eVoice - May 5, 2015
Donate Your Fresh Produce and Shelf-Stable Foods to DMARC
Greg Reinhart of Reinhart's Family Farm helps load tomatoes into a MovetheFood.org truck at last year's Plant a Mile event, which donated 6,000 pounds of sweet corn, zucchini, tomatoes and onions to the DMARC Food Pantry Network. Photo by Luke Elzinga/DMARC.
Last year, in-kind gifts to DMARC of fresh produce, dairy items, shelf-stable and frozen foods valued at nearly $850,000 were distributed through the Food Pantry Network to area families who did not know where their next meal might come from.

We continue to rely on both cash and food gifts to meet the growing need for emergency food assistance across Greater Des Moines. Thank you for your support!

Did you know that DMARC food donors have liability protection? The federal Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act protects donors giving food to DMARC in good faith from civil and criminal liability, should the product later cause harm to its recipient. Learn more at dmarcunited.org/good-samaritan-act/.

Watch our video, Fresh Produce Donations, for more information on how you can donate your garden vegetables to the DMARC Food Pantry Network!
Volunteer to Help Us Package Pasta!
The DMARC Food Pantry Network recently received a donation of 5 pallets of bulk pasta. We are glad to accept such a large amount of food for free, but we need help packaging the bulk pasta into serving sizes that our food pantry visitors can use.

We are looking for groups or individuals to help us in this effort. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Daniel Beck, dbeck@dmarcunited.org or 515-282-2026.

Thank you for your help!
The Mothers of Homelessness
As Mother's Day approaches, too many moms and children are among the hidden homeless in Polk County who are living on the streets, in motels, or "doubled-up" or "tripled-up" with family or friends because there is not enough room at family shelters.

What do we know about moms experiencing homelessness?
  • A typical sheltered homeless family is comprised of a mother in her twenties with two children.
  • In the U.S., nine of 10 homeless mothers have experienced severe physical and/or sexual abuse.
  • Mothers often are in poor physical health, with one-third who have a chronic physical health condition.
  • Over half of homeless mothers do not have a high school education or equivalency.

Your recurring gift of just $20 each month, or $240 a year, can help stabilize a mom and her son and keep them from becoming homeless. Thank you for your support!
Meals from the Market Volunteers Needed for May 16
We are in need of a group to volunteer with the Meals from the Market program on the morning of Saturday, May 16. 

Volunteers are responsible for talking to vendors at the Downtown Farmers Market, and asking if they would like to donate any food to the program. Then, following the market, volunteers collect these donations from vendors.

Would you like to get involved volunteering with the Meals from the Market program? Contact Daniel Beck at dbeck@dmarcunited.org or 515-282-2026.
May's Donation of the Month
The Donation of the Month for May 2015 is peanut butter. Download a Donation of the Month - Peanut Butter PDF flyer to hang at your congregation or workplace.
RSVP for Red Barrel's 25th Birthday Celebration

25 years ago, on April 18, 1990, DMARC's Red Barrel Program was officially launched. Today, DMARC celebrates the lasting success of this program by inviting volunteers and partners to our Red Barrel Program 25th Birthday Celebration on Thursday, May 14, from 4:00 - 6:00 p.m. Local Hy-Vee stores have generously offered to donate food, beverages and a birthday cake. Thank you, Hy-Vee! Please RSVP so we can get an idea on the number of expected attendees. 
Des Moines Area Religious Council

1435 Mulberry Street

Des Moines, IA 50309

 

515-277-6969
Peanut Butter
Community Calendar
May 10

May 11

May 14

May 20

May 21

May 24

May 29-31

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.
Free Conference Call - "Starting a Food Pantry Garden"
AmpleHarvest.org is hosting a free conference call on starting a food pantry garden this Thursday, May 7, at 10:00 a.m. CDT.
They will have several excellent panelists who can walk you through the process and offer some essential resources for getting started. One lucky participant will win a free garden consultation with High Caliper Growing and will receive a set of Smart Pots and Big Bag Beds to kick start their food pantry garden. You must register in advance for the conference call.
2015 Spring Revival
Spring into a Spring Soul Stirring Revival, "Praise, Purpose & Power," scheduled for Thursday, May 14th and Friday, May 15th at 7:00 p.m. at St. Paul AME Church located at 1201 Day Street in Des Moines.

Rev. Christal Bell will bring The Message and EJ Jackson will minister through music on May 14. Rev. Damon Mitchell will minister through music as well as bring The Message on May 15. Your soul will truly rejoice!
Become a Pastoral Care Specialist

This two-year course by the Des Moines Pastoral Counseling Center is designed for clergy, parish nurses, Stephen ministers, chaplains and others involved in pastoral care ministries. Meeting monthly, participants learn about areas critical to effective pastoral care, and receive support, encouragement and consultation on their work. Participants will reinforce what they already do well and integrate new knowledge and skills into their ministries. 

2nd Thursday of each month, 12:00 - 3:00 p.m.
Beginning September 2015 and ending June 17.
No classes July and August.

Tuition: $600 for each of the two years

To Register: Contact the Center at 515-274-4006 or info@dmpcc.org or register online at dmpcc.org.
Registration Open for the Iowa Peer-to-Peer Homelessness Symposium
The US Department of Housing and Urban Development, Des Moines Field Office, in collaboration with state and local partners is conducting the Third Annual Iowa Peer-to-Peer Homelessness Symposium. This year's symposium will be held on June 3-4, 2015, at the Iowa Methodist Medical Center Education and Research Center, 1415 Woodland, Des Moines.

The agenda is being created by agencies statewide which are directly involved with Iowa homeless populations. Tracks for the 2015 symposium include:
  • Continuum of Care
  • Veterans
  • Rural
  • Youth/Family
  • Grants Management
  • Human Trafficking
A detailed agenda will be sent out in the near future.

There is no charge for this event. Please register below.
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.
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.