I have a Harmar Stair Lift that I would like to donate to someone who needs it . We sold our house and the buyers don"t need it. The track fastens to the stair tread and a chair carries someone up & down . I also have several prescription eyeglasses and several high quality hearing aids. Called Ankeny Lions Club 3 times to donate but they never returned my calls . If you know who I should contact please call me at 641-510-2291 Thanks Marv
I was a longtime volunteer and can no longer support CISS. This organization is abusive from the top down. The CEO gaslights staff. There’s a toxic culture that is rooted in the top-level leadership. What’s problematic is there’s not a checks-and-balances system for the CEO, so she remains as CEO as no one holds her accountable.
Honestly great place.
Work experience? 5/5.
Opportunities? 5/5.
The overall ability to assist clients? 5/5.
I am a client there now have been for 6 weeks worked 3 1/2 out the first 5 accepting whatever job came my way no help at all from staff there in actuality it is as if they cater to the non productive people there .. so anyway this is my plight I just took a job making 20 dollars an hour it’s a third shift job gave them verification and my hours it was documented and approved however every morning they come wake me up when I’m supposed to be sleeping I go to work from 10 pm to 6 or some mornings later and also when I get up to eat lunch and ask if I can go back to sleep please I get a lot of flack I have to wait 2 hours for them to mop the dining area and when I ask to speak to supervisor they told me to leave go sleep outside even when I explain I drive a forklift at work and need to be rested it’s a safety hazard they have no compassion for people trying and do not try to facilitate you at all it’s almost as if they are trying to sabotage my opportunity to get stable and move on .. can someone on the board intervene and do something about this please .. to all those who have some power to change what’s going on please look into this as I’ve had issues even getting a bag lunch when I took my first job opportunity I worked 12 hour shifts with no breakfast because they serve it at 6 am and I had to be outta there to be at work from 7 to 7 and then come back to a bag lunch a sandwich and bottle water cause they did not even have a lunch bag for me so I would eat 1 bag lunch a day wrote 2 grievances have yet to get an answer from either one .. I actually worked as an operation personnel for C.P.L.C in Las Vegas Nv and have in-depth knowledge on helping homeless individuals with guidance to get the resources the state provides to get them stable again ironically I was in a very bad divorce and decided to transition to Des Moines and start my life over .. well all you gets is threats day in day out to leave from staff here .. if you not cleaning up get out come back at 3 pm not if you are not cleaning up go to the computer lab and build a resume start a job search nothing constructive just threats all day about everything it’s get out or help do this ..I know the place has to be kept up however people volunteer to do it and they have this beautiful courtyard the clients help build why are they thrown out to be an eye sore to the community
I've been staying at this place off and on for a year they still haven't help me find a place to live. they got a $5 million dollar grant for covid-19 they moved some of us to hotels and they're feeding us barely anything haven't helped me get a place so where did the money go. The shelter itself is filthy dirty, toilets don't work ,sinks don't work, bedbugs.I personally know the staff person that runs the kitchen got caught taking cases of food out to her boyfriend's car and putting it in the trunk and she didn't get fired.if the staff likes you they help you out. if they don't they're going to get you out of there as fast as possible you're not going to get your mail you're not going to get any help.I also know that the head guy Tommy got covid-19 tested positive but they kept it under the rug and just sent him home didn't tell anybody cuz they don't want the bad publicity.
This is ran by the residents and rules are not enforced by the staff who see this place as a stepping stone for a better career. Third shift is non existence in the north and south sleeping area, people sprawled out on the floor like a crack house.
Residents are allowed to intimidate and tell staff that they don't have authority to tell them to follow the rules. Threats from the drug crowd is rampant and ignored by staff, violence is condoned by the staff as residents gain power.
I was a client in the fall of 2011(?) when the new shelter opened. It was such a savior for me. I was living basically, on the streets, for about 8 months which was a total eye-opening experience. I was waiting for my disability payments to start but in the mean time had no where to go during the winter. Like a lot of the others, it was a matter of happenstance. I was Very grateful to have the services provided to me that helped get me back out into a world of self-suffiniency. I have been a donor to these causes for the homeless in prior years and also since!!! I PAY IT FORWARD FOR A REASON!!!
It is beyond obvious that every reviewer is a board member. This is the worst shelter as far as actual services provided. The food served at breakfast and lunch will give you diabetes, if it doesn't poison you. Case managers have for the most part no knowledge of services available to help people. The management get large salerys, when it is supposed to be a non profit. Theft of V.A. funds to the tune of several million dollars, the loss of the C.R.R.C. program for instance. Even if a "client" hasn't used their services in 10 years they will be considered a client forever.
In the past year, Central Iowa Shelter and Services has assisted more than 1,200 guests, providing transitional shelter opportunities, as well as shower and laundry facilities. CISS also offers a weekly medical clinic, HIV screenings and counseling services, substance abuse and mental health evaluations, legal aid and GED exam preparation. The organization is focused on providing a host of resources to help clients achieve independent living such as case management, counseling, life skills instruction. In the past year, CISS has successfully placed 152 individuals were transitioned into stabilized housing. Their commitment to our community goes beyond their own walls. The Central Iowa Shelter Community Kitchen program delivered more than 89,000 meals at six sites around Polk county last year alone.
