801 University Ave., Unit 3, DSM, IA 50314 Main Phone: 515-697-7700 info@evelynkdaviscenter.org

M–TH: 8:00am–6:00pm F: 8:00am–5:00pm SAT: 8:00am–1:00pm SUN: CLOSED

COMMUNITY CALENDAR | AUGUST 2016AUGUST 1NCRC Test: 9:00am–1:00pm, 4:45–8:00pm Appt. Needed AUGUST 2WTA Q&A Session: 9:00am–12:00pm, 4:00pm–7:00pm, Appt. Needed Project Iowa Info Sessions: 10:00am–11:00am AUGUST 3NCRC Test: 8:45am–1:00pm, Appt. Needed AUGUST 8NCRC Test: 9:00am–1:00pm, 4:45–8:00pm Appt. Needed Digital Literacy (Beginner): 2:00pm–4:00pm AUGUST 9WTA Q&A Session: 9:00am–12:00pm, 4:00pm–7:00pm, Appt. Needed Project Iowa Info Sessions: 10:00am–11:00am AUGUST 10NCRC Test: 8:45am–1:00pm, Appt. Needed AUGUST 11Digital Literacy (Advanced): 1:00pm–3:00pm AUGUST 15NCRC Test: 9:00am–1:00pm, 4:45–8:00pm Appt. Needed Digital Literacy (Beginner): 2:00pm–4:00pm AUGUST 16WTA Q&A Session: 9:00am–12:00pm, 4:00pm–7:00pm, Appt. Needed Project Iowa Info Sessions: 10:00am–11:00am

AUGUST 17NCRC Test: 9:00am–1:00pm, 4:45–8:00pm Appt. Needed Digital Literacy (Beginner): 2:00pm–4:00pm Wednesday Application Day AUGUST 18Digital Literacy (Advanced): 1:00pm–3:00pm AUGUST 22NCRC Test: 9:00am–1:00pm, 4:45–8:00pm Appt. Needed Digital Literacy (Beginner): 2:00pm–4:00pm AUGUST 23Project Iowa Info Session: 10:00am–11:00am, AUGUST 24NCRC Test: 8:45am–1:00pm, Appt. Needed AUGUST 25Digital Literacy (Advanced): 1:00pm–3:00pm AUGUST 29NCRC Test: 9:00am–1:00pm, 4:45–8:00pm Appt. Needed Digital Literacy (Beginner): 2:00pm–4:00pm AUGUST 30Project Iowa Info Session: 10:00am–11:00am, Financial Fitness Bootcamp (1 of 4): 5:30pm–7:30pm AUGUST 31NCRC Test: 8:45am–1:00pm, Appt. Needed

DID YOU KNOW? The month of August is commemorated for

National Family Fun and Romance Awareness

Month

The Romans gave this month its name in 8 BC,

after the first Roman Emperor Augustus who

ruled from 27 BC until his death in 14 AD.

Before then, the month had been known as

Sextilis, as it was the sixth of ten months in the

Roman calendar, which began with March.

IN THIS ISSUE a Valley Junction Ramping up for

Annual Festivals and Events

a “Fresh to Go!” Produce Stand Helps Low-

income Families in Des Moines

a DMARC Mobile Food Pantry

a Back 2 School Bash

a Got Debt?

COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP NEWSLETTER | AUGUST 2016

Achieving Greater Success...

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FINANCIAL FITNESS BOOT CAMPCome get your money clean for 2016! Sign up for this dynamic four-week workshop and take your finances to the next level. Topics include Financial Planning, Money Management, Budgeting, Credit Repair, and Loan Management. Next sessions: August 30, September 6, September 13, and September 20 — for more information, please call 515-697-1450 or visit www.fcn-dm.org.

It's all about the people, culture, and cuisines that shaped the Historic Valley Junction Neighborhood.

This year will mark the fourth year of celebrating the history of The Junction.

“This year we want to expand our horizons and invite all people – all walks of life – and make the event one big multicultural festival,” said Rachelle Long, founder and President of Taste of the Junction.

Also new this year will be some new vendors and new performances from local music artists.

