Address: 602 3rd Street SW, Altoona Iowa ⋅ Phone: (515) 967-4533 ⋅ Email: office@caringhandsiowa.org 
Elizabeth (not her real name) is an occasional visitor to our food pantry. When we asked her to share her story, she shared the following. “I have lupus and am disabled and cannot work. My son also lives with me, so both of us survive on a fixed income. We do get food stamps, but […]
Most Iowans don’t realize their neighbors may experience occasional food insecurity. Many households that experience food insecurity do not qualify for federal nutrition programs and visit our food pantries for extra support. Food drives are a great way to encourage your friends and family to help stock our shelves and raise awareness about our food […]
Why do we give away food? Certainly, we don’t want anyone to be hungry. But it’s more than that. As followers of Christ, we want to be like Him and follow His example. That’s why we establish relationships with those we serve. And David Harper, Director of the Eastview Food Pantry, loves getting to know […]
This summer, we want to discuss a commonly overlooked issue: the seasonality of food insecurity. What exactly does the seasonality of food insecurity mean? After all, food insecurity is a year-round issue. While most people are familiar with food insecurity and its effect on thousands of Iowa families, many are unfamiliar with the unique challenges […]
Caring Hands Outreach Center is pleased to announce that Ms. Miriam Cody was named their first Director of Operations. “Once we determined the need for the position, Miriam became the obvious choice,” said Ned Looney, Executive Director of Caring Hands Outreach Center. Cody originally came to Caring Hands as an AmeriCorps Volunteer and quickly became […]
Caring Hands’ mission to mobilize compassion towards our neighbors in eastern Polk County is driven by the firm belief that everyone matters. The heart of our ministry is compelled by Christ’s heart for people. This guiding principle of ministry means we want every person in need to receive help. Over the last few years, some […]
As a ministry looking to impact its surrounding community, Caring Hands has centered its mission on this foundation: It’s all about Jesus. Our ministry seeks to holistically represent and glorify His name in the way we operate, the way we serve, and most importantly, the way we pray. When looking at Christ in His earthly […]
Our board of directors ensures we are on the right path as an organization. Caring Hands is blessed to have visionary board members who are passionate about our mission, love Jesus, and willing to give of their time, talent, and treasure to help us mobilize eastern Polk County for compassionate service toward our neighbors. Sharon […]
As citizens of a community, we have the opportunity to make it a better place. While philanthropy can play a significant role in community betterment, often it can be the gift of time that greatly impacts the people within the community. As Christians, we have the perfect example of living out community betterment; Jesus said, […]
We are blessed to have a group of business leaders, pastors, and community-minded individuals serving on our board. These leaders continually steer Caring Hands towards a sound future by ensuring that we are fulfilling our mission in the most effective way possible. Meet one of our board members, Melissa Horton. What do you do for […]