Catholic Charities tries to keep up with need

November 13, 2024

When Tom Leto started at Catholic Charities Food Pantry about nine years ago, they were serving roughly 400 monthly 3-day food supply boxes, and the daily window of rescued food from various companies and restaurants went to about 300 people per day.

Last month, Leto said they served more than 1,000 monthly 3-day food supply boxes supporting 2,650 people. Some boxes go to individuals while others go to families with children.

And an average of 600 people per day – with highs in the low 700s – come to the daily window for food from Anderson Erickson, Walmart, Chick-fil-A, Hy-Vee, Costco, Capital City Fruit, and others that generously offer food.

“The two major challenges have been keeping up with food supplies and keeping up with volunteer support to keep the operation moving along,” said Leto, who manages the food pantry.

^{On one of his first days as the new executive director of Catholic Charities, Mike Sheehy lent a hand unloading donated food at the Catholic Charities’ Food Pantry in Des Moines.}

Last month, 110 volunteers worked 960 hours to pick up food from businesses, package it, and distribute it.

Leto is grateful for the volunteers, and to the Des Moines Area Religious Council and the Food Bank of Iowa for providing food.

“Without them, we wouldn’t be getting this done,” Leto said.

Catholic Charities Food Pantry tries to offer personal hygiene items with the monthly food boxes. That means every month they’re looking for donations or shopping for toilet paper, toothbrushes, toothpaste, bars of soap, etc.

Some people have a monthly supply of donations shipped from Amazon directly to the Food Pantry, at 1815 Hubbell Ave. in Des Moines. Others bring in goods from food drives or collections. And people will send checks to Catholic Charities for the food pantry.

“Somewhere, it was written that the poor and needy will always be with us,” Leto said. “We’re just trying to help serve them with dignity.”