Jazzin' in the Junction, the kickoff for subsequent events leading up to Taste of the Junction, will be held at Café Su in West Des Moines. On Wednesday, August 10, starting at 7pm, rhythms of jazz and blues will fill the sushi restaurant by local artists Dwight Jackson & Friends and the legendary Sam Salomone Trio.

Dwight Jackson is a self-taught musician whose dedication to learning the piano, keyboards, and percussion instruments has led to several engagements in Nashville, Atlanta, Chicago and Des Moines.

Sam Salomone started his impressive blues and jazz career in the early '60s. With the influences of Little Richard and Ray Charles—Jerry Lee Lewis being the one to ignite his passion—Sam started his career touring artists like Del Shannon and The Duprees.

Sam bought his first Hammond B3 organ in 1965 and after studying theory and harmony at Grand View College, he made his move to jazz. Since those days

Salomone has toured from coast to coast and within the Midwest including Chicago and Kansas City, but has in recent years decided to stay closer to home.

His work in Iowa has not gone without notice. Sam was inducted into both the Iowa Jazz Hall of Fame and the Iowa Blues Hall of Fame.

The second event, The Junction Speaks, will be held this year at the Polk County West Side Senior Center, from 6pm to 8:30pm, on Friday, September 2. With the highlight this year being Veterans of Valley Junction, storytellers will share knowledge of stories not written in books—rich history, pictures and slideshows.

Finally, Taste of the Junction Multicultural Festival will conclude 2016’s sequence of events on Saturday, September 3, from 1-10pm. The streets of Valley Junction will be filled with kids’ activities, food vendors offering various cuisines, and performances by the Isiserettes and local music artists the Valdez Band, Sumpin Doo, and new this year, Kalin Mazoo.

Make sure to mark your calendars and help support your community by celebrating these events, which were established to advance the awareness and preservation of the diverse cultures of historic Valley Junction.

This is accomplished by a diverse collaboration of Iowans presenting an annual enrichment celebration day, an education day that brings to life an introduction of foods, arts, music, culture, history, and historical acknowledgement to "all" cultures.

UPCOMING EVENTS IN THE COMMUNITY

MOVIES IN THE PARK August 5, at dusk Colby Park; "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" will be playing for this family movie night in the park. Bring a picnic dinner, a blanket or chairs and your family. Movie starts at dusk. Cost: FREE

BACK TO SCHOOL BASH August 21, 2:00pm–5:00pm John R. Grubb YMCA; Free school supplies will be provided for over 800 students. Also available: face painting, kids' games activities, basketball tournaments, food, and much more. Cost: FREE

KNITTIN FOR KITTENS August 11, 5:30pm–6:00pm Animal Rescue League of Iowa; Volunteer your time to knit beds for the cats at the ARL. Knitting supplies are provided. For more information about the program and patterns, please check out www.arl-iowa.org/events. Beginners are welcome, and RSVP is not required. Cost: FREE

APPLICATION DAY, HIRING EVENT August 17, 10:00am–1:00pm Evelyn K. Davis Center; On the third Wednesday of each month, various employers will be on site to hold mock and open interviews for interested applicants. Job developers will be available to assist with preparing professional resumes, and Men on the Move will also be on site to make sure you are dressed to impress. Cost: FREE

MUSIC IN THE JUNCTION August 4, 11, 18 & 25, 4:00pm–8:30pm Historic Valley Junction; Every Thursday in August. Farmers Market from 4:00–8:00pm, with music starting at 6:00pm. Cost: FREE admission

SYEP GRADUATION CEREMONY August 12, 11:00am DMACC Urban Campus; come congratulate the youth on their dedication, hard work, and completion of the Summer Youth Experience Program provided by the Evelyn K. Davis Center. Cost: FREE

IOWA STATE FAIR August 11–21 State Fairgrounds; Get your 2016 Fair tickets now and save over 30 percent. You can print your tickets at home or purchase them at the Administration Building on the Iowa State Fairgrounds between 8:00 a.m. and 4 p.m. (Monday – Friday). Adult tickets (ages 12+): $8 (before August 10). Child tickets (ages 6-11): $4 (before August 10). Ages 5 and under admitted free every Fair day

