eVoice - February 23, 2016
Volunteers Needed for Friday Meal Packaging Event
We are still in need of 15 volunteers for this Friday's meal packaging event. We will be packaging taco rice and chili macaroni combination meal packets that will be distributed through the DMARC Food Pantry Network.

The packaging event will be held this Friday, February 26, from 1:00 - 4:00 PM at Meals from the Heartland, 357 Lincoln Street, West Des Moines, IA 50625.
Questions? Contact us at 515-282-2026 or email [email protected].
March 1 is National Peanut Butter Lover's Day, and Hy-Vee and Skippy are teaming up to support the DMARC Food Pantry Network. From February 28 to March 5, for every three pounds of Skippy peanut butter sold at the Des Moines area Hy-Vee stores, the team will donate a pound of peanut butter to the Food Pantry Network. Thank you, Hy-Vee and Skippy, for your continued support through this promotion!
Douglas M. Woods Challenge Hunger Campaign Begins in March
The Douglas M. Woods Challenge Hunger Campaign will be held from March 1 to April 30, 2016. During that time, donations to DMARC that are noted as "Challenge Hunger" gifts will be matched 50 cents for every dollar, up to a total of $20,000 given.

This campaign comes at a time of the year when food pantry donations are historically down. During the Douglas M. Woods Challenge Hunger Campaign, a $10 gift will help DMARC provide 20 meals for those in need.

You can make your contribution online at dmarcunited.org/donate/donate-online by selecting "Challenge Hunger Campaign" from the "Donation Allocation" drop-down menu. You may also mail your donation to the DMARC office. Simply note "Challenge Hunger" on your check or include a note for cash.
Learn more about Douglas Woods and the story behind the Challenge Hunger Campaign at https://www.dmarcunited.org/2015/03/challenge-hunger/.
March Donation of the Month: Peanut Butter
 
Peanut Butter

We'll be celebrating Peanut Butter Lover's Day the entire month of March! It's true- we do love peanut butter. It is one of the most expensive items we purchase, and packs a punch of protein for the families we serve.
Des Moines Area Religious Council

1435 Mulberry Street

Des Moines, IA 50309

 

515-277-6969

Healthy Canned Goods
  • Low sugar, fat and salt options
Community Calendar
February 26

February 28 - March 5
Peanut Butter Lover's Day Sale at Hy-Vee

March 3

March 5




Bidwell Riverside Center Pancake Breakfast

March 12

March 19


March 20

April 10-17

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 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.
Share your input on public transit
DART is updating its long-term transit plan, DART Forward 2035, to meet the needs of a growing Greater Des Moines. Community members can give input on public transit by taking an online survey, attending public meetings the week of February 29 or contacting DART directly. Click here to get involved.
March 5: 'It's Almost Spring' Meeting
Saturday, March 5, 8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Youth Emergency Shelter and Services (YESS)
918 SE 11th Street, Des Moines, IA 50309

Can you believe it? Spring is around the corner. Eat Greater Des Moines would like to celebrate and prepare for the upcoming spring and summer seasons with their third annual "It's Almost Spring" meeting. At this meeting, you can catch up on what is happening on the community garden front in Des Moines, and have several breakout workshop choices to select from- all led by Des Moines' finest community, school, and faith-based garden pros.

Come early for breakfast and networking, the program will formally begin around 9:15 a.m. There will be three breakout sessions throughout the time, and the last hour will be a large group discussion, network and resource sharing, and a healthy food potluck.

If you plan to attend, please RSVP to [email protected] with the subject line "It's Almost Spring RSVP" so they can get an approximate count of attendees.
Bidwell Riverside Pancake Breakfast
Saturday, March 5, 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Grace Methodist Church
37th and Cottage Grove, Des Moines

Once again, Bidwell Riverside Center's Board of Directors is having its Annual Pancake Breakfast. Ticket prices this year are $10 for adults, $5 for children age 4-12, and children under 4 are free. Tickets are available at Bidwell or at the event.

As always, there will be great food (pancakes, sausage, eggs, and a drink). There will also be families and volunteers sharing their stories. Baked goods and quilts will be for sale. This year's silent auction features a wide variety of items from local dining, arts, and entertainment companies.

If you have any questions, please contact Missy Reams at 515-244-6251 or [email protected].
The Comparison Project: Jainism Lecture next Thursday
The Comparison Project series on Death and Dying will continue next Thursday, March 3, at 7:00 p.m. at Drake University's Sussman Theater in the Olmsted Center. (Event)

Christopher Chapple will be presenting Eternal Life, Death, and Dying in Jainism. Chapple is the Navin and Pratima Doshi Professor of Indic and Comparative Theology at Loyola Marymount University.

The Jain tradition has observed a practice known as Sallekhana or Santhara, through which one willingly foregoes food and hydration toward the end of one's life in order to pass peacefully into a new life. Chapple will give details about the process and the history of Sallekhana. He will also explore the correlations of this fast unto death with the hospice and "right to die" movements in contemporary America.

Chapple is a specialist in the religions of India; he has published twenty books on aspects of Yoga, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism, as well as religion and ecology. He serves on the advisory boards of the Ahimsa Center, the Forum on Religion and Ecology, and the International School for Jain Studies.
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.