I've been a board member for over 6 years and seen Central Iowa Shelter and Services transition from a facility that solely focused on emergency sheltering to one that is committed to helping individuals on a path to self sufficiency. The staff and volunteers of Central Iowa Shelter and Services are first rate and truely committed to making a difference in the greater Des Moines community.
I volunteer at Central Iowa Shelter & Services because I want to do something that is a direct benefit to the people in our community as well as the community as a whole. I have limited time to volunteer, so its important to me that I work with an organization that is well-run and truly dedicated to its mission. CISS is both. Its staff works hard with their clients to help them become independent, and they work tirelessly to provide as many services as possible.
I began volunteering at Central Iowa Shelter and Services in September 2010 and was immediately impressed with how well the organization is run and how welcoming and helpful the staff are. Another thing that impresses me about the shelter is how well connected it is to the community. Several restaurants and bakeries regularly supply their extra food to the shelter, many civic and religions organizations volunteer to make and serve the evening meals, and there is a steady stream of donated items given to the shelter. The clients i have met seem very appreciative of the services provided and the opportunity to have their basic needs met while getting back on their feet. The shelter seems to always be running at full capacity so I look forward to when the new building is completed so they can expand the services that are offered.
I came to know about Central Iowa Shelter & Services when I worked for the local festival and events group. At the conclusion of one of our Festivals, we donated several items (food and t-shirts) that remained from our volunteer program. Today, I'm a proud member of the volunteer PR team and also donate clothing and other items for the residents on a regular basis. I am constantly learning about the wonderful things CISS is doing to help those in need and take pride in knowing that I am a (very) small part of that. The staff and volunteers who contribute to CISS' successes are a bright spot in our community.
Central Iowa Shelter & Services has an amazing set of services to offer and our community is proud to have CISS. I participate on the PR Committee, who provides a quarterly newsletter to donors and volunteers to keep them updated on progress, share the unique stories of the people who utilize the services at CISS, and extend gratitude to those who donate time or money to the shelter. Whether you have utilized the services yourself, volunteer, or donate, CISS stands out with an honorable reputation.
I have been a volunteer at CISS for over a year now. I check clients into the shelter and see the people firsthand who are trying to put their lives back together. After living in Chicago for 20 years and recently moving back to Des Moines, I was incredibly impressed with the staff and services but saddened by the out of date facility. I believe the shelter needs the new facility to accomodate the growing problem of homelessness in our city. The team of professionals and volunteers who provide the meals are terrific and very dedicated. Without these amazing people, the shelter would not be able to survive.
CISS is amazing. The have a food rescue network all over town... they have a garden and are expanding... they have a nutritious 2-week menu designed by ISU dieticians they share with volunteer groups... they partner with other shelters (youth, etc.) in the area... they offer professional development and job placement assistance for the needy... and they just CARE... Keep up the great work !!!
Central Iowa Shelter & Services plays a crucial role in getting homeless adults off the street and on the path toward self-sufficiency. It is a careful steward of public and private funds, and annually serves with a limited budget thousands of people through leveraging a strong volunteer force and careful expenditures. The shelter is in the process of constructing a new building, which will enable better service to more individuals in the years ahead.
It is my absolute pleasure to write this review for Central Iowa Shelter Services. Our shelter has gone above and beyond to serve those in need. Through blizzards, floods and record heat the shelter reached its max capacity yet the staff continued to welcome those in need and treat them as family. CISS recognizes the individuals they serve and treat them with respect and offer programs to help them stand on their own. Last year they graduated their first GED student through a new program they offered. The Executive Director, Tony Timm, has fought a long and hard battle to gain ground for a new shelter and was successful this year. The new facility will be an amazing thing for this community and offer even more services (medical, dental, classrooms) to serve those in need. CISS serves has served 67,984 meals, 81,895 through their community kitchen and has provides 33,992 nights of shelter this year. They welcome every male and female with open arms. We are truly blessed to have such a great shelter in our community that is helping build a better future for all.
I'm an original Board Member of this wonderful and caring Shelter for over 100 men and women each night at no charge, who would otherwise be out on the harsh streets of Des Moines. I've seen the Shelter continue to expand, not only in it's basic programming, but in its vision for a round- the -clock care and housing for chronic homeless. The Board through the years has been unbelievably committed and visionary, sharing their passion with others in our Community to make it a household word of ultimate caring for those of the least of us. In addition to housing homeless, the Shelter provides 2 meals each day, a clinic sponsored by a local hospital, computer/GED classes, transportation to and from jobs for clients, and serves as the Community Kitchen in Des Moines Metro area, sending out over 450 meals each day to different meal sites for families, individuals and children at no charge.
I volunteer for Monday evening check-in at the Central Iowa Shelter. I have the privilege of working with the committed staff and helping clients get registered to stay in a bed at the shelter overnight. The shelter serves 3 meals a day, provides caseworkers to help clients move forward, has computer lab access for job searching and resume writing, and brings in Legal Aid, Primary Health Care, and GED services. CISS provides for the immediate needs of homeless men and women in Polk County who desperately need the help.