General Information

The Des Moines Area Religious Council Emergency (DMARC) Food Pantries strive to meet the short-term needs of the food insecure in the Des Moines area.  People seeking assistance can go to one of the nine pantry sites to receive a five-day supply of food for themselves and their families once per month at no cost.  The Urbandale Food Pantry, an organization that we also support through direct donations of personal hygiene items, is one of the nine emergency pantries.

St. Stephen's Work With This Ministry

We have designated the second weekend of each month as Food Pantry Weekend.  We ask that food donations made on this weekend be placed in front of the altar as you enter the church.  Donations can also be made at any other time, either in front of the altar or in grocery carts in the narthex.   These donations are transported to the main DMARC pantry site. Cash donations are also encouraged and are used to buy needed foods at wholesale prices; please note that you wish to donate to the DMARC Food Pantry on  your check or any pew envelope.

The following items are especially needed by DMARC:

• 100% juice (tomato, orange, or vegetable in a can or plastic bottle)
• Fruit (canned in water or 100% juice, not in heavy syrup)
• Vegetables (tomatoes, green beans, mixed vegetables, or sweet potatoes, canned with no salt added)
• Beans (dry or canned in water)
• Peanut butter
• Meat (tuna or chicken canned in water)
• Whole-grain dry pasta or egg noodles
• Brown rice (regular or instant)
• Vegetable soup (low-sodium)
• Whole grain crackers (wheat saltines)
• Spaghetti sauce
• Cereal (instant or regular outmeal with no sugar added, while grain cheerios, wheat chex, wheaties, granola, or shredded wheat)
• Shelf-stable low-fat UHT milk (in aseptic packaging, NO canned milk)
• Infant/baby formula