Free groceries are available at food pantries across Des Moines and nearby communities. Several locations offer evening or Saturday hours, and some provide assistance without income or residency restrictions.
Oct. 27, 2026.
By Hola America News
DES MOINES, Iowa — Free food pantries in Des Moines offer groceries to households that need help covering food costs, with locations on the city’s north, south and east sides and in surrounding communities. Several operate on weekdays, while others offer evening or Saturday service.
The Des Moines Area Religious Council (DMARC) coordinates a network of food pantries that generally provide a three-day supply of groceries once per month, based on household size. Additional food items may be available more frequently. DMARC says its network has no income or residency requirements, and people without photo identification will not be turned away from its general pantry program.
Individual organizations may have different check-in procedures, identification rules and distribution schedules. Hours can also change for holidays, severe weather or other operational reasons.
The DMARC pantry finder provides additional locations and a downloadable pantry map in Spanish. Questions about the network can be directed to 515-277-6969.
Free food pantry locations and hours in Des Moines
The following locations have published schedules through Polk County or their operating organizations. These are regular advertised hours, not a guarantee of service or inventory on a particular day.
1. Polk County River Place Food Pantry — North Des Moines
Address: 2309 Euclid Ave., Des Moines, IA 50310.
Hours: Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Phone: 515-286-3695.
Polk County operates the River Place Food Pantry with DMARC and the Food Bank of Iowa. Its monthly distribution includes a three-day supply of food and certain essential household items; a smaller selection may be available daily.
All households are welcome. The county’s pantry-specific information says identification is requested but not required. Some food items have additional income-related eligibility rules.
2. DMARC-Ket Southside — South Des Moines
Address: 100 Army Post Road, Des Moines, IA 50315.
Hours: Monday–Friday, 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
Phone: 515-277-6969.
DMARC operates this south-side pantry directly. Under the DMARC food assistance guidelines, visitors do not need to meet an income threshold or live in a particular ZIP code. Bringing photo identification is encouraged, but its absence does not prevent access to food.
The location follows Des Moines Public Schools’ winter weather closure decisions. Weather-related school closures may therefore affect pantry operations.
3. Knock and Drop Iowa (KADI) — Evening hours on Tuesdays and Wednesdays
Address: 3010 6th Ave., Des Moines, IA 50313.
Hours: Monday and Thursday, noon–3 p.m.; Tuesday and Wednesday, 4–7 p.m.; Friday, 11 a.m.–2 p.m.
Organization contact: 515-330-6077.
Knock and Drop Iowa, also known as KADI, operates a community food pantry serving households in north Des Moines. The county-supported evening schedule began Sept. 1, 2026, adding access after work hours on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
KADI was founded by Zuli Garcia and provides culturally responsive community assistance. The organization publishes information in English and Spanish, although staffing and language availability during every pantry shift have not been confirmed.
Its current pantry-specific identification or appointment requirements should be confirmed with the organization. The address above is the food pantry location, which differs from older organizational addresses still found in some community directories.
4. St. Vincent de Paul — Sixth Avenue
Address: 1426 6th Ave., Des Moines, IA 50314.
Hours: Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 11 a.m.–6 p.m.; Tuesday and Thursday, 9 a.m.–1 p.m.
Phone: 515-282-8327, extension 140.
St. Vincent de Paul’s food pantry program allows individuals and families to receive assistance every 15 days, subject to its procedures.
The organization requires some form of identification for the visitor and other household members at each visit. Same-day appointments may be arranged in person or by phone, depending on availability.
5. St. Vincent de Paul — South Des Moines
Address: 500 Army Post Road, Des Moines, IA 50315.
Hours: Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 11 a.m.–6 p.m.; Tuesday and Saturday, 9 a.m.–1 p.m.
Phone: 515-282-8328, extension 230.
This second St. Vincent de Paul food pantry provides a Saturday option for households unable to visit during the workweek.
The same 15-day visit policy, identification requirement and appointment availability apply. The pantry lists its address as 500 Army Post Road; the organization’s nearby thrift store has a different street number, so visitors should use the pantry address.
6. Families Forward Bidwell Pantry — Southeast Des Moines
Address: 1203 Hartford Ave., Des Moines, IA 50315.
Published daily schedule: Monday–Friday, 9:30 a.m.–4 p.m.
Check-in deadline: Before 3:30 p.m.
Phone: 515-989-8413.
The Bidwell Pantry, operated by Families Forward, offers food assistance without residency boundaries or a requirement to provide financial information.
Identification is preferred but not mandatory. The organization says visitors without identification may receive a limited selection of food. Households may choose available items or receive assistance selecting groceries.
Its published daily schedule starts at 9:30 a.m., while another paragraph on the same property page says 9 a.m. Arriving after 9:30 a.m. and before the 3:30 p.m. check-in cutoff avoids relying on the earlier, inconsistent opening time.
