YMCA of Greater Des Moines

A Hunger Free Iowa When Covid-19 hit, Iowa DHS took a look at food insecurity and saw it fit to increase SNAP benefits, also known as food stamps, to the maximum allowable per household. This meant that those relying on SNAP received a minimum of $95 more than they were pre-pandemic. This made a huge impact each month and relieved the stress of worrying about food insecurity. As of April 2022, SNAP benefits have gone back down to pre-pandemic rates while food prices are still ascending. In the past month, we have noticed food insecurity in our home on the rise. The number of individuals signing up for food recovery has doubled, and sometimes tripled, since the decrease in benefits. While there has been an increase in our sign-up lists, there has been a significant decrease in the amount of food we are receiving. We need your help to ensure our residents are receiving the food they need to be successful. We are needing quick and accessible meals to offer residents on Monday’s, Wednesday’s, and Friday’s for food recovery. Making peanut butter and jelly, meat and cheese, or any other sandwiches is a great way to support our folks who are signing up to receive food on these days. The sandwiches can be dropped off to us (2 SW 9th Street, Des Moines, IA) on either Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and will be directly in the hands of those in need the very next day. 30 sandwiches is an appropriate amount that allows for everyone on the food recovery list to receive one.  The YMCA Supportive Housing Campus is a community solution to eliminating homelessness by providing hope, dignity and support in the form of permanent supportive housing. Our belief that everyone is worthy to live a life of meaning guides everything that we do. We believe in housing first and community next; providing a space where residents feel safe, secure and at home while feeling as though they are a part of the community that surrounds them. Together, staff and volunteers advocate to advance our belief that everyone deserves a place to call home. Volunteers allow us to transgress past basic need services through supporting on and offsite opportunities that better create a dignified and supportive space of stability and personal growth. Learn more and take a virtual tour of our campus here: youtube.com/watch?v=YTshFDMScsM&t