AGAPE Garden

During the summer months help we, plant, harvest, & more!  The Agape Garden donates more than 20,000 lbs of fresh produce each year to local food pantries and shelters. No experience needed.  All ages and families welcome.  Located at 7384 NW 16th St. Ankeny.

Bread for the World Offering of Letters: a letter-writing effort to rally legislative support for combating world hunger and poverty.  The letters are written before and after Masses one weekend during Lent.  Contact: Jeannette Bauer   Learn more

Parish ambassadors serve as a liaison between Catholic Charities and parishioners. These volunteers help spread the word about the services provided by various Catholic Charities programs as well as raise awareness when there is a specific need for volunteers and donations. These programs include: St. Mary’s Family Center, St. Joseph’s Emergency Shelter and the Refugee Resettlement program.  Contact: Kathy Avey 964.0359  Learn more

OLIH parishioners prepare and serve dinner on the 4th Friday of the month.  Contact Jerry and Shelley Tegels 964-9474  if your group is interested in serving.  Meal Information Guide

Learn more about the Catholic Worker House of Des Moines

Center for Social Ministry is an organization for educating and prompting Catholic Social Teaching.  JustFaith and Engaging Spirituality are two programs that are offered locally.  Contact: Jamie Loggins  Learn more about  Learn more about the Center and  JustFaith

Connection Café is a free lunch program for homeless and low income people in downtown Des Moines, Iowa. We serve lunch at noon every Monday-Friday to our honored guests.

OLIH parishioners prepare and serve two meals a month.

• Second Friday of the month contact: Toby Berberich

• Fifth Wednesday of the month contact: Jane Alderman , 965-5944

Learn more about the Connection Cafe 

Don Justo Coffee pays the farmer a fair, living wage and provides funds to support community development projects in El Salvador. Available for purchase after Masses on the first weekend of every other month, the coffee comes in whole bean or ground in regular, dark roast and some flavors. Decaffeinated is $12 per pound and regular is $10 per pound.  Available Feb, Apr, Jun, Aug, Oct, Dec 2018  Contact:  Jeanette Bauer   Learn more

Gift ideas that support “fair trade” products and several charities are offered for sale.  The Gift Mart is held every other year (even numbered years) in November.

 Contact: Kathy Avey

There are many food pantries in the Greater Des Moines area.  Check the DMARC website for more information of food pantries in the area and ways that you can support or volunteer.  Learn more

Want to help make tote bags out of t-shirts? Check out this video of the last batch we dropped off.

Through Ankeny Circle of Faith, a coalition of area churches, OLIH partners with Greater Des Moines Habitat for Humanity to create home ownership opportunities for low-income families. Financial donations are accepted year-round; please make checks payable to Greater Des Moines Habitat for Humanity and indicate Ankeny Circle of Faith on your memo line or accompanying note.

Our Habitat for Humanity ministry team seeks groups and individuals to help in a variety of ways. Opportunities include serving lunch, helping build or rehab houses, organizing fundraisers, leading prayer and more.

Learn more about the Greater Des Moines Habitat For Humanity   Learn more about the Des Moines Habitat Restore

Meals for Moms

Are you a new mom?  If so, we would like to help provide a few meals for your family.  Do you like to cook?  If so, we need your help providing meals to our new moms.  Learn more.

Every Monday through Thursday, a pair of OLIHers loads up bread and baked goodies from Panera South (Delaware Ave in Ankeny) to deliver and re-package at the Catholic Charities Outreach Center on Hubbell in Des Moines. Time commitment is a couple of hours once or twice a month depending on your schedule. Contact Amy Wall, 964-3038 if you would like to help or just need more information about becoming part of this team.