7. Catholic Charities Food Pantry — East Des Moines
Address: 1815 Hubbell Ave., Des Moines, IA 50316.
Hours: Monday–Thursday, 10 a.m.–3:30 p.m.; Friday, 9:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
Phone: 515-262-7290.
The Catholic Charities Food Pantry operates a monthly grocery program and a separate daily food window.
The daily food window welcomes visitors without screening questions and distributes available items such as produce, dairy products, rice, beans and bread while supplies last. Its monthly program provides a larger supply of food and may include diapers or infant formula, depending on inventory and program requirements.
Monthly assistance has additional check-in rules. Iowa 211 lists household identification and a current piece of mail among the documents for full pantry service. The daily food window should not be confused with the monthly grocery distribution.
West Des Moines also has a pantry with Tuesday evening hours
8. West Des Moines Human Services Food Pantry
Address: 139 6th St., West Des Moines, IA 50265.
Hours: Monday and Thursday, 8:30 a.m.–3 p.m.; Tuesday, 8:30 a.m.–3 p.m. and 4:30–6:30 p.m.; Wednesday and Friday, 8:30 a.m.–noon.
Phone: 515-222-3660.
The West Des Moines Human Services pantry provides groceries through the DMARC network. The Tuesday evening session has a 6 p.m. arrival cutoff.
The food pantry does not impose income or residency requirements. Identification for household members is requested but not required, and visitors using the Anytime Food program do not need identification or registration.
The city also provides a Human Services brochure in Spanish. Availability of Spanish-speaking staff during individual pantry visits should be confirmed separately.
Mobile food pantries provide additional afternoon options
DMARC operates a mobile food pantry that distributes groceries at several community locations. Its published schedule includes:
- Oakridge Neighborhood: 1401 Center St., Des Moines. Tuesdays, 3–5 p.m.
- DART Central Station: 620 Cherry St., Des Moines. Thursdays, 4–6 p.m.
- Prince of Peace Lutheran Church: 2600 E. Euclid Ave., Des Moines. Second Wednesday of each month, 4–6 p.m.
The mobile program follows DMARC’s general food assistance model, including a monthly grocery supply based on household size and no income or residency restriction. Identification is encouraged but does not determine whether someone can receive food.
Mobile schedules are especially vulnerable to weather-related changes. The DMARC mobile pantry calendar is the appropriate source for confirming a stop before traveling.
DMARC food delivery is available for people who cannot reach a pantry
DMARC also offers free grocery delivery in the greater Polk County area for people facing health, transportation or other circumstances that prevent a pantry visit or pickup by another person.
Requests must be made by phone at 833-362-7220 (1-833-DMARC-20). Iowa 211 lists order-taking hours of Monday–Wednesday, 9 a.m.–noon, with deliveries scheduled for Thursday. Delivery capacity is limited, and calling does not guarantee a delivery slot.
The service has no delivery fee or income requirement. Households may be asked basic intake questions to arrange assistance.
Identification, appointments and visit limits vary by pantry
Requirements should not be assumed to be identical across every location. The main distinctions are:
- DMARC’s general network: No income or residency requirement; photo identification requested but not required; a monthly grocery supply and limited additional items on other days.
- Polk County River Place: Identification requested but not required under its pantry-specific information. Some items have income-related restrictions.
- St. Vincent de Paul: Identification for household members; visits every 15 days; same-day appointments subject to availability.
- Families Forward Bidwell Pantry: No income or residency boundary; identification preferred, but a more limited selection may be provided without it.
- Catholic Charities: A daily food window without screening questions, alongside a monthly program with separate documentation procedures.
Food availability depends on donations, supplies and each pantry’s distribution program. Published hours do not guarantee a particular food item or a full grocery allocation on every visit.
Spanish-language food assistance information is available through DMARC and Iowa 211
The DMARC pantry locator offers a downloadable Spanish-language map of food pantry locations. West Des Moines Human Services also publishes a program brochure in Spanish.
Iowa 211 provides free referrals to local services, including food assistance. Calls are answered by trained staff, with bilingual assistance or telephone interpretation available for people who do not speak English.
The service operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Dial 211 or 866-813-1731. Asking for a Spanish interpreter can help when confirming a location or looking for another nearby option.
These language resources do not establish that every individual food pantry has Spanish-speaking staff on every shift.
Food pantries and SNAP provide different types of assistance
Food pantries distribute groceries or other items directly, generally without charging visitors. Iowa’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is a separate public benefit that provides eligible households with money for qualifying food purchases through an EBT card.
SNAP applications and eligibility information are managed by Iowa Health and Human Services. Accessing a community pantry does not itself enroll someone in SNAP or establish eligibility for that program.
Pantry schedules, available food and special distribution rules can change. The DMARC location finder and 515-277-6969 remain the central resources for confirming nearby pantry options; Iowa 211 is available at any hour for additional food assistance referrals.
Related: Free meals, community fridges and ways to help in the Des Moines metro.
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