WesleyLife Meals on Wheels

11/26/2025

Please watch this space tomorrow for photos from our Thanksgiving event! Details can be found below. Wishing everyone a happy holiday!

11/26/2025

As you enjoy this Thanksgiving week, we invite you to share in a holiday greeting that our president and CEO, Rob Kretzinger, extended to all WesleyLife team members on Monday. May you take something from it as well. You'll find it in the link below.

Happy early Thanksgiving to you and your loved ones!

Enjoy this holiday message of gratitude from our president and CEO, Rob Kretzinger.

11/21/2025

Shannon Draayer, director of community nutrition for WesleyLife, appeared on Hello Iowa this morning to talk about ongoing needs around food insecurity in the Des Moines area, WesleyLife’s appreciation of organizational partners like Hy-Vee, and WesleyLife Meals on Wheels’ plans to make an even greater impact on Thanksgiving Day.

Watch Shannon’s segment in the video below!

It’s a program that helps feed and connect older Iowans, offering a meal and a friendly face. Shannon Draayer of WesleyLife and Scott Smith of Hy-Vee share details of their partnership and ho…

11/20/2025

Recently, dozens of Hy-Vee team members joined Meals on Wheels to spread joy and reduce food insecurity in our community. Thank you, Hy-Vee for your volunteerism and generosity toward this important mission!

11/15/2025

We were honored to partner with Beaverdale Confections and showcase our innovative hydroponic farm products at the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden annual Champagne & Chocolate fundraiser. It was a beautiful evening filled with meaningful conversations, delicious treats, and a shared celebration of community and purpose. What a wonderful way to kick off the holiday season! 🌿🍫🥂

11/12/2025

WesleyLife Meals on Wheels recently delivered its 4 millionth meal in central Iowa, a milestone made possible through the dedication of our team members, volunteers, donors, and community partners.

Since 2006, Meals on Wheels has been a lifeline for older adults and military veterans, providing not just nutrition, but daily connection and peace of mind. In 2024 alone, the program served 428,000 meals to nearly 5,000 individuals, expanding its reach across Polk, Warren, and Dallas counties.

Every meal tells a story of care, compassion, and community. Please take a moment to read the Des Moines Register's feature on the program in the link below!

https://hubs.li/Q03SPPGD0

11/11/2025

WesleyLife Meals on Wheels welcomed volunteers and team members to our campus near Drake University this morning for a Veterans Day breakfast, with two volunteers who served in the military attending as guests of honor. Each veteran received a small commemoration — a simple gesture of gratitude for the service that shaped their lives and strengthened our communities.

Across WesleyLife, nearly 500 military veterans were served last year through our communities, programs, and services. As an organization committed to supporting the independence, health, and well-being of older adults, we believe that when veterans have needs we can meet, we owe it to them to respond with respect and intention.

To help serve veterans through Meals on Wheels or other areas of impact, visit https://hubs.ly/Q03SHh-k0. And heartfelt thanks to all who fought for our freedoms.

Photos from this morning’s gathering are below!

11/10/2025

As we prepare to honor Veterans Day, we want to give a special thank you to Polk County Department of Veteran Affairs for supporting Meals on Wheels deliveries for Veterans throughout our community. Director of Veterans Affairs Pat Sweeney was able to deliver meals and greet some of these clients last week! 🇺🇸

11/06/2025

Today, our Meals on Wheels team helped deliver a record number of pantry boxes from DMARC, ensuring that essential pantry staples reached neighbors who are unable to visit a food pantry in person.

The demand for these boxes was nearly double this week, and our team stepped up to meet the need. We’re proud to be part of a compassionate and responsive food security network here in Central Iowa.

11/05/2025

11/04/2025

Meals on Wheels is thrilled to announce two AmeriCorps positions now open! If you're passionate about supporting older adults and tackling food insecurity in creative, community-driven ways — this is your chance to give back.

As an AmeriCorps member, you'll earn a stipend and receive an education award for your service.

We have two positions open, one where you can help deliver meals directly to those in need and one to help build out our volunteer base through regular recruitment. Whether you're looking to grow your career, gain meaningful experience, or simply make a positive impact — we’d love to have you on our team!

Apply now through Iowa HHS: https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=TXssjVoIF0aFNjinbRmw2nDoc3kcNNVFtCZuUv4RJlRUMkVCVVpXVzhYVjIySDFGWUdQR1M1TEtDQy4u&route=shorturl Or message us directly with any questions!

10/31/2025

Happy Halloween! Our menu today included hot dogs and the team had fun dressing up as our menu and in other fun costumes, bringing joy to those we serve! The winner of our driver costume contest was Candy ✌️☮️🌸🌺