220 results for author: lelzinga

A Holiday Meal Basket Message of Thanks

"I helped deliver a holiday meal basket to a family who was in need of Christmas help. My student's mom and dad are senior citizens who both have serious health issues. Mom just had back surgery and Dad has throat cancer and cannot talk. When I delivered the holiday meal basket to their home, they were so grateful. Even though Dad was unable to speak, I could see from his eyes that he was so grateful. Along with her parents, there are other adults in the household living there as the family support is needed to aid the student's parents. My student was also thankful for the help from DMARC as she said to me they really needed the help." -Nat...

DMARC Awarded $500 from Walmart Foundation

DMARC was recently awarded $500 from the Walmart Foundation via the Ankeny Sam's Club (Facility #6979). The funds will be used to purchase and provide supplies of healthy food choices such as fresh produce, frozen meats, dairy, as well as low-sodium, low-fat and low-sugar items for distribution within DMARC's Food Pantry Network. The $500 grant will provide funding for approximately 860 meals for nearly 100 low-income individuals in Ankeny within the service area of Sam's Club Store #6979.

Holiday Food Pantry Hours

The following is a list of holiday food pantry hours. If you have any questions, or would like to update a listing, please contact DMARC Communications Manager Luke Elzinga. Friday, December 23, 2016 DMARC Office and Warehouse 8:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Impact Community Action Partnership (Ankeny) Closed Clive Community Services 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Bidwell-Riverside Center 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Central Iowa Shelter & Services 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Drake Area Food Pantry Closed Polk County River Place Food Pantry Closed Partnership Place (Johnston) Closed Salvation Army Citadel (East) 9:00 a.m. ...

YPC Gives Back for the Holidays

On Saturday, December 10, 2016, members of the Young Professionals Connection gathered together at the DMARC Food Pantry Network warehouse to give back this holiday season. The group of 15 YPC members packed holiday meal baskets and combination taco rice meal packets. The event was organized by YPC's Charitable Committee. The holiday meal baskets were purchased through this year's #GivingTuesday campaign (thank you to the 30 individuals who gave!) and will be distributed to families at Jesse Franklin Taylor Education Center, Scavo High School and Bridges of Iowa. YPC members assembled 125 holiday meal baskets, as well as packaging 580 combin...

Double Take: Des Moines Now On Sale

"Double Take: Des Moines" is a newly-released memory match card game created by Kathy Olah of West Des Moines. The game includes 60 cards featuring 30 different photos (all taken by Kathy) of iconic Des Moines locations and sights. Olah is a long-time supporter of DMARC, and for every copy of the game sold will be donating $2 to the DMARC Food Pantry Network. The game is currently being sold at Raygun, Tandem Brick, the Iowa State Capitol Gift Shop, and the Des Moines Botanical Center Gift Shop. Learn more about Kathy Olah and Double Take: Des Moines in this article by the Des Moines Register.

November Shatters Food Pantry Network Usage Record

This November, the DMARC Food Pantry Network served more individual and families than any other month in our 40-year history of food assistance. 18,415 individuals sought food assistance from the Food Pantry Network in November 2016. Last November, which had previously held the record, saw 16,281 individuals served. This is an increase of over 2,000 people, or 13.1%! DMARC also served significantly more families than ever before. November 2016 was the first time we've ever served over 7,000 families in a single month: 7,453. Interpreting the Data Some of this increase is due to the expanded services of the DMARC Mobile Food ...

DMARC Awarded $30,000 from Ignite Community Innovation Challenge

DMARC is proud to announce it has been awarded $30,000 for winning the Ignite Community Innovation Challenge! The announcement came directly following a Shark Tank-style pitch to community investors. DMARC was one of three finalists for the Challenge. DMARC's concept, Food Pantry 2.0, will contribute to the advancement of hunger relief services by reframing the food pantry experience from a client's perspective. Clients within DMARC's Food Pantry Network will be awarded more freedom to choose the foods that are most appropriate for their needs. In addition, Food Pantry 2.0 will create the ability for clients to access assistance throughout the ...

#NoHungerCentralIowa Food Drive at Christmas with Amy Grant and Michael W. Smith Concert a Big Success

On Sunday, December 4, 2016, the DMARC Food Pantry Network was on-site at the Christmas with Amy Grant and Michael W. Smith concert to collect food donations as concert-goers entered Wells Fargo Event Center. The food drive was sponsored by Life 107.1 as part of their #NoHungerCentralIowa concert benefit campaign. "It was such a pleasure to work with both Wells Fargo Event Center and DMARC on our first large-scale food drive," said Life 107.1's Jen Green. "#NoHungerCentralIowa was a huge success." DMARC staff and volunteers were situated at both entrances of Wells Fargo Event Center, accepting donations of food items and cash as people ...

Meredith Foundation Awards $2,500 for Healthy Food

The DMARC Food Pantry Network is proud to announce it has received a $2,500 grant from the Meredith Foundation to provide more healthy food options throughout our Food Pantry Network. Funding from the Meredith Foundation will be used to procure fresh and healthy food supplies for DMARC's Food Pantry Network. One hundred percent of the grant will be dedicated to direct food assistance for low-income individuals throughout Greater Des Moines. At this level of funding, DMARC will be able to provide approximately 4,300 healthy food items to 450 pantry clients. Purchased food supplies will include fresh produce, frozen meats, dairy, low-sodium, ...

Wells Fargo Awards $15,000 for Healthy Food

DMARC is proud to announce it has been selected as a $15,000 grant recipient from Wells Fargo. This funding will be used to purchase more fresh and healthy food to distribute throughout DMARC's Food Pantry Network. We will be able to provide over 25,000 healthy food items with this grant, including fresh produce, frozen meats, dairy products, and low-sodium, low-sugar and low-fat food items. The DMARC Food Pantry Network began distributing fresh produce in 2009. That year, we distributed 5,193 lbs. of fresh produce. Six years later, in 2015, we distributed 488,244 lbs. of fresh produce (an increase of over 900%!). DMARC outreach to small-scale ...