MEDIA EVENT: Unveiling The Blueprint to Address Homelessness Plan

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                                                              

April 30, 2025 

Media Contacts:  

Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines Emily Toribio, VP of Marketing and Communications  

toribio@desmoinesfoundation.org, (515) 447-4205  

Homeward, Amy Croll, Community Engagement Coordinator 

acroll@homewardiowa.org, (319) 519-1576 

Unveiling The Blueprint to Address Homelessness Plan 

MEDIA EVENT – Des Moines, IA – Through collective action, we can drive progress toward ensuring that one day, everyone in our community has a safe place to call home. Join us on May 6 as we unveil a five-year strategic vision plan, The Blueprint to Address Homelessness. Homeward, Polk County’s homelessness planning organization, and strategic funding partner, the Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines, invite donors, volunteers, advocates, nonprofit organizations, community leaders, elected officials and people with lived experience to learn more about the plan.

The six-month collaborative process, led by Matt White with Housing Innovations, builds off Polk County's Gap Analysis and identifies evidence-based strategies that will be most effective for the region. Participants in the process and implementation include area businesses, funders, developers, providers, municipalities, people with lived experience and more.   

The event will provide valuable insights into this critical community issue and what the plan means for the future of Greater Des Moines.   

WHEN:            Tuesday, May 6          

1:30-3 p.m.

                                     2-3 p.m. Program 

WHERE:          C3 Center

                         1910 Ingersoll Avenue, Des Moines

                           Virtual Option Available

REGISTER:           Registration is requested for this free event by May 5.                               

Media are encouraged to respond via email for in-person attendance to toribio@desmoinesfoundation.org               

GUEST SPEAKERS:       

Angie Arthur, Executive Director of Homeward

Councilmember Chris Coleman, City of Des Moines                                    

Kristi Knous, President of Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines                                     Scott Jean, President & CEO of EMC                                    

Shelby Ridley, Director of Programs for Primary Health Care                                         

Matt White, Senior Associate of Housing Innovations                                      

PARKING:           Please follow the information below: 

Lot directly west of Finkbine at 1915 Grand Avenue.  

Lot directly west of the C3 Center at 1910 Ingersoll Avenue.  

Limited street parking on Ingersoll Avenue. 

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About the Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines      The Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines improves quality of life for all by promoting charitable giving, connecting donors with causes they care about and providing leadership on important community issues — we’re simply better together. The Community Foundation administers more than $1 billion in assets and over 2,600 charitable giving funds. More than $84 million was granted to nonprofits from Community Foundation charitable giving funds in 2024. Learn how you can be a part of something bigger at desmoinesfoundation.org.   

About Homeward   

Homeward serves as Polk County’s homelessness planning organization, forging strategic partnerships toward ending homelessness. By distributing funding, resources, and data, Homeward seeks to create an efficient, effective homeless response system that meets all residents’ strengths and needs. We lead community-wide homelessness planning efforts to ensure that one day, everyone in Polk County will have a safe place to call home.