Feeding Futures
Fighting food insecurity with innovative action. A story series sponsored by
Closing the Gap on Hunger: Urbandale Food Pantry ensures no family faces food insecurity alone
“Food insecurity is rarely about food,” says Patty Sneddon-Kisting, CEO of the Urbandale Food Pantry. “It’s about the impossible decisions families confront in today’s world.”
The need for food is growing fast. In February 2022, the pantry served 857 families. By November 2024, that number had jumped to 2,000—and it has stayed there ever since. Older Iowans are among those most in need, with more than 750 receiving support regularly.
WESLEY LIFE MEALS ON WHEELS – Nourishing Both Body and Spirit
Every day, nearly 2,000 meals leave the WesleyLife Meals on Wheels kitchen in Des Moines—not just to fill plates, but to spark connection, build community, and support independence for older Iowans.
“We’re not just dropping off a meal. We’re offering a lifeline,” says Shannon Draayer, Executive Director of Community Nutrition for WesleyLife. “For many people we serve, we may be the only person they see that day.”
WesleyLife Meals on Wheels has served Central Iowa since 2006, offering home-delivered meals, well-being checks, and social support. Nearly half of the meals are delivered directly to older adults who live alone, many of whom rely on this daily visit for both sustenance and social interaction.
UNITED WAY OF CENTRAL IOWA: Pilot Program Builds a Path to Stability
Food insecurity in Central Iowa is about more than just hunger—it’s about connection.
That’s the driving force behind United Way of Central Iowa’s new Food Security Pilot Program, part of a larger community food security plan launched in 2024. The two-year pilot aims to help Central Iowans who are working hard—but still struggling to meet basic needs—access the full range of resources they qualify for.
IN HARMONY FARM: Growing new roots for Iowa’s future
On 70 acres of rolling pastureland just west of Des Moines, a quiet revolution is taking root. At In Harmony Farm, the harvest goes beyond fresh vegetables—it's also about cultivating opportunity, resilience, and hope.
Founded by longtime conservationist Sharon Krause, In Harmony Farm provides beginning farmers with the land and infrastructure they need to succeed.
DART: Connecting central Iowans to essential resources
Des Moines Area Regional Transit Authority (DART) is a whole lot more than just the bus.
The largest public transit agency in Iowa, DART provides 3.5 million rides a year—or 12,000 rides on a typical weekday—through more than 25 bus routes, paratransit, on-demand, on-call and special service trips across greater Des Moines.