Des Moines Area Religious Council
2018 Progress Report
Committed to increase distribution over three (3) years of the produce category, including all forms of fresh, frozen, canned, and dried fruits and vegetables, by thirty percent (30%), and implement Pilot Test I for a new Pantry 2.0 model that incentivizes healthy food choices.
Verified Results
Partner Statement
“The Des Moines Area Religious Council (DMARC) is working with Partnership for a Healthier America to increase the number of fruits and vegetables being served in the State of Iowa’s largest food pantry network. In the second year of our commitment, DMARC increased distribution of fruits and vegetables by more than 55% over the previous year—providing a total of 1,926,791 pounds of produce, including 463,515 pounds of canned produce.
"We also expanded a pilot project aimed at integrating health and wellness services into the pantry setting through a focus on incentivized consumption of fresh and healthy foods. Known as Food Pantry 2.0, this program is the only known intervention in the State of Iowa to successfully and significantly increase consumption of fruits and vegetables. Between June 2017 and July 2018, the amount of fruits and vegetables selected by individuals utilizing Food Pantry 2.0 increased by nearly 20%. We believe Food Pantry 2.0 will ultimately improve the overall well-being of our pantry clientele—a population that has been found to be uniquely vulnerable to health conditions connected to a lack of access to and consumption of healthy, nutritious food.”