CROSS Ministries Food Pantry to have Open House This Week

On Thursday, June 3, 5-7 p.m. CROSS Ministries will have an Open House at DMARC's new Food Pantry location at Cottage Grove Avenue Presbyterian Church, 1050 24th St., Des Moines. Then a Grand Opening of their new Food Pantry will be held Saturday, June 5, 8-Noon.

The new food pantry is an outreach to working people who need to access emergency food outside of standard working hours. The new pantry will be open Wednesday evenings from 4 p.m.–7 p.m. and Saturday mornings from 9 a.m. to 12 Noon. CROSS Ministries will continue to provide rent, mortgage, and utility assistance during standard business hours from Tuesday through Friday. Clients seeking food assistance through DMARC will still be directed to the closest Pantry within their geographic boundaries. However, if they are unable to go to that pantry because it conflicts with their work schedule, they will be directed to the CROSS Ministries/Cottage Grove Food Pantry. The pantry will be open to anyone living in the Greater Des Moines area. Routine intake procedures will restrict individuals from receiving food from more than one DMARC Pantry during a 30 day time period.

The new pantry, located at Cottage Grove Presbyterian Church, will operate with a volunteer staff, which means they need many dedicated folks to help. DMARC is providing the food. Other pantry site needs include:

• Several moveable room dividers
• Childproof gate to block stairway
• 2 new large ceiling fans
• Window air conditioner
• Carpeting or floor covering
• Curtains or mini-blinds for the windows
• Heavy duty 2 wheeled cart for carrying boxes of food
• Volunteers to prepare the pantry space
• Volunteers to work in the pantry

Please share these needs with your congregation, civic groups, etc. To volunteer in the CROSS Ministries/Cottage Grove Food Pantry contact Joyce Hoffman at 515-225-9868. For questions or donations contact: Dr. Roberta Victor, Executive Director of CROSS Ministries, 1050 24th St., Des Moines, 50311 or 515-279-8877.

For more information about the DMARC Emergency Food Pantry, which services 10 neighborhood pantry sites, contact Elisabeth Ballstadt, DMARC Food Pantry Director, 515-277-6969.