community outreach program

The Des Moines Arts Festival and Prairie Meadows team up to present the Community Outreach Program presented by Prairie Meadows. This award-winning program offers non-profit organizations the opportunity to participate onsite and share their mission and programming to thousands of guests free-of-charge. In exchange for the free booth space, each organization provides an interactive arts-related activity for guests in the Creative Zone during the festival on Grand Avenue between 15th & 16th Street.

2021 Community Outreach Program Participants

AHeinz57 Pet Rescue & Transport

AHeinz57 is committed to saving homeless companion animals, assisting other shelters/rescues through rescue transports, offering low cost spay/neuter services for the community, and educating the public on the issues of pet over-population, responsible pet ownership and puppy mills.

B.WELL Foundation

B.Well Foundation is dedicated to supporting students in the Des Moines community. The Foundation supports initiatives that focus on education, mentorship, and families and schools in need of resources. It’s their desire to be positive role models, teach respect and build character.

Activity: Who’s an influential person of color in your life? Share it with the world! Draw this person and have it on display for the entire festival.

Blank Park Zoo

The mission of the Blank Park Zoo is to inspire an appreciation of the natural world through conservation, education, research and recreation.

Boys2Men Afterschool Programs

Boys2Men Youth Programs helps equip youth and families with the tools necessary to successfully complete elementary school, transition into middle school and assist families in addressing delinquent behaviors that might lead the youth into the juvenile justice system. Their programming also provides opportunities for high school students to volunteer to work with younger youth while avoiding delinquent activities that could be detrimental to their future. Additionally, their programming meets the needs of mainstream students who are enrolled in regular education programs as well as alternative school programs, and provides age and developmentally appropriate opportunities for youth and families to build community while learning basic life skills that are conducive to productive members of their communities.

Activity: Be artistic and paint an uplifting message on a rock with Boy 2 Men Youth Programs.

Community Support Advocates

Community Support Advocates partners with individuals and families who are impacted by mental illness or disability to build growth and resiliency. They support Central Iowans with disabilities by connecting them with services that support day to day living, community integration, and creative expression.

Activity: Turn the everyday into a fashion statement! The young and young at heart can create a jewelry masterpiece from everyday items like washers, tape, clips, ribbon, and buttons. Make it with CSA and wear it home or they will have a take and make option available.

Decoding Dyslexia Iowa

Decoding Dyslexia Iowa is a non-profit organization working to improve the lives of Iowa children with dyslexia. Their mission is to raise dyslexia awareness, empower families to support their children, and influence policymakers and educators on best practices to identify, remediate and support Iowa students with dyslexia. They provide information and resources to Iowans and hold a variety of dyslexia awareness events, including dyslexia simulations, parent trainings, and professional development for educators.

Activity: At Decoding Dyslexia Iowa's booth, using their individualized crayon set, kids will have the opportunity to design a t-shirt that focuses on raising awareness of dyslexia. A winning design will be chosen for recognition and featured in the organization’s online store.

Des Moines European Heritage Association

DMEHA connects Iowans with European traditions, language education and cultural experiences; and supports cultural heritage organizations with resources and tools to maintain and grow their memberships. Their signature event is Christkindlmarket Des Moines, a German-inspired Christmas market whose goal is to educate and entertain the community by exposing them to European-style foods, products and activities.

Activity: DMEHA will have a variety of European cultural crafts from Croatia, England, Russia, Ukraine, Germany, and more. They will also have a photo opportunity!

Employee and Family Resources

EFR is a 501(c)(3) non-profit human services organization that aims to help people manage life’s challenges to reach their full potential. At EFR, their team specializes in prevention, intervention, and treatment for substance use disorders and behavioral health issues, all under one roof. Moreover, they provide a judgement-free environment that only seeks to help.

Activity: We will be making pipe cleaner butterflies, paper bag puppets and discussing making healthy decisions to help us become the best we can be!

EveryStep

EveryStep is a non-profit health care and human services organization which annually serves more than 67,000 Iowans. During life’s most challenging moments, EveryStep’s family of community-based health care and support services offer compassion and guidance.

