group meets as requested.  For more information contact Lu at 712-527-5277 or 402-917-0510 or by email at tinktown@aol.com.

Des Moines group meets as requested by appointment.  For additional information or to request a meeting, call the Iowa SIDS Foundation office at 515-965-7655.  The next meeting is scheduled for July 26, 2010 at the Neveln Center, 406 SW School Street, Ankeny. 

Quad Cities group meets as requested by appointment. For information or to schedule a meeting, call Betsy (563) 332-6265.

Knoxville group meets as requested by appointment.  Call Lori Howard at (641)828-6515 for more information.

Cedar Rapids/Iowa City group meets as requested by appointment. For information or to request a meeting, contact Tricia Borelli at (319) 265-8540.

Cedar Falls/Waterloo   New Hope support group meets at the Waterloo Covenant Medical Center, Meeting Room 1, the first Thursday of every month, beginning at 7:00 p.m.  For information, call Chaplain Mary Arnold at 319-272-7370.

Clarion group meets as requested by appointment. Call 1-800-944-1713 and ask for Cheryl.

Washington support group meets as requested.  Call Tony or Tricia at 319-653-7418 for details or to request a meeting in the Washington area.

From our Friends at Amanda the Panda:

Support groups are held in eight-week sessions, meeting Monday nights from 6:00pm–7:30pm. Adults, teens, and children age 6–17 meet for dinner at 6:00pm and everyone splits into age-appropriate groups for discussion and activities geared towards peer support and grief education.

 For more information find, visit www.amandathepanda.org or call (515) 223-4847.