Food Pantry

1 - 10 volunteers at a time

Volunteers are needed to:  

• Pull and box up food orders

• Re-stock grocery aisles

• Organize food recovery

• Sort & organize donations

​

To sign up, click here.

​

Other Information:

• Volunteers must be 8 and older. 

• We provide masks, but they are not required if you are fully vaccinated. To see all of the safety steps, click here. 

​

Location: 

Bidwell Riverside Center

1203 Hartford Avenue

Des Moines Iowa 50315

​

​

​

Children's Activities

1 - 10  volunteers at a time

Volunteers are needed to host children's activities at our shelter.  

Suggested activities include: 

• Holiday crafts

• Story Times

• Outside Games

• Painting

For more information

and to sign up, click here.

​

Event information:

• Dates are flexible.

• Plan for 10-25 children.

​

Other Information:

• Masks are required. 

Location: 

Hawthorn Hill

3001 Grand Avenue

Des Moines Iowa 50312

Shelter Dinners

Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays

Volunteers are needed to help provide dinners for families staying at our shelter. Dinners are needed on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays. 

The meal needs to feed up to 10 people. Food needs to be dropped of by 4:00pm-4:30pm.  No serving is involved; families serve themselves. Drinks and desserts are appreciated.  

​

To schedule a time to help, click here to sign up or contact Melanie Wright.

Email: melanie@hawthorn-hill.org

Phone: 515-244-9748

​

Location: 

Hawthorn Hill

3001 Grand Avenue

Des Moines Iowa 50312

Shelter - Cleaning

1 - 10 volunteers at a time

Volunteers are needed to help with the following in our shelter:  

• clean restrooms

• clean kitchen

• organize refrigerator

Times vary.  Mid-morning and afternoons work best (when the kitchen isn't in use).

To schedule a time to help, click here to sign up or contact Missy Reams.

Email: mreams@bidwellriverside.org

Phone: 515-244-6251 Option 5

Text:  515-346-8895

Other Information:

• Masks are required.  

• Volunteers must be 12 and older.

​

Location: 

Hawthorn Hill

3001 Grand Avenue

Des Moines Iowa 50312

​

Shelter - Organizing

1 - 10 volunteers at a time

Volunteers are needed to organize our donation area.  We provide basic necessities to the families staying in New Directions Shelter and The Home Connection program. 

​

Volunteers would be organizing clothing, personals/toiletries, feminine hygiene products, diapers, cleaning products, school supplies, food items, and much more.   

To schedule a time to help, click here to sign up or contact Missy Reams.

Email: mreams@bidwellriverside.org

Phone: 515-244-6251 Option 5

Text:  515-346-8895

​

Other Information:

• Masks are required.

​

Location: 

Hawthorn Hill

3001 Grand Avenue

Des Moines Iowa 50312

​

Painting

4 - 10 adult volunteers 

Volunteers are needed to paint a couple walls in classrooms.  Volunteers would need to commit to 2-3 hours. The time is flexible and can be scheduled:

• Saturdays between 9am-4pm

• Sundays between 12pm-5pm 

​

Bidwell would provide all needed supplies for the paint project. 

​

To schedule a time to help, contact Missy Reams.

Email: mreams@bidwellriverside.org

Phone: 515-244-6251 Option 5

Location: 

Bidwell Riverside Center

1203 Hartford Avenue

Des Moines Iowa 50315

​