Iowa Youth Recovery Center Gets $1M for Phase Two

Young people battling addiction in central Iowa now have even more reasons to hope as a recovery campus doubles down on its mission to heal.

Ember Recovery Campus in Cambridge, Iowa, just received a $1 million federal grant from the Department of Housing and Urban Development to fund its second phase of construction. The 53-acre facility opened in January 2025 and has already completed 50 successful treatments while serving more than 100 youth in crisis.

The campus offers crisis stabilization, emergency shelter, and residential addiction treatment for ages 12 to 24. Created by YSS, a nonprofit youth services organization, Ember represents what CEO Andrew Allen calls "a decade of planning" to tackle the youth addiction crisis head-on.

"Young people are coming from pain and addiction and struggle, and they're finding hope and connection here," Allen said during a celebration ceremony on April 24.

The residential program lasts 90 to 120 days, with participants living on campus while receiving individual and family therapy, wellness groups, and recreation activities. For immediate crises, Ember offers up to 10 days of stabilization services.

Now the real expansion begins. Phase two will add a maintenance shop where teens can learn trade skills like auto repair, carpentry, and construction while healing from addiction.

"Young people can learn trades, work with their hands, discover purpose," Allen explained. "This is a place for kids to wrench on cars, read plans, build things and build themselves in the process."

The expansion also includes tiny homes where families can visit residents on weekends, a contemplative space for prayer and meditation, a classroom for recovery meetings, a barn for small farm animals, and a greenhouse. Construction is expected to finish in 18 months.

The Ripple Effect

Ember's approach recognizes that recovery isn't just about stopping substance use. It's about building a life worth living, complete with job skills, family connections, and community support.

By teaching practical trades alongside therapy, the campus gives young people both healing and hope for their future careers. The tiny homes mean families can stay involved without the barrier of hotel costs, strengthening the support systems that help recovery stick.

U.S. Rep. Zach Nunn, who helped secure the federal funding, visited the campus to celebrate the grant. "Ember Recovery and YSS at large are part of the champions of making sure that this next generation of young people who face a challenge today get to have a brighter tomorrow," he said.

Allen's vision extends beyond just one facility. He wants to make central Iowa "one of the best places in the country for people to recover," creating a movement that celebrates sobriety and gives struggling youth real pathways to rebuilt lives.

For the 100-plus young people who found safety at Ember in its first year, that brighter tomorrow is already beginning.