Latest news with #UrbanBicycleFoodMinistry
Yahoo
07-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
10 years of two-wheeled service, one burrito at a time
DES MOINES, Iowa — What began as one man's epiphany has become one of the most visible homeless-advocacy groups in the Des Moines metro, and this weekend, the Urban Bicycle Food Ministry turns ten years old. 'Ten years ago,' explains Robby Collier, a UBFM volunteer, '(founder) Joe Laslo was recovering from a serious bike accident when his pastor gave a sermon about the homeless. It hit him right then that he should act.' Collier says when Laslo was healthy enough, he used his bike as a way to reach the homeless on the streets of Des Moines. A look inside Des Moines' homelessness crisis 'The first day he set out with 20 burritos and 20 bottles of water. He handed them all out.' Tonight, the Urban Bicycle Food Ministry — which sprang from Laslo's efforts — handed out 800 burritos, along with over 800 sandwiches, bottles of water, blankets, warm clothing and sleeping pads to homeless and food insecure Iowans in Des Moines. Over 40 volunteers work together every week and say the connections they make with the people they serve are some of the most important in their lives. 'I can talk about it on the TV, I can talk to you one-on-one,' Collier says, 'but once you've seen it and you've actually gone out and built that relationship with a hug, with a kind word, with a burrito — it really fills your heart.' On Saturday (March 8th) the Ministry will celebrate ten years of service with a party at Twisted Vine Brewery in the East Village. The public is welcome to attend. Metro News: 10 years of two-wheeled service, one burrito at a time A look inside Des Moines' homelessness crisis Tiny Homes possible solution to Des Moines' homelessness crisis; what are they? Roosevelt High School holds Rider Pride Night to fundraise for Best Buddies, Special Olympics programs 2 charged after dozens of animals found in 'poor conditions' at Des Moines motel Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
28-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
For homeless Iowans, Jefferson charity turns garbage into grace
JEFFERSON, Iowa — An enemy of every roadside, landfill, and recycling center in Iowa has become a welcome gift to homeless Iowans thanks to a charity in Jefferson. The Midwest Mission, just off the town square, has found a way to give a new life to discarded plastic grocery bags. 'They're going to be in a landfill or blowing across a field soon,' said Alaire Willits of the Midwest Mission. 'We turn them into something useful.' Willits and volunteers at the Mission use a large, homemade loom to weave the bags into durable, waterproof sleeping mats. The mats are then sent to homeless outreach organizations throughout the state. 'They'll take as many as we can give them,' said Danille Curtis, the Mission's public relations director. 'They're waterproof and only weigh about seven pounds.' Nearly a thousand bags and 25 'man hours' go into each mat, but the result is a comfortable (and often colorful) pad that can be easily rolled up and carried. Man, dog rescued from Avon Lake after falling through ice When WHO 13 accompanied volunteers of the Urban Bicycle Food Ministry earlier this month, they handed out over 40 of the mats to homeless Iowans who'd otherwise be sleeping on the ground (often in frigid temperatures.) While the work that goes into weaving each mat is extensive, Willits says Iowans have found a way to make it fun. 'What's happening in many churches,' she said, 'is the women will come in at 9 o'clock on Tuesday morning and sit and talk and weave and cut bags and talk and have some coffee—and they're in mission. Their hands are engaged. And in many churches, this is older women. It's something that they can do.' The Mission takes the left-over plastic bag scraps and delivers them to the Winterset Lions Club, which has them made into park benches for the Covered Bridge Festival by outdoor furniture company, NexTrex. While the Midwest Mission says its supply of grocery bags is currently full, it encourages everyone to recycle their clean, dry plastic grocery bags at recycling receptacles inside area grocery and hardware stores. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
14-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
No snow days for these Des Moines angels
DES MOINES, Iowa — We know the Urban Bicycle Food Ministry: they're a group of angels. Loving Iowans who take it upon themselves to buy, make, and deliver food and supplies to Des Moines' homeless out on the streets and in camps around the city. We're talking about the people who don't go to shelters. They're outside — even in this weather — and so the Ministry is, too, every Thursday night. On this particular Thursday, the basement of the Capitol Hill Lutheran Church was positively buzzing — like a hive of fluorescent-clad worker bees. They cooked food, made sandwiches, packed bags, folded up warm clothes and sleeping mats, and then loaded it all into waiting vans. 'We'll make 800 burritos, 400 turkey and cheese sandwiches, 400 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches; and we'll also hand out fruit, water,' says volunteer, Robby Collier. Large donation of eggs made to the Food Bank of Iowa Since they don't use their customary bikes to make the deliveries in the winter, they can actually carry more supplies on their routes, which reach out to all corners of Des Moines. 'The last few weeks,' Collier says, 'we've been averaging about 420 people a night. It's down from our summer numbers. In the summer we'll be close to 550-600 people, but even in the winter, we'll serve over 400 people each night.' Some live in low-income housing and value the extra calories and connection. Others are completely unsheltered, living out in the open along streets and rivers. All welcome the sight of Ministry volunteers. 'They look for us,' Collier smiles. 'They see our bright, yellow shirts and the holler 'Burrito slingers!' and we come running to them, and offer radical hospitality one burrito at a time with grace, love, respect, and hope … and a hug.' The Ministry works every Thursday over at the Capitol Hill Lutheran Church in the East Village —they'd love to have more volunteers. But they'd also love to have any blankets or warm clothing that you may not need anymore. You can find them at or on Facebook and Instagram. Metro News: No snow days for these Des Moines angels Large donation of eggs made to the Food Bank of Iowa 1 injured while trying to put out garage fire in Des Moines Multiple crashes reported on I-80 in West Des Moines Des Moines officers were justified in deadly January shooting, county attorney says Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
