Dubuque Y Crisis Services Recognized as 2025 Crawford Cares Winner
December 5, 2025
DUBUQUE, IA - For the twelfth year in a row, Crawford North, a division of Crawford Company, has honored nonprofits dedicated to service and making a positive impact in the region. Since 2014, Crawford has awarded $35,000 to nonprofits serving Dubuque and surrounding communities.
The 2025 overall Crawford Cares winner is Dubuque Y Crisis Services, while the runners-up are Forever Seventeen and Friends of the Fair Foundation.
Sixteen area nonprofit organizations were nominated through the Crawford Cares Program. There was no voting period this year.
All judging was done by an impartial team not employed by Crawford Company. The overall winner received a $3,000 donation, presented by Crawford North. The two runners-up each received a donation in the amount of $1,000.
The overall winner was announced, and finalists recognized during an awards ceremony held at Old Chicago-Dubuque. To be eligible, the nominees had to be a Dubuque area 501(c)3 organization, have a Board of Directors and be nominated by a local resident. All nominees had to serve local causes for the purpose of having a positive impact on the region. The organizations were also required to demonstrate they were mission-focused and operating on limited resources.
Summary of the 2025 Crawford Cares Winners:
Dubuque Y Crisis Services provides emergency shelter and support services for women and their families, ensuring their safety and freedom. Offering 24/7 assistance to meet the needs of crisis survivors in Dubuque and surrounding areas. Dubuque Y Crisis Services operates an emergency shelter designed to provide immediate, confidential, and free safety interventions for victims/ survivors of Intimate Partner Violence & Other Violent Crimes committed against women and their children. They have been providing this service to the community since 1978, when the shelter was founded. Crisis Service Advocates provide emotional support, validation, information, advocacy, resources and safety strategies. Their goal is to ensure that each resident has the ability to make informed decisions and access to streamlined services within the community. All services are provided from an empowerment perspective, so residents are able to choose whether to participate with any or all the services provided.
Forever Seventeen was born from the lives of Chloe Lucas and Kennedy Elskamp- two vibrant young women whose futures shined brightly with promise. At just 17, Chloe looked forward to a career in healthcare and Kennedy aspired to serve as an emergency responder. Their journeys were tragically cut short in a senseless car crash, but their spirit of compassion and service lives on. Through this foundation, there becomes a source of hope, creating opportunities for others to pursue their paths they once dreamed of and leaving a lasting impact on the community they loved. At Forever Seventeen, the mission is to honor the memory of Chloe Lucas and Kennedy Elskamp by empowering future healthcare providers and emergency responders through scholarships, and by creating lasting opportunities that bring hope and positive change to the community. Their vision is to transform loss into lasting impact, inspiring future healthcare heroes and first responders to carry forward a legacy of courage, care and community.
Friends of the Fair Foundation
Friends of the Fair Foundation supports the local Dubuque County Fair Association (DCFA) with necessary funds needed to maintain and update the building and grounds. DCFA exists to bring people together and provide an atmosphere where family traditions are created and continued. DCFA now offers visitors 96 acres of acutely manicured property, 3 rental facilities with a combined square footage of over 32,000 square feet of indoor space, adequate parking for thousands of cars, a 3/8-mile dirt racetrack, an outdoor Festival Area, experienced event planners and full-service food and beverage amenities.
There were thirteen additional nonprofits nominated – They include:
Asbury Athletic Association
Convivium Urban Farmstead
Dubuque Blaze Volleyball
Dubuque Eagles Club 568
Dubuque E-Sports League
Dubuque Regional Humane Society
Inspiration Stables
Platteville Community Arboretum
Presentation Lantern Center
St. Mark Youth Enrichment
The Workshop
Whispurring Hope Animal Rescue
Wisconsin Badger Camp
2024 Winners:
Winner – Honor Flight of Dubuque and the Tri-States
Runners-up- Friends of the Dubuque County Library and Community Solutions of Eastern Iowa
2023 Winners:
Winner – NAMI Dubuque
Runners-up- Centralia-Peosta Volunteer Fire Department and Dubuque Dream Center
2022 Winners:
Winner – Two by Two Character Development
Runners-up- Boy Scouts of America and Platteville Community Arboretum
2021 Winners:
Winner – Peosta Elementary Parent Group
Runners-up- Crescent Community Health Center and Dubuque Regional Humane Society
2020 Winners:
Winner – St. Mark Youth Enrichment
Runners-up- Whispurring Hope Animal Rescue and Dubuque Youth Hockey Association