eVoice - December 9, 2014

HyVee Colossal Cookie Sale Donation
Store Directors from Des Moines Area Hy-Vee stores visited the DMARC Food Pantry Network warehouse last week to donate the proceeds from the 10th Annual Hy-Vee Colossal Cookie Sale, which was held in September.

The sale sold 574,522 cookies, 22,000 more than last year's sale brought in. Hy-Vee sold cookies for 12 cents, with a penny of each sale being donated to the DMARC Food Pantry Network. This translates to $5,745.22 worth of food donated in the form of boxed cereal.

Since the Cookie Sale began in 2003, Hy-Vee stores have sold over 9 million cookies and have donated $90,843 in food products to the DMARC Food Pantry Network.  

Thank You Hy-Vee!
It's Not Too Late to Host a Drive!
It's not too late to host a drive this year! Food and fund drives can make a large impact, and can be done in your own creative way. 

 

Some food drives have used canned food items as a discount off admission, entry for a raffle drawing, or even using a food donation to gain permission for a "casual day" at work.  There have been pie eating contests, frozen turkey bowling, and sculptures of canned food items. However, you don't need to think of something brand new to get involved.


If you want to conduct a food drive, DMARC can provide you with a Red Barrel, money jug, stickers, handouts, and other materials to help promote and operate the drive. If you don't have time to organize your own drive, you can always volunteer for a Sack Saturday event.

For more information on hosting a drive or participating in a Sack Saturday, contact Red Barrel/Food Drive Coordinator John Robinson, [email protected] or 282-2026.
DART Fares for Food Day this Thursday
DART's Fares for Food Day will be held Thursday, December 11. All cash collected on DART buses will be donated to the DMARC Food Pantry Network. DART riders can make donations of their standard boarding fares. Additionally, people who typically pay with passes or employer IDs can make cash donations of any amount that day.

"For one day, we're once again turning the fare boxes into donation boxes," said Elizabeth Presutti, DART General Manager. "Funds raised in 2013 were good for nearly 24,000 meals and we hope to again help provide for our friend, family and neighbors in need."
Eat Greater Des Moines Wins Ignite Challenge
Congratulations to Eat Greater Des Moines (EGDM) for their first place finish in the Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines's Ignite Community Innovation Challenge. EGDM won the top prize of $30,000 for their Robotic Retail plan to place vending machines that distribute fresh produce and accept SNAP benefits in locations around Des Moines.
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Des Moines Area Religious Council

1435 Mulberry Street

Des Moines, IA 50309

 

515-277-6969

Community Calendar
Job Opportunities
Plymouth Church has a job opening for a part-time administrative assistant, approximately 20 hours of work per week. This position provides support to Plymouth's Discipleship ministries.

Duties include preparing mailings, recording and tracking registrations for events, maintaining attendance records and database information, and assisting in the planning and facilitation of church programs for children, youth and adults. Experience with office equipment is preferred; computer skills (MS Word, Publisher and Excel) are required.

This position requires occasional lifting and moving of heavy items. Applicant must be able to communicate in English. Criminal background check is required.

To apply, or for more information, please contact Kathryn Palen, Plymouth minister of discipleship, at 515-255-3149 or [email protected]

DMARC does not require participation in religious services as a condition to receive assistance, and does not engage in religious proselytizing or counseling. DMARC practices non-discrimination in accordance with applicable federal and state regulations. All services and programs are provided to consumers without discrimination in regard to family size or structure, religious or cultural beliefs, race, gender, age,
or disability.

Community Announcements
Disclaimer: The Des Moines Area Religious Council makes every effort to provide accurate and useful general information in its eVoice, but accepts no liability for the use of the material by individuals or organizations. We gladly distribute information from member or partner individuals, congregations, and other agencies, but our inclusion of such material should not be construed as being sponsored or endorsed by DMARC. Undated general announcements and employment opportunities are included for one week unless requested to be included for a longer period of time.
Donate Cereal for Free Craft Class
"You are invited to help stock the DMARC Food Pantry Network shelves, and as a thank you participate in making a free Holiday Make-n-Take project at Outstamping Designs in Valley Junction.

Donate a box of your favorite healthy cereal and you can make a super cool Pull Strip Gift Card Holder for free! The project features the Pull Strip Die from Technique Tuesdays!"

Tuesday, December 9, 11:00 a.m. - 6:30 p.m.
Saturday, December 13, 11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Outstamping Designs is located at 215 Fifth Street, West Des Moines.
Service of Remembrance and Hope
Saturday, December 13, 5:00 p.m.
St. Timothy's Episcopal Church, 1020 24th St., West Des Moines

"The Service of Remembrance and Hope is a time when we can, with others, acknowledge the "blue" feelings we have at Christmas time, the reasons for them, and offer them to God.

