Chaplains, Cops & Community
During the Civil Unrest of 2020, HELP DSM mobilized over 65 pastors to support the Des Moines Police Dept. at the station while there were many violent protests around the community. Our Governor came as well to offer support. We prayed over Chief Dana Wingert and Governor Kim Reynolds . As a result of supporting our department, several pastors of color are currently training to become chaplains. From a cultural shifting standpoint, HELPDSM participated in the Department’s Implicit Bias Training where many pastors of color engaged in panel discussions as well as small group discussion. This ongoing relationship has yielded many other Outreach Division partnership strategies with our Police Dept. Two of our Latino pastors/chaplains helped broker a peaceful standoff between law enforcement and a mob of protesters.
WELLNESS
VaxDSM was the brainchild of Pastor Whitfield of Corinthian Baptist Church. The goal of using the local Church as surrogate sites to get vaccinations to people of color. HELP DSM congregations, Strategic America, United Way Opportunity and Americorps partnered together. Ten congregations participated. This work with the VaxDSM initiative, yielded all partnering agencies an induction into the Iowa Volunteer Hall of Fame.
