Friendship Ark Homes & Community Services

Friendship Ark Homes & Community Services We provide community support services for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. WE VALUE INDIVIDUALITY
Individuality is vital to society.

Started from a grassroots movement of families working to develop supports to meet the diverse needs of individuals seeking community services, Friendship Ark Homes and Community Services has continued to grow and evolve along with the changing needs and issues people with disabilities and their families face. Governed by a volunteer board of directors and managed by key staff, we work passionatel

y to uphold our vision that individuals served have access to information, skills and participation as active citizens of our community. Friendship Ark Homes and Community Services has a demonstrated record of success in achieving the outcomes as outlined in individual plans. Our staff and volunteers are vital in providing the supports and services crucial to achieving these goals. Our organization offers services that are personalized to meet the needs of the individual. We rely on the principals that the organization was founded on while staying relevant today. The elimination of stereotypes, being authentic and adding our uniqueness to the world is important. WE VALUE EMPOWERMENT
Each core member has potential and is unique. Through the use of personal growth plans, the staff assist each individual in reaching their full potential. WE VALUE MUTUAL RESPECT
Recognizing that we live in a diverse community is an advantage which encourages discovery and creativity. Both, respect for individuals and respect for the values of the Friendship Ark community involves balancing personal autonomy with the goals and mission of the organization. WE VALUE DIGNITY
The glue that holds our relationships together is the mutual recognition of the desire to be seen, heard, listened to and treated fairly.

For years, core member parent Sarah Ross has lovingly cared for our staff and core members by providing special lunches ...
09/03/2026

For years, core member parent Sarah Ross has lovingly cared for our staff and core members by providing special lunches where everyone is invited to simply show up and enjoy some delicious food! This past week we enjoyed another opportunity to join in a Sarah Ross lunch and even as the Friendship Ark family has grown, Sarah’s invitation remains the same: “Just show up and enjoy!”
These meals are such a wonderful way for our staff to feel appreciated and for our Friendship Ark family to gather around the table, share a meal, and enjoy time together. And did we mention Sarah’s desserts?! Her cakes have earned a reputation for being THE BEST and are highly sought after by staff and core members alike!
Sarah, thank you for faithfully caring for and loving on our Friendship Ark family in such a thoughtful way. Your generosity, kindness, and delicious meals mean al lot to us!

Always a great time at the Science Center of Iowa! There is always something new to see and explore.
09/02/2026

Always a great time at the Science Center of Iowa! There is always something new to see and explore.

Please join us in thanking our 2026 Business Partners at the Friend Level for their incredible support of adults living ...
08/31/2026

Please join us in thanking our 2026 Business Partners at the Friend Level for their incredible support of adults living with intellectual and developmental disabilities in our community.

Their generous contribution helps fund our mission of empowering adults with intellectual disabilities achieve their fullest potential. Because of partners like them, we can continue growing our programs, expanding opportunities, and serving more individuals from our waiting list. This year, a portion of their support will go to our ARK-itects Capital Campaign and will help us build our new programming and recreation hub.

We encourage you to support those who support our cause. If you find yourself interacting with or visiting these businesses, let them know you appreciate their commitment to building a more inclusive community.

Apres Bar Co.
Availa Bank
Furman Realty
Mary Greeley Medical Center
Moorman Clothiers Ames
Overflow Thrift Store

Learn more about our partners at:
www.apresbarco.com
www.availa.bank
www.furmanrealty.com
www.mgmc.org
www.moormanclothiers.com
www.overflowthriftstore.org

Special thanks to the volunteers of We Heart Ames who showed up to help with landscaping chores at some of our sites. We...
08/29/2026

Special thanks to the volunteers of We Heart Ames who showed up to help with landscaping chores at some of our sites. We are so very thankful for their hard work to make our spaces look great! Visit their page to see the many ways they chose to love Ames and its people today! ❤

Another fun year at the Iowa State Fair! Several groups of core members and staff had an AMAZING time exploring the fair...
08/28/2026

Another fun year at the Iowa State Fair! Several groups of core members and staff had an AMAZING time exploring the fair together! The SCL, Sargent, and Fletcher sites with a total of 16 attendees definitely made quite the crew!
The core members had the best time checking out the animals, admiring the art, and watching the Bill Riley Talent Show for a while. Meanwhile, the staff had an equally important mission: hunting down their annual boiled eggs on a stick for our traditional staff photo! 😂🥚
All in all, it was a fantastic day filled with laughter, exploring, and making memories. We especially enjoyed running into other groups of core members and staff along the way!
A huge thank-you to the Iowa State Fair for providing Sensory Friendly Mornings and helping create an environment where our core members can enjoy the fair with the time, space, and freedom to explore at their own pace.
We’re already looking forward to next year! 🎡

Loved getting to help our friends out at Raising Readers in Story County. Thanks to everyone who helped fill up our book...
08/28/2026

Loved getting to help our friends out at Raising Readers in Story County. Thanks to everyone who helped fill up our book box!

Thank you to Friendship Ark Homes & Community Services for hosting our August Traveling Book Drive!!! Your generosity and support will help get more books into the hands of children throughout Story County!

This spring, we discovered a hidden gem when we embarked on an educational visit to the Ames History Museum. The core me...
08/27/2026

This spring, we discovered a hidden gem when we embarked on an educational visit to the Ames History Museum. The core members appreciated the interactive activities throughout the exhibits and gained valuable insights into the city of Ames. We were able to cast a vote for our favorite sports team, read and look through the collection vault, learn about the history of CyRide and choose a favorite room to have our picture taken in. Each core member found information that spoke to their individual passions and interests. We highly recommend a visit!

Madison and Joshua have enjoyed outings to Adventureland Park this summer where visits to the arcade have quickly become...
08/27/2026

Madison and Joshua have enjoyed outings to Adventureland Park this summer where visits to the arcade have quickly become a favorite way to spend some of their time.

08/26/2026
Posting this picture today because the joy that is felt the instant staff and core members discover they're wearing matc...
08/26/2026

Posting this picture today because the joy that is felt the instant staff and core members discover they're wearing matching outfits and realize they share some of the same likes and interests reminds us of the joy that music icon Dolly Parton spread through her music, kindness and generosity. May we all strive to leave such a positive impact on the world around us!

Address

5820 Lincoln Way, Suite 101
Ames, IA
50014

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 4pm
Tuesday 8am - 4pm
Wednesday 8am - 4pm
Thursday 8am - 4pm
Friday 8am - 4pm

Telephone

+15152929556

Website

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