Join Waukee Area Christian Services in a summer food drive celebrating United Way of Central Iowa’s 100th year.

In the heat of the summer, when pantry shelves are running low, central Iowa businesses, nonprofits and faith-based groups will join together to collect donations for food-insecure kids and families in Polk, Dallas and Warren counties. With your food donation, we can help support the 65,000 central Iowans who are food insecure.

United Way and WACS are asking for your help.  Host a food drive in your neighborhood, office, small group, or community group anytime July 7 – 21.  Then gather up your donations and deliver them to the food pantry on July 21, where we will have volunteers waiting in the parking lot to help you unload from 7am-2pm.

Drive Thru Donations

July 21st  7am – 2pm

Westview Church, 1155 SE Boone Dr, Waukee

If you fill out the commitment form, and find out more about how you can help United Way and WACS “Pack a Protein Picnic”.  Make sure to select “Dallas County”.

If you have questions about the food drive, please contact Melissa Stimple at 515-987-5523 or [email protected].

What should you donate?

Because less than 20 percent of donated items are protein, pantries especially need:

• Peanut butter
• Canned tuna or salmon
• Canned chicken
• Sardines
• Canned meat (SPAM)

Although protein is our preference, we’ll accept any quality nonperishable items you can give.

Why summer?

When school cafeterias are closed, kids lose a regular source of meals.  Families who rely on free and reduced-price lunch suddenly have much higher grocery bills. Pantries, shelters and food kitchens face a summer shortage as donations drop off after the holidays.  With more families coming in for food assistance, pantries need to replenish their shelves.

Our Goal: 65,000 items

That’s one protein serving for each of the 65,000 food-insecure central Iowans who don’t know where their next meal is coming from.

Your food donations will go to partner agencies in Dallas (including Waukee Area Christian Services Food Pantry) and Warren counties or Des Moines Area Religious Council (DMARC).

From there, they will end up in the hands of kids and families in your community who are hurting during the summer months. Thanks to you, kids missing the school cafeteria will have protein for power when their tummies rumble.