Latest news with #BlakeWilladsen
Yahoo
07-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
14 Healthy Kids Iowa program locations open in the metro
DES MOINES, Iowa — The Iowa Health and Human Services Healthy Kids Iowa program has begun to distribute food to families in need. The program is Governor Reynolds alternative to the Federal Summer EBT program. Iowa HHS has contracted with six food banks to distribute food to 258 sites across Iowa. The program allows eligible families to pick up $40 of food per child per month. Blake Willadsen, the Marketing and Communications Manager at Des Moines Area Religious Council Food Pantry Network, said that the Healthy Kids Iowa program will make a big difference. 'It's going to make a huge difference for those families at a time when it's definitely needed,' Willadsen said. Willadsen said that DMARC will need additional volunteers for the Healthy Kids Iowa Program. 'Right now, the biggest challenge is just, you know, the logistics of operating another food pantry distribution, getting those materials that are needed, and just figuring out the little things like having an additional ten volunteers here for a Saturday afternoon, figuring out know how to staff that, how to store that food separately,' Willadsen said. To sign up to volunteer at DMARC, visit DMARC's website. Here are the locations of the 14 distribution sites in Polk County. Knock and Drop 4801 Franklin Ave, Des Moines, IA 50310 June 11, July 9, & August 6: 3:30-6:00pm Johnston Partnership for a Healthy Community 5870 Merle Hay Rd, Suite C, Johnston, IA 50131 Tuesdays: 9:00am-1:00pm & 4:00-6:00pm;Thursdays & Saturdays: 9:00am-1:00pm Urbandale Food Pantry 7901 Douglas Ave, Urbandale, IA 50322 Mondays – Thursdays: 9:30am-6:30pm;Saturdays: 8:00am-12:00pm DMPS Capital View Elementary 320 E 16th St, Des Moines, IA 50316 June 17, July 3 & 17, & August 14: 3:00-4:00pm DMPS Weeks Middle School 901 E Park Ave, Des Moines, IA 50315 June 10 & 24, July 8 & 22, & August 12 & 26: 3:00-4:30pm DMPS Morris Elementary 1401 Geil Ave, Des Moines, IA 50315 June 12 & 26, July 10 & 24, & August 14 & 28: 1:00-2:30pm DMPS Roosevelt High 4419 Center St, Des Moines, IA 50312 Tuesdays: 2:00-3:00pm DMPS Garton Elementary 2820 E. 24th Street, Des Moines, IA 50317 June 17, July 1 & 15, & August 5 & 19: 2:45-3:45pm DMPS Monroe Elementary 3015 Francis Ave, Des Moines, IA 50310 June 19, July 3 & 17, & August 7 & 21: 12:30-2:00pm West Des Moines Human Services 139 6th St, West Des Moines, IA 50265 Mondays & Thursdays: 8:30am- 3:00pm;Tuesdays: 8:30am- 3:00pm & 4:30-6:30pm;Wednesdays & Fridays: 8:30am-12:00pm Ankeny Northview Middle School 1302 N. Ankeny Blvd, Ankeny, IA 50023 June 17, July 1, July 15, August 5, August 19: 9:30am-12:00pm Prairie Crossing Church 102 2nd Street NW, Mitchelle, IA 50169 June 10: 3:00-7:00pm; June 21: 10:00am- 3:00pm; July 8: 3:00-7:00pm; July 19: 10:00am- 3:00pm; August 5: 3:00-7:00pm; August 16: 10:00am-3:00pm Grimes Storehouse 112 NE Ewing St, Suite B, Grimes, IA 5011 Tuesdays & Thursdays: 9:30-11:30am & 1st and 2nd Tuesdays of each month: 5:30-7:00pm DMARC-Ket Food Pantry 100 Army Post Road, Des Moines, IA 50315 2nd and 4th Saturdays of each month: 9:00am-12:00pm Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Stamp Out Hunger Drive underway in Des Moines Metro
DES MOINES, Iowa — The Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive on Saturday will mobilize thousands of Iowans to help combat food insecurity. The annual food drive is organized by the National Association of Letter Carriers and takes place every year on the second Saturday in May. People can participate by leaving a bag of food next to their mailbox on Saturday. Residents are encouraged to donate healthy, non-perishable food items that are unopened and in-date. Then, postal workers will pick up the donations and bring them to local food pantries, like the Des Moines Area Religious Council (DMARC). This is the largest single-day food drive in the nation, and DMARC says this is an important drive for them. Last year, 30,000 pounds of food were collected through the drive and brought to DMARC. 'When we have 30,000 pounds of food come in just one single day that makes a huge difference in what's available,' said Blake Willadsen, the DMARC's marketing and communications manager. Willadsen says this drive helps contribute to DMARC's ability to help around 75,000 community members annually. About 80% of the people using DMARC's services are either young people under age 17, seniors, or are actively employed, according to Willadsen. 'The food that you're donating for this drive makes a huge impact for a lot of those people who you might not expect,' he said. 'This food pantry just helps serve as kind of a step up for oftentimes a bump in the road.' This comes after 2024 was a historic year for DMARC's Food Pantry Network. Around 150 volunteers will help sort through the donations at DMARC's warehouse throughout next week. For more information on how to volunteer at DMARC, click here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
