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Who's being helped

Catholic Social Services, 1321 Second Ave. S., open 8:30 a.m. to noon and 1 to 5 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday and from 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday.

Branch office clinical supervisor is Susan Rohden, LISW, said, ''We provide individual, family and couples therapy to people regardless of faith or financial means. We provide professional social services and support to individuals, families and children,'' including play therapy, maternity services, adoption services and post abortion counseling.

Salvation Army, 126 N. Seventh St., open 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday and at 9:30 a.m. Sunday for church services, with Sunday school at 10:30 a.m. Meals are served between 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Capt. Danielle Shields and Maj. Debbie Agnew are in charge. Shields said, ''First of all, we are a church, and sometimes that gets a little hidden behind thrift stores and kettles and social work. That's ultimately who we are and why we do what we do. Our heart is to God, and our hand is to man.''

Lord's Cupboard, 127 N. 10th St., open 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Tuesday and Thursday and 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Friday. Marjory and Glen Thompson are interim volunteer coordinators.

The food pantry provides food to people qualified through Upper Des Moines Opportunity, providing between $40 and $60 worth of groceries, depending on the size of the family, as much as three times a year. That includes meat, eggs, bread, cereal and margarine.

The Lord's Cupboard takes donations of food and money from the public.

Proteus Inc., 409 Kenyon Road, open 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Mark Dougherty is office supervisor.

Proteus works with migrant and seasonal farm workers, providing health care and job opportunities with retraining available and an in-house food bank. Vocational assistance is available to anyone.

Sunny skies are expected Sunday for the annual Crop Walk in Reynolds Park, but organizers say the walk will go on, rain or shine.

''Crop Walk is an ecumenical church ministry to combat hunger locally, nationally and internationally,'' said co-chairman, the Rev. Bill Kerns of First Christian Church in Fort Dodge. ''This is an endeavor many Fort Dodge churches have participated in over the decades.''

A fourth of all funds raised stays in the city, divided among Catholic Social Services, the Salvation Army, the Lord's Cupboard and Proteus Inc.

''Also,'' Kerns said, ''we are going to give 10 percent for the victims of the 2008 Iowa natural disasters'' as a way to help flood recovery in the state. The remaining 65 percent goes for national and international needs, including teaching people self sufficiency with agricultural methods, training teachers and digging wells.

Crop Walk also raises awareness of hunger and poverty issues, Kerns said.

''The bottom line is, there are two ways to look at this,'' he said. ''No. 1, when we help others, we're helping our own brothers and sisters in Christ, albeit modestly in any way we can.

''If people don't care about that aspect, this is an investment. When we reach out and help people and make an investment in people's lives, it's proven to make our communities and state and nation a better place to live.''

Interfaith Forum sponsors the Crop Walk, Kerns said. Jim McCubbin, of Fort Dodge, is co-chairman.

Three routes have been planned for the walk, all starting in Reynolds Park at Fourth Avenue North and 18th Street. The first route is a mile, the second is two miles and the third is five miles.

''They're all marked,'' Kerns said. ''They all start and end at Reynolds Park.''

In case of rain, the walk will go inside the Crossroads Mall, but Kerns doubts that will happen. After all, weather men have promised sunny skies on Sunday.

Contact Sandy Mickelson at (515) 573-2141 or smickelson@messengernews.net