Midwest Family Lending Blog

Midwest Family Lending has chosen to support Cystic Fibrosis Foundation in the month of January and we encourage you to as well.

What Is Cystic Fibrosis?

Cystic fibrosis is a progressive, genetic disease that causes persistent lung infections and limits the ability to breathe over time.

In people with CF, a defective gene causes a thick, buildup of mucus in the lungs, pancreas and other organs. In the lungs, the mucus clogs the airways and traps bacteria leading to infections, extensive lung damage and eventually, respiratory failure. In the pancreas, the mucus prevents the release of digestive enzymes that allow the body to break down food and absorb vital nutrients.

Research

When a group of parents started the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation in 1955, they set their sights high — to advance understanding of this little-known disease, to create new treatments and specialized care for their children, and to find a cure.

The CF Foundation has carried these goals forward and is working tirelessly to find lifesaving new therapies, and one day, a lifelong cure for all people living with this devastating disease.

To learn more about Cystic Fibrosis – please click here.

In the month of October Midwest Family Lending donated $1550 to Cedar Homes for Children. If you would like to get more information about Cedar Homes for Children please click here.

Midwest Family Lending has chosen to support Adel Food Pantry in the month of December and we encourage you to as well.

The Good Samaritan Food Pantry serves the Adel-DeSoto-Minburn and the Van Meter school districts.  We serve nearly 100 families each month.  We provide 110+ weekend backpack meals to the ADM and Van Meter schools, this is up from last year.  Last year we served only ADM K-5 and a few at the high school this year we opened it to all students K-12 and also Van Meter.  Over the summer we provided 250+ weekly meal packages to kids through our summer feed the kids program.  At Thanksgiving we provided baskets to 100 families this year and will do it again at Christmas

The Good Samaritan Food Pantry in Adel will soon have a new home. Due to the increased services offered at the food pantry, we have outgrown our current space at the United Methodist Church. Over the past year, we have almost doubled our kid’s programs and continue to serve more families on a monthly basis.

Each week, Wal-Mart in Grimes and Fresh Thyme from West Des Moines, are donating fresh produce, bread, eggs and soon to expire items. Last week we had 65 large boxes of food from Wal-Mart alone.   This is a mixed blessing because it is awesome for the clients we serve but a challenge for our volunteers to find space and storage for all this food.

Last summer, the executive board approached Tim Canney of the ADM school board, to see if there was space at the ADM Administration Center (old middle school) to house the pantry. He took it to the school board and after much discussion and legal review; a lease for the old lunchroom space was completed. ADM is willing to partner with us to help support the Feed the Kids programs because it is hard to educate a hungry child.

Improvements to the space will need to be made – additional wiring, painting, appliances, furniture etc. that we hope to have completed within the first quarter of 2017. To cover these expenses, we are in the process of writing grants and seeking donations from corporations in Dallas County.

Many people will be needed to help complete the work and the move. Please let us know if you would like to participate with time, talent or donations toward this move.

To volunteer contact Celia at 515-423-0753. If you would like to donate to the renovation project please contact Keith Troester at gsfptreasurer@gmail.com or mail your donation to Good Samaritan Food Pantry 115 S. 10^th St. Adel, IA 50003. Your donation is tax deductible.

Also, please keep us in your prayers. We need all the help we can get.

Midwest Family Lending has chosen to support Make-A-Wish-South Dakota in the month of November and we encourage you to as well.

Make-A-Wish South Dakota’s mission is to grant the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy.  To qualify for a wish, a child must be between the ages of 2 ½ and 18 and facing a life-threatening – progressive, degenerative, or malignant – condition at the time of referral.  The chapter covers the entire state of South Dakota and grants 50-60 wishes each year.  Find out more at southdakota.wish.org

                         In the month of September Midwest Family Lending donated $1650 to Susan G. Komen Iowa.  If you would like to get more information about Susan G. Komen Iowa please click here.

In the month of August Midwest Family Lending donated $1550 to HDSA Iowa.  If you would like to get more information about HDSA Iowa please click here.

Midwest Family Lending has chosen to support Cedar Homes for Children in the month of October and we encourage you to as well.

Helping children who face seemingly insurmountable odds is the important work of CEDARS. Founded in 1947 by the Reverend Charles and Alberta Danner, CEDARS continues their vision today to create a place where children can “experience a real childhood and begin planning for the future.”

That simple act of kindness more than 60 years ago has resulted in thousands of children building new family lives. The Danners’ passion still lives on through our work today as we offer young people safe shelter — and the skills to adapt to a quickly changing world.

Today’s reality is harsh, and the challenges disturbing. All homes today are not safe for every child. Poverty, drug use, mental illness, criminal activity, and neglect place children at extreme risk.

CEDARS continues to respond, giving hope to youth in need and direction to families struggling to stay together.

It is the mission of CEDARS to help children who have been abused, neglected, and homeless achieve safety, stability, and enduring family relationships.

Please click here to learn more about the charity.

In the month of July Midwest Family Lending donated $1750 to Food Bank of Siouxland back pack program.  If you would like to get more information about Food Bank of Siouxland, Inc. please click here.

Midwest Family Lending has chosen to support Susan G Komen of Iowa Charity in the month of September and we encourage you to as well.   Please click here to learn more about the charity.

Susan G. Komen is the world’s largest breast cancer organization, funding more breast cancer research than any other nonprofit while providing real-time help to those facing the disease. Komen was founded by Nancy G. Brinker, who promised her sister, Susan G. Komen, that she would end the disease that claimed Suzy’s life. Through events like the Komen Iowa Race for the Cure, we have invested over $600,000 in 2013 in local breast health and breast cancer awareness projects in 91 of Iowa’s 99 counties. The Iowa Affiliate also funded more than $4 million within our service area over the past five years.  Up to 75 percent of net proceeds generated by the Komen Iowa Affiliate stay in our service.