The Des Moines Downtown Farmers’ Market presented by UnityPoint Health – Des Moines has become a staple of Iowa food, arts, and culture since its humble beginnings decades ago. With thousands of market-goers and hundreds of vendors…have you ever wondered what happens to the food that doesn’t get purchased?
Since 2011, the ‘Meals from the Market’ partnership has donated over 500,000 meals worth of fresh produce to the DMARC Food Pantry Network—food that would otherwise go unsold at the end of each Saturday market.
How It Works
Volunteers canvass the market each Saturday, asking vendors to donate unsold produce. At the end of the day, they collect and load the donated items into trucks for distribution throughout DMARC’s 14 food pantry locations. This food rescue program not only provides healthy options for food pantry visitors but also prevents fresh food from ending up in landfills.
Volunteer with Meals From the Market
Want to give back while enjoying the summer weather? Individuals and groups are needed from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Saturday (through September) to help canvas the market for produce donations.
Meeting Growing Need
The timing couldn’t be more critical. In 2024, DMARC assisted over 75,500 unique individuals—about 1 in 4 Des Moines residents received help from a DMARC pantry at some point in the year. With record inflation driving up food costs, about one-third of current pantry visitors are seeking help for the first time.
This past couple of years has caused a lot of frustrations for people at the heart of this issue—many of which are our neighbors, our family, and our friends. We’re approaching another tricky summer for households with hungry kids who are out of school.
– DMARC CEO, MATT UNGER
How You Can Help
Want to support the fight against food insecurity in Des Moines? Here’s how:
Volunteer: Help collect food from market vendors on Saturdays from May to September (11 am-1 pm). Perfect for groups, youth organizations, and individuals. Learn more.
Donate Funds: DMARC can purchase up to 6x more food than individuals through bulk warehouse operations.
Plant an Extra Row, Help our Pantries Grow: Home gardeners can bring extra produce to our warehouse and donate it to their local food pantry.
