City Wide Donation Drive Fills Critical Needs

DES MOINES, IA (06/30/2010)(readMedia)-- The Give Back Des Moines Project collected over 30,000 basic needs items over the course of several weeks and distributed these much needed donations to 37 local area charities, including Children & Families of Iowa (CFI).

CFI received over 1,000 items from the Give Back Des Moines Project, including paper products, cleaning supplies, toiletries, school supplies and baby items such as diapers, bottles, and wipes. With a team of five people and four carloads, CFI employees picked up the donations and brought them to the agency's main office where they will be sorted and distributed to CFI's programs.

"The generosity of the community is amazing," says Kara Shore, Foundation Assistant for CFI, who helped coordinate the donations with Give Back Des Moines. "I feel very lucky to live in an area with such compassionate people, who strive to help out those in need. Many of the items collected are crucial to the agency's programs. We are always in need of these items and this donation will go a long way to fulfilling those needs."

The Give Back Des Moines Project was a community event that raised awareness and collected donations, both monetary and non-monetary, for over 30 charities through collection events at area Hy-Vee Stores, the Downtown Farmer's Markets and culminated in a Volunteer Fair and Community Celebration at an I-Cubs game. Project leaders screened over 200 charities and choose to partner with those that most closely aligned with the project's mission.

About Give Back Des Moines Project

Give Back Des Moines is a project of the Greater Des Moines Leadership Institute Class of 2009-2010. The Greater Des Moines Leadership Institute is a premier leadership organization, guiding graduates to greater public awareness, commitment and involvement - improving the overall quality of life in our community. For more information, visit www.gdmli.com.

About Children & Families of Iowa

Children & Families of Iowa is a private, nonprofit organization dedicated to restoring hope, building futures and changing lives throughout Iowa. With offices in Ankeny, Centerville, Des Moines, Fort Dodge and Osceola, Children & Families of Iowa is restoring hope for victims of domestic violence, helping teens find their futures, creating safe homes for children, preparing children to succeed and helping people reshape their lives. Last year, Children & Families of Iowa served more than 21,000 individuals in all of Iowa's 99 counties. Please visit www.cfiowa.org for more information.

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