220 results for author: lelzinga

DMARC Sees Increase in Requests for Food

The DMARC Food Pantry Network is seeing a disturbing increase in demand. The November numbers reveal a heavy 10% spike in individuals served compared to numbers from November 2012, which were also high. In November 2013 alone, DMARC provided food for 4,373 families (14,070 individuals); enough food for 168,840 meals. This followed an 11.5% increase in the number of individuals served in October 2013. The poor economy continues to present challenges for families in Greater Des Moines, especially since the U.S. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP or food stamp program) benefits returned to their pre-recession levels on November 1, 2013. ...

Save the Date for Winter Thaw 2014

Join us for Winter Thaw 2014 (formerly January Thaw) on January 28 & 30 and February 4 & 6, 2014, at Tifereth Israel Synagogue, 924 Polk Blvd., Des Moines, IA 50312. This annual tradition in adult education and fellowship is for everyone interested in learning more about other faiths in the community. This year's theme is Eat, Pray, Love! Winter Thaw 2014 is presented by the Des Moines Area Religious Council (DMARC), the St. Joseph Educational Center, the Center for Social Ministry, the Jewish Federation, and the Masjid An-Noor Muslim Community. Print a flyer to post in your congregation or office building. Save the date bulletin inserts can ...

New Report Shows Impact of Local Foods in Greater Des Moines

Local foods are making an economic impact in Iowa. In fact, sales of food produced in Polk and Dallas counties added nearly $340,070 to the local economy in 2012. In addition, $66,000 of local foods was purchased by grocery stores, restaurants and institutions in the region. Eat Greater Des Moines helped collect the data in cooperation with the statewide Regional Food Systems Working Group (RFSWG), which supports local food efforts in 90 of Iowa’s 99 counties. The Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture coordinated the evaluation for one of the first statewide attempts to measure actual impacts of the local food industry on Iowa’s economy....

Eat Greater Des Moines offers Speed Dating, Local Food Style!

Eat Greater Des Moines and the Iowa Food Cooperative are delighted to announce a unique opportunity for local food producers and area chefs to attend Speed Dating – Local Food Style. Similar to traditional speed dating with a one-on-one atmosphere, the event will be held from 1:00 – 3:30 p.m., Monday, November 11, 2013, at 1736 Guthrie Avenue, Des Moines, Iowa. Local producers interested in selling food products to local restaurants and chefs from local restaurants are encouraged to attend. The speed-dating sessions will give chefs and producers an opportunity to talk one-on-one. Producers will have a chance to share the products they currently ...

Hy-Vee Colossal Cookie Sale Reaches Total Grocery Donations of $85,098

This year, Hy-Vee Food Stores from across the greater Des Moines area sold 552,617 cookies as part of the Colossal Cookie Sale benefiting the Des Moines Area Religious Council (DMARC) Food Pantry Network. Thanks, to ALL who bought cookies! Bakery lunchpail cookies sold for 12 cents each, and for each cookie sold, Hy-Vee is donating one penny of food products to the DMARC Food Pantry Network. Since the Cookie Sale began in 2003, Hy-Vee stores have sold over 8.5 million cookies and have donated more than $85,000 in food products to DMARC’s network of neighborhood pantries in greater Des Moines. Last year, almost $7,000 worth of cereal was delive...

DMARC Receives Over 10,000 Diapers in UnityPoint Health Systems Campaign

In the Iowa Health Systems 2-month-long Diaper-A-Day Campaign, the Des Moines Area Religious Council (DMARC) has received the equivalent of 10,000 diapers, breaking last year’s total by 5,000! The diapers will help about 3,000 low-income families with toddlers and babies ages 24-months and younger. While safety-net programs such as SNAP (food assistance) and WIC (women, infants, and children) assist with the cost of formula and baby food, neither program covers necessities such as diapers and wipes. “Many of the young families receiving food assistance through the DMARC Food Pantry Network cannot cover their basic needs for diapers, baby ...

DMARC is on the Move to Mulberry Street!

After many years at the 36th Street location, the Des Moines Area Religious Council is announcing the move of the DMARC offices and warehouse to a new location – 1435 Mulberry Street, southwest of downtown Des Moines. The former Central Iowa Shelter and Services site has been purchased and Munro Construction is in the process of renovating the interior space and site. “This relocation project is exciting for multiple reasons,” explained Leanne Valentine, President of DMARC’s board of directors. “By moving our offices and warehouse into this facility, we will quadruple the warehouse space available for food.” The new food distribution ...

DMARC Receives $10,000 Grant from Principal Financial Group Foundation

The Des Moines Area Religious Council has been awarded a $10,000 grant from the Principal Financial Group Foundation for its supportive services programs. “The Principal is dedicated to making Iowa a thriving community as a great place to live, work and play,” said Mary O’Keefe, senior vice president and chief marketing officer, the Principal Financial Group®. “We are very proud to help support an organization like DMARC that gives so much to our local community as well as Central Iowa. This donation helps shape the lives of those within our community that need it most by providing the basic necessities to survive.” DMARC provides a ...

Iowa Farmers Cultivate Hope and Help Through Gifts of Grain and Produce

By Kristine Frakes, DMARC Development Director This is a season when emerald fields of soybeans and corn blanket the rural Iowa landscape as far as the eye can see. It is also a time of high need for food assistance across central Iowa communities. Family budgets are stretched with summer child care costs and back-to-school clothing and supply demands. Yearly help for energy assistance has long since expired. Many health-impaired seniors will soon approach the “donut-hole” period of the year for medical care assistance, and struggle with the burden of added out-of-pocket healthcare costs. While Iowa farmers are well-known for feeding ...

Healthy Communities Grant helps DMARC Food Pantry Network partner with Eat Greater Des Moines

Eat Greater Des Moines, one of 17 regional work groups throughout Iowa, now has a local food system director and coordinator. The new positions are currently housed under the Des Moines Area Religious Council (DMARC). Eat Greater Des Moines is funded by the Des Moines Area Religious Council (DMARC), the United Way of Central Iowa, and Hormel Foods through a Healthy Communities grant. Aubrey Martinez, MPA, is new director for the Eat Greater Des Moines Food System Council and Linda Gobberdiel, RD, LD, is coordinator. Both of these positions grew out of the need to have paid positions focusing on local and regional food system work. Previously, food ...