My name is Bri Dressel and I have been interning at the Des Moines Area Religious Council (DMARC), specifically working with direct food assistance. My recent work has been exciting because I have been given the freedom to make DMARC’s video grant application for the A Community Thrives grant of up to $100,000! This video took a lot of time and energy but I am happy with the way that it turned out. Applying under the “Wellness” category, my video needs to get one of the top number of votes to move to the next round. Though there are many submissions and my video may not win, this is a good opportunity for DMARC’s cause to gain publicity. Here is the link to vote for my video (http://act.usatoday.com/submit-an-idea/#/gallery/60434946) , voting is open until May 12th and everyone can vote once daily! The footage shows a little bit of what Des Moines is like and the Drake Area Food Pantry, which is one of DMARC’s 13 pantries. DMARC has 12 pantries and 1 mobile food pantry. I had the pleasure earlier in the year participating, helping, interviewing, and photographing “A Day in the Life of the Mobile Food Pantry.” Later the photos I took and the story I wrote from my interview with one of the pantry visitors, Ida, was featured on the cover of DMARC’s newsletter. Working at DMARC has provided me with a lot of opportunities to get a better grip on what food assistance means—a perspective shift for sure.
