220 results for author: lelzinga

COVID-19 Announcements and Updates

Please follow this page for ongoing updates and announcements regarding COVID-19. Last updated: 1:20pm, 10/20/2020. As the coronavirus (COVID-19) impacts us locally, we wanted to communicate how DMARC is responding. We are and have been actively monitoring information from the CDC and Iowa Department of Public Health and taking necessary precautions to reduce the spread of COVID-19. We are fully committed to maintaining food distribution during this time, but are taking extra care to ensure the safety and wellbeing of our staff, volunteers, and the people we assist. In addition to educating our staff and volunteers on preventative measures, ...

DMARC Statement on SSB 3158

The Des Moines Area Religious Council strongly opposes Senate Study Bill 3158, which would kick nearly 60,000 Iowans off Food Assistance (SNAP), as well as expand work requirements to teenagers, pregnant women, caretakers, and college students and impose work requirements on Medicaid recipients. This is a bad bill that would negatively impact the health and nutrition of tens of thousands of Iowans, including a significant number of children. SSB 3158 advanced out of subcommittee this morning (Tuesday, February 18) and has already been scheduled to come before the Senate Labor and Business Relations Committee tomorrow (Wednesday, February 19) for ...

Staff Spotlight: Becky Whitlow

DMARC Food Pantry Network Director since 2012, Becky Whitlow has over 20 years experience in product merchandising, warehouse operations, and distribution of hard goods. An expert in building community collaborations and customer relationships, Becky has experience managing $500,000-$1.5 million in product inventory, purchasing, and redistribution operations, and was instrumental in the design of the warehouse facility at 1435 Mulberry Street. With a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration – Marketing and a Sociology minor, she oversees the daily operations of the DMARC Food Pantry Network, assisting 55,000 people annually, and has been ...

DMARC Assists Over 55,000 People in 2019

Food Pantry Use in December In December 2019, 19,613 people used a DMARC food pantry, an 11.6% increase in use compared to December 2018. Food Pantry Use Continues to Increase In calendar year 2019, the DMARC Food Pantry Network assisted 55,745 unique individuals comprising 23,820 unique households through its network of 14 partner food pantries and dozens of Mobile Food Pantry sites. Of the top five overall months of use in the history of the DMARC Food Pantry Network, three of them occurred in 2019 (July, October, November). The DMARC Food Pantry Network assisted an average of 19,038 individuals every month in 2019, and saw an 8.5% ...

Staff Spotlight: Leslie Garman

Leslie Garman joined DMARC’s team as Director of Development & Outreach in May of 2017. Today she leads all fundraising and outreach efforts with the support of DMARC’s development staff and volunteer team. Leslie brings a wealth of fund development, communications, special event, and volunteer organization experience to the role, having worked with several nonprofit organizations representing the social service, health and cultural sectors, including: Employee & Family Resources (EFR), the Spina Bifida Association of Iowa, Junior League of Des Moines, the United Way of Central Iowa, Des Moines Metro Opera, the Chrysalis Foundation, and House ...

DMARC Food Pantry Network Holiday Schedule

This holiday season, we will be providing extra time for staff to spend with family and friends. The DMARC office and warehouse will close at 12:00pm on Tuesday, December 24, and will re-open the morning of Monday, December 30. We will also be closed January 1, 2020. All DMARC Mobile Food Pantry sites will be closed December 24-28, December 31, and January 1, 2020. Holiday hours for DMARC partner food pantries are below, or you can download a flyer here.

DMARC Assists Record Number of People in November

This November, the DMARC Food Pantry Network assisted 22,632 individuals, setting a new record number of people assisted in a single month by the organization. It was also the first time DMARC assisted over 9,000 households in a single month.  

Staff Spotlight: Joe Dolack

Joe Dolack joined the DMARC team in April 2013, and as Operations Manager he oversees different programs within the DMARC Food Pantry Network. Joe helped build the Mobile Food Pantry Program from its infancy. The Mobile Food Pantry Program has more than double in size since 2016. Joe enjoys helping lead DMARC’s frontline programs. Joe attended Westwood College and Lewis University studying Criminal Justice. Joe relocated to Des Moines in 2012. While never seeing himself as an Iowan in the past Joe is now a proud transplant, with deep roots in Iowa. Joe enjoys being outside, wandering around the metro thrifting in his time off, along with ...

Staff Spotlight: Rev. Sarah Trone Garriott

The Rev. Sarah Trone Garriott joined DMARC in August 2017 as the Coordinator of Interfaith Engagement. Sarah works with the diverse faith communities of the greater Des Moines area to support the mission of DMARC, while also creating resources and opportunities to support faith communities in their work. Sarah also partners with The Comparison Project at Drake University in their efforts for interfaith awareness, dialogue, and scholarship. As an AmeriCorps VISTA working for Northern New Mexico Legal Aid in Gallup, New Mexico, Sarah engaged community and faith leaders around the issue of Domestic Violence. As a hospital chaplain in Philadelphia and ...

Competitive Drives Are a Touchdown for DMARC

Fall is in the air, and so is the spirit of friendly competition! Earlier this month, a dozen companies and organizations hosted competitive drives for the DMARC Food Pantry Network (including our staff here at DMARC). Some gave online through a virtual food drive, others held traditional drives, bringing in food items, diapers, personal care items, and period supplies. Many companies incorporated a fund or food drive into other tailgating activities, and got creative with prizes for the winning teams and punishments for the losing teams. At DMARC, we hosted a chili cook off lunch with our staff (Linda Vander Hart's chili won). At Lincoln Savings ...