Donor Stories

On Valentine’s Day, February 14, 2010, Jody Valentine and Dean Burtch were married.  As a way of celebrating their marriage, in lieu of gifts, they asked their guests to bring food items for the Emergency Food Pantry.  In all 528 items of food and $495.00 was collected to celebrate their marriage.

Jody and Dean have many connections with food, including the enjoyment of cooking and dining out.  In addition, Jody is the manager at the Drake Diner on 25^th Street in Des Moines.  Dean has also volunteered at the Emergency Food Pantry.  When it came time to think about a how their guests could help celebrate their marriage, donations to the Emergency Food Pantry seemed a natural.

Congratulations to Jody and Chris and thank you from the Emergency Food Pantry for the wonderful gift of food!

“We are very much aware of DMARC, it’s Emergency Food Pantry, and other important services offered by the Des Moines Area Religious Council. I have been honored to serve on both the DMARC Administrative Cabinet and Foundation Board.   Making a gift to the DMARC Foundation assures our on-going support for a cause we very much believe in.”

“Compassion In Action and the Emergency Food Pantry are two important DMARC programs made possible by the generous contributions of its member churches, among with the personal contributions and commitments made by caring individuals. By making a gift to the DMARC Foundation, each of us can ensure that these vital efforts are continued into the future. During the past decade, I have had the good fortune to see first-hand how important all of DMARC’s programs are to our community and how our support of the Foundation can guarantee that critical needs will continue to be met.