In the service, we'll share in the reading of scripture and reciting of prayers, recognizing that this is not a season of joy for everyone. We will invite you to reflect on the pain, the loneliness, and the sadness you may feel for yourself or others and offer it all to our great sign of hope, the Christ Child. We pray that you will find hope and comfort in knowing that you, or those you love, are not alone.

All are welcomed. Please consider inviting your friends, family, neighbors or work colleagues ... anyone you feel may be helped or comforted by this service."
Pizza & Pastors
December 18, 11:00 a.m.
de Kelder, 1111 Washington St., Pella

"This month's topic: Grief and Loss.

All pastors and church leaders are invited to come for food, fellowship and discussion on the issues that, often times, consume too much of the Church's resources and the Pastor's time.

 

Join Us December 18, 2014!  The door opens at 11:00 a.m. with pizza at 11:30 a.m. and followed by a brief presentation by Dr. Mark Majors on a current, relevant pastoral care issue.  His Biblically based psychological approach to issues has proven to be a help to pastors and church leaders for over 22 years."

Jewish Community Events
The Rich Tapestry of Israel's Western Galilee
Wednesday, December 10, 7:00 p.m.
The Caspe Terrace, 33158 Ute Avenue, Waukee

"The Western Galilee, home to about one million people, has the most diverse population in the Middle East. Each panel member will share insights about day to day life in the region and talk about her area of expertise. Open to the community free of charge."

Chanukah Lego Party
Sunday, December 14th, 12:00 - 1:30 p.m.
The Caspe Terrace, 33158 Ute Avenue, Waukee

"We will have lunch, read stories, and most exciting of all, build Lego dreidels and a menorah! The cost will be $5 a child to offset the price of materials. We will also have a craft for younger friends that might not be able to build toys with Legos. Please RSVP to Mollie at [email protected]."
Thank You for Crockpots!

"A few months ago we put a notice in the DMARC eVoice asking for used crock pots to be given to low-income participants in a slow cooker class taught by ISU Nutrition and Health Specialist Mary Krisco. We received so many crock pots from so many places we held 3 classes, one of them in Spanish. BH&G gave us 6 slow cooker cook books, the Coalition gave kitchen utensils, and Mary Helt of Grace Lutheran Church crocheted scrubbers for everyone in the class to use as door prizes.

 

The Coalition in Support of Hungry Children wants to thank the following individuals and groups who so generously gave us nearly 75 crock pots and even tested them to make sure they were in good working order. A very sincere and grateful thank you to:

  • 1st Christian Church/Des Moines
  • Grace Lutheran Church/Des Moines
  • Our Lady's Immaculate Conception Church/Ankeny
  • Faith Lutheran Church/Clive
  • downtown Des Moines Kiwanis Club
  • Margaret Maloney
  • Newton Kiwanis Club
  • Junior League of Des Moines
  • Gloria Dei Lutheran Church

We still have crock pots to give away. Libraries and organizations in the Des Moines area are asking Mary to teach more classes so as long as there are crock pots and students we will continue providing these classes. Slow cooker cooking is delicious, nutritious, low-cost, easy, and ready to eat when family members get home at the end of the day tired and hungry.

 

Diana Sickles, Founder and Director, Coalition in Support of Hungry Children"
Who Are We?

The Des Moines Area Religious Council is an interfaith organization with a core membership of over 130 congregations from four faith traditions. Recipient of the 2012 LIVE UNITED Advocate Award from the United Way of Central Iowa, DMARC provides a common means of responding to basic human needs and a context for interfaith dialogue.

 

The DMARC Food Pantry Network consists of 12 separate pantry sites, a centralized warehouse, and numerous community partners. It is the largest food pantry network in Iowa. Pantry sites are located in West Des Moines, Ankeny, Johnston, Urbandale, and eight sites in Des Moines. In 2013, the DMARC Food Pantry Network assisted more than 34,000 individuals in the greater Des Moines community; half of whom are children and youth.

 

MovetheFood is a DMARC-led initiative to address the entire food system in Greater Des Moines, building on nearly 40 years of the Food Pantry Network, catalyzing fresh generations, and engaging new constituencies to further support a vision for a day when everyone in Polk County has enough to eat.
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Disclaimer: The Des Moines Area Religious Council makes every effort to provide accurate and useful general information in its eVoice, but accepts no liability for the use of the material by individuals or organizations. We gladly distribute information from member or partner individuals, congregations, and other agencies, but our inclusion of such material should not be construed as being sponsored or endorsed by DMARC. Undated general announcements and employment opportunities are included for one week unless requested to be included for a longer period of time.