The Des Moines Area Hunger Hike donations provide free food to many hungry people through established non-profit agencies.
local groupsBeacon of Life
This residential center helps women recently released from prison through job training, education, case management and medical care. Milk, fresh fruit and vegetables not available through the Food Bank are purchased for their meals. Bidwell Riverside Center Money is used for basic food needs of clients ineligible for food from other sources – those traveling through, the newly-homeless, infant formula needs, special dietary requirements or other emergency situations of families. Central Iowa Shelter & Services Two of every three persons served by CISS are homeless or near homeless. The Hunger Hike grant supplements meals and food donations provided by congregations and other groups. Persons of all ages are served at meal sites in neighborhoods where poverty rate exceeds 25%. Children & Family Urban Ministries Milk and food are purchased for before-and-after school programs, a variety of summer programs, and the Supper Club, the latter serving an average of 110 guests six days a week in an inner-city neighborhood. Coalition in Support of Hungry Children The Coalition in Support of Hungry Children invites all communities to join them in organizing their own impassioned residents who want to alleviate hunger, particularly childhood hunger by 2015. Many people working locally can achieve the 2015 goal in their own community. The Connection Café An ecumenical effort begun by four downtown churches: St. Ambrose Catholic, St. John’s Lutheran, St. Paul’s Episcopal and First United Methodist. Fruit, potato chips, and meat, cheese and bread for sandwiches is purchased for the 3-5 days per month that food and serving are not provided by groups. Approximately 28,000 noon meals were given out in 2007 to Des Moines downtown needy. Des Moines Community Garden Project Hunger Hike funds provide an estimated 750 elderly, low-income and/or handicapped families receive gift certificates toward purchase of seeds and/or edible plants for growing food in their own or community gardens through this program coordinated by the city’s Community Development Department. Garden tillage is provided and needed tools are made available.DMARC Food Pantry Network (www.MovetheFood.org) The Des Moines Area Religious Council Food Pantry Network provides a 4-day supply of emergency food once each month for families in need of assistance. With thirteen pantry sites, the Network is the largest emergency food pantry system in Iowa. In 2012, DMARC provided the food equivalent of over 1.2 million nutritionally balanced meals for about 33,000 individuals; 85% of clients have household income at or below the federal poverty threshold; nearly half are children and youth. Monetary donations allow DMARC to purchase up to six times the amount of food that can be donated at retail prices. EMBARC The Ethnic Minorities of Burma Advocacy and Resource Center is a grassroots refugee-led organization that understands the struggles and strengths of the community. We believe that sustainable change comes from within a community empowered to help themselves. Last year over 749 direct services were provided to more than 200 families in need. Epworth Community Dinner No-cost meals are served to all visitors at a Tuesday evening supper when between 70 and 100 men, women and children are fed. Free clothing is also available and a grocery-coupon depot is on site. Family Violence Center (Children & Families of Iowa) Provides free meals and snacks to families who are victims of domestic violence while they are in shelter or transitional housing. Harbor of Hope Like other not-for-profit agencies, major food purchases are made from the Food Bank of Central Iowa and from wholesalers, but additional funds are needed for a basic diet. Serving persons just coming out of a drug treatment program, transitional residence for 23 men only is provided for up to two years. Hope Ministries Contributions are used to help provide meals to over a hundred men, women and children each day who are homeless, near-homeless and hungry. Mary's Meals Mary's Meals is an international movement that sets up school feeding projects in communities where poverty and hunger prevent children from gaining an education. Meals on Wheels (Wesley Life)Annually serves nearly 2000 individuals in the Greater Des Moines area with hot, nutritious noon meals in their homes, while providing socialization and safety checks for the housebound and elderly. New Directions Shelter (Hawthorn Hill Ministries)Emergency housing and meals are served to homeless mothers and children as they are helped to achieve economic self-sufficiency. Funding supplements approximately 5,000 family meals and snacks. New Horizons Adult Day CenterLocated in Ankeny, approximately 24 clients per day rely on New Horizons for therapeutic activities, transportation, a hot noon meal and two snacks. 60% of those served are on some kind of assistance program. Hunger Hike money provides the snacks, a boost to nutritional needs. RRACAP Polk County CenterThe Red Rock Area Community Action Program uses money to purchase frozen meats and vegetables from the Food Bank, special dietary needs, and to supplement other purchases and donations for some 150 households each month. St. Mary’s Outreach Center (Catholic Charities of DM) Helps meet special dietary needs not usually provided by other food programs. Dairy products, fresh fruit and vegetables purchased with these funds are distributed among some of the 12,000 families the Center serves. STAR at Zion Lutheran STAR stands for SERVE, TEACH, ADVOCATE and REACH, which are our four primary objectives. Our neighborhood schools are full with English Language Learner students whose primary language is not English. Most Wednesday nights in the school year and now in the summer, we provide English language and reading tutoring for students in elementary through high school. |
globalBlessman International Ministries
At Blessman Ministries, we believe in serving with our time, talent, and treasure in meeting the needs of those we serve practically. We take a holistic approach and partner with government, churches, community organizations, corporations and thousands of volunteers. Church World Service Designated for areas impoverished by war and/or natural disasters. 2006 funds went to Rwanda to provide food for orphans and other vulnerable children. 2007 aid went to the Kenya School Safe Zone for fresh vegetables, rice and dry beans. The children grow some of their own food. Cattle and poultry are also raised for food purposes. In other years Hunger Hike money has been sent to Sierra Leone, southeastern U.S. for Hurricane Katrina victims, etc. Haitian Artisans for Peace International HAPI is a faith-based community development ministry whose mission is to empower Haitians to grow their capacity to lead with integrity, to develop solutions to their own problems, and to help families and communities to live to their fullest potential. Heifer International Hunger Hike receipts go to HI, a community development model that assists families in the United States and all over the world with gifts of animals, training, and “passing on the gift.” A cow, sheep, rabbits, chickens, even bees become the seed stock for food production and income, with the increase passed on to other families. Iowa-Yucatan Partners of the Americas This organization was the originator (in 1968-69) of the Hunger Hike. The 2008 grant was used for meals for low-income pregnant women in Merida, Yucatan, Mexico. The institution also offers training for proper nutrition of mother and child. Some of the women live on the streets. Meals from the Heartland Meals from the Heartland is a non-profit, 501(c) 3 organization composed of volunteers who package meals for delivery to starving people around the world. Seed Programs, International Ships seeds to more than 60 countries on five continents so poor and hungry people may grown vegetables rich in the vitamins and minerals often missing in their diets. Seeds and plants are obtained at minimal cost; donations pay for transportation. Self Help International Self-Help has always been concerned with helping people help themselves; it governs what projects we undertake, where they take place, and what our end goal should be. We have committed to two countries in the world: Ghana, West Africa, and Nicaragua, Central America. |