Catholic Charities’ New Website

Check out our new look! We are excited to share that we have updated our website with a fresh look and improved navigation at the same URL: catholiccharitiesdm.org. We hope you love it as much as we do! 

2024 Giving Thanks Giving

Catholic Charities Food Pantry’s annual Giving Thanks Giving will be next Wednesday, November 20 and Thursday, November 21. During these two days, hundreds of turkeys and other holiday meats will be given out to food pantry clients to help them celebrate the holidays. We are grateful to St. Pius X parish in Urbandale, IA, for their generous donations of turkeys as well as the Food Bank of Iowa and Des Moines Area Religious Council (DMARC) for their support.

Last year, we were able to give out a record 580 holiday meals. With the growing numbers of food pantry clients, we are expecting to impact even more individuals this year. If you would like to get involved by volunteering or donating a turkey or side dish items like a bag of potatoes, canned vegetables, or prepackaged buns, please contact Catholic Charities Food Pantry Program Manager, Tom Leto at 515-262-7260 or tleto@catholiccharitiesdm.org. 

Support Catholic Charities Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Program

The Catholic Charities Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault program provides an emergency shelter for survivors and their families. We provide food, personal care items and everything a family needs while they stay at the shelter. Your donation to the Catholic Charities Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault program this Giving Tuesday will help keep our pantry stocked as we are always in need of food, personal care and hygiene items, fresh bed sheets, towels and more.



• Your gift of $25 will supply us with enough toilet paper for four days.
• Your gift of $50 will provide fresh bath towels for eight of our shelter guests.
• Your gift of $100 will feed the women, men and children in our care a hot breakfast.

Support the Catholic Charities Emergency Family Shelter

The Catholic Charities Emergency Family Shelter provides a fully stocked kitchen with food, appliances and tools for guests to use to make meals and snacks for their families. Our current appliances are between five and seven years old and need updating. Your gift of any size to the Catholic Charities Emergency Family Shelter this Giving Tuesday will be combined with others to achieve our goal of updating all six of our outdated kitchen appliances!

• To replace both microwaves, we will need $850.
• To replace both dishwashers, we will need $1,200.
• To replace both refrigerators, we will need $2,900.

Support the Catholic Charities Food Pantry

The Catholic Charities Food Pantry not only provides food to those who are hungry but personal care and hygiene items as well. Your donation to the Catholic Charities Food Pantry this Giving Tuesday will be used to purchase personal care items to be distributed to our guests.

• Your gift of $25 will provide a stick of deodorant to twelve of our food pantry guests.
• Your gift of $50 will provide a pair of hand warmers to 100 of our food pantry guests.
• Your gift of $100 will allow us to give a roll of toilet paper to 120 people in need.

Support Catholic Charities Refugee Services

Catholic Charities Refugee Services will welcome more than 450 refugees to Iowa by the end of 2025. One important service we provide for our refugee clients is supplying them with safe housing filled with basic necessities. Your donation to Catholic Charities Refugee Services this Giving Tuesday will go towards making sure our refugee clients have all they need to succeed.

• Your gift of $25 will help us equip a refugee family’s kitchen with essential tools needed for cooking.
• Your gift of $50 will provide bathroom essentials like shower curtains, toothbrushes, and hand towels.
• Your gift of $100 will equip a refugee family’s new home with cleaning supplies.

Welcome to Catholic Charities: Jenn Martindale

Jenn Martindale recently joined the Catholic Charities team as the new Operations and Compliance Manager. Jenn comes to Catholic Charities with a variety of expertise and we are excited to have her on the team. In her spare time she enjoys taking on quilting projects, spending time with her family and canning homemade marinara sauce she makes from what is harvested in her garden.

“I am excited to join Catholic Charities because of their purpose,” said Jenn. “Working for a company that gives back and makes lives better in some way is good for the soul.”

Welcome Jenn!

Leading by Example

Catholic Charities’ new executive director, Mike Sheehy, has been traveling to the different Catholic Charities programs to see first-hand the impact we have. Recently, he spent the day volunteering at the Catholic Charities Food Pantry. He also assisted the Catholic Charities Refugee Services team with welcoming a new refugee family to Des Moines.  

Guardians of the Gift – Rights and Responsibilities in Catholic Ethics

Tuesday, January 7, 2025 

7 p.m.

St. Pius X Catholic Church

3663 66th St., Urbandale, IA 50322

Catholic Charities and Diocese of Des Moines Director of Social Justice, John Huynh, D.Min., continues his monthly speaking series on Catholic Social Teaching. This next session, he will be joined by the Iowa Catholic Conference and will break apart how Catholic Social Teaching and ethics overlap with our civic rights and responsibilities.

Speaking sessions will be held at different parishes around the Diocese of Des Moines.

A Little Help Goes a Long Way

From small donations to full-time volunteers, there is something for everyone at Catholic Charities! You can help support our mission to Empower Individuals and Strengthen Families.

We are committed to providing our clients with a complete circle of care to help them succeed.

Donations of diapers, wipes and personal hygiene items support families and individuals receiving care across all our programs. To make a bigger impact, consider participating in the Catholic Charities’ 100 Challenge by collecting 100 personal care items.