 |
|
|
U.S. Conference of Mayors' Hunger and Homelessness Survey
|
|
The United States Conference of Mayors recently released their Hunger and Homelessness Survey for 2015. Des Moines is one of 22 cities with populations of 30,000 or greater that participated in this year's Survey. |
|
Hunger in Our City and How Your Support Makes a Difference...
Compared to an average increase of 2.8 percent in the number of requests for food assistance among survey cities, requests for food assistance in Des Moines increased by 20 percent. The only survey city reporting a higher percentage increase in the number of requests for emergency food assistance was the District of Columbia (D.C.).
Des Moines was among nearly half of reporting cities where food pantries had to reduce the quantity of food persons could receive at each visit. Despite reducing the amount of food distributed per person in August 2015, the total food distributed by DMARC during the survey year increased by ten percent.
About 70 percent of food distributed in Des Moines is purchased, which is more than any other reporting city. This is believed to be driven by DMARC's commitment to provide a consistent 3-day supply of healthy and nutritionally balanced food for every person in a household once each month.
At this time of unprecedented need, Des Moines is fortunate to experience extraordinary community support of the established DMARC food pantry network that is the primary source of non-prepared emergency food across the city.
With requests for food assistance expected to climb each month in the coming year, DMARC will continue to rely on countless partnerships, funders, donors, volunteers and organizations to ensure all in our community have enough to eat.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT!
|
|
|
40 Volunteers Needed for Meal Packaging Event
|
|
|
Lutheran Church of Hope and Meals from the Heartland have teamed up for a combination meal packaging event to benefit the DMARC Food Pantry Network! We will be packaging taco rice and chili macaroni combination meal packet that will be distributed throughout DMARC's network.
Friday, January 22, 1-4 PM Meals from the Heartland 357 Lincoln Street, West Des Moines, IA 50265
We are in need of 40 volunteers for this event, so if you have a workplace team or small group, this could be a great way for you to help the community on a Friday afternoon!
Our goal is to package 4,000 of each recipe, for a total of 8,000 combination meals. Can you help us meet this goal? |
You can also sign up to volunteer for this event by contacting the DMARC office, 515-277-6969 or by emailing volunteer@dmarcunited.org. |
|
|
January Donation of the Month: Hot Cereal
|
|
| January is National Oatmeal Month! Oatmeal is one variety of hot cereal we distribute to our pantries, along with cream of wheat, grits, and other hot cereals. A warm bowl of oatmeal is the perfect nutritious breakfast for a cold January morning. |
|
|
Urbandale Food Pantry Expands Access
|
|
Starting this week, the Urbandale Food Pantry is now open Monday - Thursday, 9:30 a.m. - 6:30 p.m. and Saturday mornings from 8:00 a.m. to noon. This greatly expands evening and weekend access for our Food Pantry Network.
In order to fill these new shifts, more volunteers are needed, especially for the following times:
Tuesday All shifts
Wednesday 3:30 - 6:30 p.m.
Thursday 3:30 - 6:30 p.m.
Saturday 7:45 - 10:00 a.m., 10:00 a.m. - noon
|
If you are interested in volunteering, please visit urbandalefoodpantry.org to complete and submit a volunteer application. |
|
|
December 2015 Red Barrel News Now Available
|
|
|
|
Des Moines Area Religious Council
|
1435 Mulberry Street
Des Moines, IA 50309
515-277-6969
|
|
Hot Cereal
- oatmeal
- cream of wheat
- grits
|
|
| |
January 5
January 22
January 24
January 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.
|
|
|
|
|
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 materials by individuals or organizations. We gladly promote events and programs from partners that are connected to our mission, and related to the topic of hunger, poverty, interfaith relations, religious education or the arts. 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.
|
|
|
Tonight: Growing Cities Screening
|
|
|
Eat Greater Des Moines is partnering with Viva East Bank to host a screening of Growing Cities at Hiatt Middle School, 1430 E University Avenue, in an effort to continue learning and exploring local food growth both in the East Bank neighborhoods and overall Des Moines metro. The film is 58 minutes and will be shown on January 5 from 6:00 - 7:00 p.m.
|
|
|
|
|
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 2014, the DMARC Food Pantry Network assisted more than 41,000 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 materials by individuals or organizations. We gladly promote events and programs from partners that are connected to our mission, and related to the topic of hunger, poverty, interfaith relations, religious education or the arts. 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.
|
|
|
|
