Horizons Raises $5.5M for B. Young Center
The Cedar Rapids nonprofit has reached $5.5 million toward a 13,000-square-foot older-adult gathering place and is pursuing a final $500,000.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Philanthropy
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Horizons East Central Iowa has raised $5.5 million toward development of the B. Young Center, a new gathering place for older adults at 819 Fifth St. SE in Cedar Rapids. The nonprofit has launched a final $500,000 goal to cover increased construction costs and establish an endowment.
Why it matters
The final fundraising goal is intended to cover rising construction costs and to ensure the center can continue operating after it opens. Support from donors, foundations, businesses and public funders signals broad community investment in services for older residents.
The campaign includes an anonymous $2 million gift from late 2025, a $600,000 state Community Attraction and Tourism grant, and $200,000 in Linn County American Rescue Plan Act funds. The unresolved question is how much of the final $500,000 has been committed so far.
The players
Horizons East Central Iowa
A Cedar Rapids-based nonprofit that provides Meals on Wheels, Neighborhood Transportation Service and the Financial Wellness Center to older adults and residents across East Central Iowa.
Linn County
The county government that contributed $200,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funds to the B. Young Center campaign.
The details
The 13,000-square-foot B. Young Center will include a cafe, a fitness studio and an outdoor pickleball court. Horizons, which runs Meals on Wheels, Neighborhood Transportation Service and the Financial Wellness Center, drew on hundreds of individual donors, community partners, foundations and businesses.
Timeline
Late 2025: An anonymous $2 million gift was received for the center.
November 3, 2026: Horizons announced $5.5 million raised toward the center and launched the final $500,000 goal.
Philanthropy Context
Linn County's $200,000 contribution draws on American Rescue Plan Act recovery funds, which local governments used to support community infrastructure after the pandemic. The Cedar Rapids project pairs that federal money with state tourism grant funding and private philanthropy to finance the center.
Older adults in Cedar Rapids and surrounding communities will gain a new place for fitness, dining and social activity once the center opens. Residents who want to contribute can contact Horizons about gifts toward the final $500,000 goal.
The takeaway
Community-based older-adult services depend on a mix of donors, grants and public funds to move from fundraising to construction. Local residents can follow the campaign's final goal to see how the center reaches completion.
Further reading
Explore more Philanthropy coverage from across Cedar Rapids and the region.
More information
Learn how to support the effort on the Horizons campaign gift contact page.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Gazette.
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