Des Moines church sends food and help
Times-Republican - September 2020
Organizations from Des Moines shipped about 5,000 pounds of supplies to help Marshalltown residents who lost a portion of their pantry in the Aug. 10 derecho.
“We are the recipients of a blessing from another church from Des Moines,” John Witmer, Marshalltown Church of the Nazarene lead pastor, said. “Over the holiday weekend they had a food drive and loaded part of this semi truck.”
One of the members of the Greater Life Community Church in Des Moines had a “vision” to help Marshalltown.
The derecho left a lot of Marshalltown residents with food insecurity because of the loss of power. Many were without electricity for a week and half.
Lines for previous food handouts in Marshalltown since the derecho stretched for blocks as residents have been trying to restock their refrigerators.
One of Marshalltown’s own helped bring the food from Des Moines. Kimberly Baeth has helped with the clean-up after the tornado and the derecho.
“Marshalltown’s had so much damage from the tornado, COVID-19 and derecho,” Baeth said. “I’m happy to help.”
On Wednesday morning, volunteers from the Marshalltown Church of the Nazarene helped unload the truck and at 10 a.m. on Saturday members will give boxes of food away to those in need.
The drizzling rain on Wednesday required volunteers to wear coats as they unloaded boxes off the truck. There were about five pallets worth of supplies or 5,000 pounds of food which people moved.
Church members will unload, organize and box everything this week and hold a drive-through food box giveaway.
Volunteers will wear masks on Saturday to help stop the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“As a church in Marshalltown we just want to join with other churches and nonprofits that have already been serving our community,” Witmer said. “The need is still prevalent in Marshalltown.”
The church, like many structures around Marshalltown, had its roof damaged by the derecho.
“We’re in the midst of filing a claim,” Witmer said. “We’re just like the rest of the town.”
The derecho was like deja-vu for some residents after the 2018 tornado, but the help that continues to pour into town makes a difference.
Story provided by Thomas Nelson - Times Republican
