When Kristi Knous, president of the Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines, was growing up in Merrill, Iowa, food insecurity was never far from her mind.
Her family did not go without, but many in their area ran the risk of doing so — if not for Kristi’s mom, the go-to person for making sure everyone in the community had enough to eat.
“We never sat down as a family on a single holiday without ensuring others had a meal first,” Kristi says. “My mom ran the congregate meal program in Merrill, and usually, she cooked out of the kitchen at the community center.
“On holidays, the center was closed, but that didn’t mean people didn’t need to eat. So she cooked out of the kitchen at our house, and our family delivered the food. Because of her, making sure people have what they need is a part of my DNA.”
Turning passion into impact
Fortunately for WesleyLife Meals on Wheels, Kristi believes in turning that passion for helping those in need into impact. Under her leadership, the Community Foundation develops partnerships and pools resources with others to create sustainable change for Des Moines; it also plays a key role in providing significant funding for projects that strengthen the Metro by addressing community issues and opportunities.
As a part of those efforts, the Community Foundation has contributed in a number of ways to Meals on Wheels’ fight to end food insecurity and isolation in central Iowa. Their contributions have included:
- Through its Better Together Fund and Grantmaking Committee approval, providing a $100,000 leadership grant for the More than Meals campaign, which helped support the creation in 2023 of the WesleyLife Meals on Wheels campus near Drake University in Des Moines
- Supporting ongoing development of future nonprofit leaders through the For Impact program; Matthew Johnson, director of philanthropy on the WesleyLife Foundation team, is a current participant in the initiative
- Hosting a community education event at the new Meals on Wheels campus
Helping to support important missions that move the needle on critical issues in our community is a core guidepost for the Community Foundation, Kristi says.
Root causes, systemic issues
“We believe in addressing root causes and systemic issues, and food insecurity is certainly an issue we need to impact,” Kristi says. “The WesleyLife Meals on Wheels expansion addresses several core community goals our grantmaking committee really values. It was a project that would expand services significantly and truly make an impact on our neighbors in need benefitting from the expansion and services.”
The Community Foundation lends its support to countless other worthy nonprofit organizations across the Metro as well. Additionally, many donors at the Community Foundation choose to give through their donor-advised funds to support WesleyLife, including Meals on Wheels.
Many people are not aware, though, that the foundation also personally connects potential donors with causes that resonate with them.
“We’ve created a platform, GIVEdsm.org, where nonprofit organizations can elevate their funding needs, whether it’s a one-time need or support for ongoing operations, and we are constantly driving donors to that site,” she says. “It’s a way for the broader community to connect to needs they might not know are out there.
“In addition, assist donors to help put strategy into their giving and introduce them to non-profit organizations with impact areas that meet their giving goals. Often, all it takes for people to do good is that awareness piece.”
Awareness: key to doing good
A desire to enhance awareness of community needs is what Kristi hopes the Community Foundation will continue to be able to bring to Meals on Wheels through their connection with WesleyLife.
“I love that what Meals on Wheels offers to our community is truly so much more than a meal,” Kristi says. “The need is so great right here in Des Moines, and Meals on Wheels’ impact is so broad. We are all called to give back, and organizations like WesleyLife make it easy. We will always be proud to elevate the need in hopes of being part of the solution!”
Please consider join our movement to impact food insecurity and isolation in central Iowa. For just $50, you can provide a week of meals to an older adult in need. Visit https://hubs.li/Q02ZWMTh0 to contribute securely and easily.
