Christmas Special Offering Recipients

Please consider a Christmas Special Offering gift to support Plymouth’s Just Peace covenant - working toward economic, social and/or climate justice for Des Moines Metro Area neighbors. Projects selected for this year’s gifts are:

• Pastor’s Discretionary Fund (10%): The Pastor’s designated fund provides for urgent, usually emergency funds for community members, covering costs such as rent assistance, utility bills, medical and medicine, and bus/travel expense.

The remainder of the Christmas collection will be equally divided between the below initiatives. Additionally, all of these gifts will be matched with Marlon Laverman Memorial Funds (serving at-risk children).

• The Beacon:
  The Beacon provides trauma-informed case management and recovery programming for women participating in their six-phase residential program in Sherman Hill, 80% of whom are mothers. The funds will be used to provide individualized and group case management session focused on recovery, employment readiness and financial stability.

• Food Bank of Iowa:
  Their Backpack Program, which provides shelf-stable, nutritious weekend food sacks to help elementary-aged kids come to school nourished and ready to learn on Monday morning. Since children don’t have to depend upon adults to prepare the meals, this program puts food directly into their hands. Though food is provided to elementary school students through this initiative, anecdotal evidence suggests the sack is often shared with siblings or other family members.

• Friends of Youth Justice Initiative, West Des Moines:
  Their Study Table program provides a safe space for youth in the West Des Moines community that includes structured after school activities. The youth are surrounded with caring community members that create a sense of belonging and help achieve goals post high school. 18 volunteers/staff are available at Study Table every session providing one on one attention and care to our youth. They provide transportation, a healthy meal, 2 hours of homework assistance and encouragement. Funds will also support a Parent Engagement event to celebrate year end at Study Table. This event creates connections with parents that helps make space for conversations about academics, behavior and family well-being.

• Knock and Drop Iowa:
  Knock and Drop Iowa (KADI) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to fighting food insecurity and empowering Latino and immigrant families across Central Iowa. They provide culturally relevant food distributions, health education, and community resources that build stronger, healthier, and more resilient families. Funds will directly support KADI’s Healthy Initiative, which provides monthly food distributions, health education, and family resources to underserved Latino and immigrant households. The initiative focuses on combating childhood hunger, promoting nutrition, and connecting families to community health programs.

• Urban Bicycle Food Ministry:
  For over 10 years, volunteers meet every Thursday to provide 900 burritos, 420 turkey & cheese sandwiches, 440 peanut butter & jelly sandwiches, 225 bananas/fruit and 450 bottles of water to an average of over 600 homeless and food insecure people including children and families. They also provide miscellaneous donated items (shoes, coats, blankets, etc) as needed.

Give online through Church Center or PayPal here. Use the dropdown on either site to indicate “Christmas Offering”.

Give check/cash by marking your donation for “Christmas Offering”. Drop gifts in the plates passed in church or mail to:

Plymouth Church Attn: Jeff Rodman
4126 Ingersoll Ave.
Des Moines, IA 50312

Thank you for your generosity,

Board of Benevolences
Plymouth Special Offering Committee