JAZZIN' IN THE JUNCTION August 10, 4:00pm–8:30pm Café Su; an evening of Jazz and Blues performances, featuring keyboardist Dwight Jackson & Friends and the legendary Sam Salomone. Cost: FREE admission

THE JUNCTION SPEAKS September 2, 6:00pm–8:30pm Polk County West Side Senior Center; Storytelling, pictures and slide shows of the rich history of The Junction. Cost: FREE

TASTE OF THE JUNCTION MULTICULTURAL FESTIVAL September 3, 1:00pm–10:00pm Historic Valley Junction; a day of fun for the whole family—food, music, art, kids games and activities, and so much more.

Cost: FREE admission

VALLEY JUNCTION RAMPING UP FOR ANNUAL FESTIVALS AND EVENTS

“FRESH TO GO!” PRODUCE STAND HELPS LOW-INCOME FAMILIES IN DES MOINESFrom now until August 30, DMARC will provide free produce to low-income families within the greater Des Moines area, with the goal of promoting healthy eating habits and introducing more fresh produce within the community.

This free, fresh produce stand, called Fresh to Go!, will be open to the public every Tuesday from 2-3pm, in the parking lot of Polk County River Place.

Fresh to Go! will feature a variety of fresh fruit and vegetables, free to the public, with funds provided by

a grant from the AETNA Foundation, Capital City Fruit and other sources.

In addition, Broadlawns Medical Center has agreed to join the initiative by providing bottled water as individuals wait, and by administering free blood pressure checks and providing general health information.

Dwight Jackson on the keyboard

Sam Solomone Sumpin Doo Valdez BandKalin Mazoo

DMARC MOBILE FOOD PANTRY

BACK 2 SCHOOL BASH

FREE ENTRY!

CASH PRIZES!

In collaboration with Partnership for a Hunger-Free Polk County, the Des Moines Area Religious Council (DMARC) has recently put together a strategy for bridging the gap regarding the war against hunger in Polk County.

In order to achieve this goal, DMARC Mobile Food Pantry will post up in “food deserts,” low-income areas in which residents are not able to easily access DMARC food pantries due to transportation barriers.

"We can now go exactly where we think we need to be; all we need is a parking lot," said Sarai Rice of DMARC.

Some areas around Polk County that they already plan to utilize include The John R Grubb YMCA, Southside YMCA, Norwoodville Community Center, and Clive Community services.

As of now, a qualified individual can receive a 3-day supply of food, measured by family size, and select food items they want with the choice pantry service model.

Individuals can expect a short intake process. There are no income requirements; however, every adult member of each household is required to show proper identification.

The mobile unit will initially post up at these locations once a week, and will eventually be available at more locations more often as time goes on.

"We think this is a game changer for the county, said Rice. "We think we will be able to find several thousand people who aren't getting assistance right now."

For more information visit www.dmarcunited.org/food/mobile or call 515.282.2026.

It’s that time of year again: Parents are starting to think about getting ready to start yet another school year.

For some families this transition can be a struggle, as the bill for all of the back-to-school supplies and gear adds up fairly quickly.

the 11th annual Back 2 School Bash Basketball Jamboree

will be held once again at the John R. Grubb YMCA, on Saturday, August 21, from 2-5pm. More than 800 students will walk away with FREE school supplies and much more.

Volunteers, vendors and sponsors, contact us today to see how you can get involved. Email info@back2schooliowa.com

Join us for the Back 2 School Bash Basketball Jamboree. This year, Back 2 School Iowa is partnering with Hoops 4 Charity, JayTees Apparel and the Iowa Force Women's Semi-Pro team to make the Jamboree bigger and better than ever.

Back 2 School Iowa was established in 2005. It began as an idea of four Drake students who wanted to contribute to their new found community.

• 3 vs. 3 Tourney

• All-Star Game

• 3 Point Shoot Out

• Dunk Contest

GOT DEBT?

Sit down with a Personal Financial Coach today to strategizea plan of action that can get you back on the the right path to financial freedom. Call Canesha Funderburke today to schedule your appointment. 515.697.1450

Canesha Funderburke