Gateway Dance Theatre

Gateway Dance Theatre uses the Arts to engage, communicate, educate and collaborate with diverse communities to enrich lives.

Girl Scouts of Greater Iowa

Girl Scouts of Greater Iowa builds girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place.

Goodwill of Central Iowa

Goodwill of Central Iowa is committed to providing jobs and job training opportunities for people facing barriers to employment. Their mission is to change lives of Central Iowans with barriers to employment by helping them earn and keep jobs through workforce training in their businesses and your communities.

Hip-Hope, Inc

Hip-Hope Inc. is a non-profit organization whose mission is to utilize arts and culture to promote, advocate and support Hope wherever symptoms of hopelessness are prevalent. They define hopelessness as: “Being unable to function or maintain a desired quality of life due to lack of knowledge, resources, mental health and/or access to solutions.” Their primary focus is on addressing community safety concerns and disparities as they relate to economics, health, incarceration and education among “at-risk” and “high-risk” youth ages K-12 in the greater Des Moines area.

Iowa Dance Theatre

Iowa Dance Theatre is a non-profit organization with a unique blend of dancers, teachers, choreographers, and art enthusiasts who combine talents to produce high-quality, artistic dance productions.

Iowa Environmental Council

The Iowa Environmental Council is the largest and most comprehensive environmental coalition in Iowa. Through education, advocacy and coalition-building, they raise awareness, generate action and create large-scale change that makes Iowa a better place to live, work, explore and enjoy.

Iowa SIDS Foundation

The Iowa SIDS Foundation is a non-profit organization founded by parents to provide emotional support to SIDS and SUID families, to educate Iowa families, healthcare professionals and child care providers on SIDS and safe sleep practices, and to support medical research into unexpected sleep related infant deaths.

Activity: Create a "hug" to mail to a friend or family member! After tracing and cutting out your handprints, attach them using a streamer cut to the size of your "hug." When your friend or family member receives it in the mail, they will be able to wrap it around themselves and get a hug from you, even from afar!

Iowa Stage Theatre Company

Iowa Stage Theatre Company transforms Iowa, its citizens, and arts community by producing truthful, relevant, and intimate theatre that inspires, enlightens, and entertains.

Joppa

Joppa collaborates with community partners, helps homeless people access existing resources, and mobilizes private donations from families, churches and organizations to meet unmet needs in homeless services, housing and education. Their mission is to create communities of unconditional love, support and hope for the homeless, as they work together to prevent and ultimately end homelessness.

Latinas Latinos Al Exito Inc (Al Exito)

Latinas/Latinos al Éxito translated means Latinos to Success. Al Éxito is the only statewide nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing the educational achievement and transformative leadership capacity of Latinx youth and their families, to succeed in life and participate fully in Iowa.

Oakridge Neighborhood Services

Oakridge Neighborhood Services offer safe, affordable housing coupled with wraparound services to create opportunities for individual and family success. A nonprofit housing and human services agency located on 17 acres in Des Moines’ urban core, Oakridge has served the communities’ most vulnerable children and families for over 50 years. Oakridge is more than just a housing facility, it’s truly a neighborhood, a community of people gaining stability while preparing for the next step in their life’s journey.

Pulse 101.7FM

Pulse 101.7FM brings you all-positive pop and hip-hop. Music that moves you, and DJs who keep things fun, clean and positive. Pulse exists to build your faith and offer you hope. Listen for 30 days and see how it makes you feel!

Activity: Finger Paint Art! Create animals and designs with your finger prints!

The Supply Hive

The Supply Hive's mission is to provide a space of nourishment through extraordinary times. They promote physical, mental, and spiritual health, while emphasizing sustainability in caring for the earth, ourselves, and within the movement for social justice.

Activity: Come paint pots with The Supply Hive! They will be providing a free pot and paint markers to let your creativity soar. Once you're finished, they'll send you home with soil and seeds so you can start your plant at home.

The award-winning Community Outreach Program is made possible because of the generous support from