I’m sending this update tonight to inform you, with a heavy heart, that for the first time in the 5 year history of the Urban Bicycle Food Ministry - Des Moines, we will suspend our Thursday night activities to feed the homeless and food insufficient through the end of March. Our hope is that we will continue our normal operations in early April.

This was a difficult and disappointing decision for the UBFM Board of Directors and me to make. We talked about a number of different options of how we could continue to serve those in need and keep our volunteers safe. Once we received word that Capitol Hill Lutheran Church was closing through the end of March, we all agreed that UBFM had to do our part to help flatten the corona virus curve by taking a short break. We also did this to reduce the possibility of exposing you, our volunteers and those we serve to the life-taking corona virus.

Trust me, this was a very difficult decision to make since we celebrated our 5th birthday on Thursday.

As we move forward over the next couple weeks and months, here is our commitment to you:

NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS, UBFM is not going away. We are only taking a break to do our part during this national emergency and until we have more information. Our goal is to figure out the best way to help those in need without putting volunteers at risk.
We will continue to keep you up to date on a weekly basis as best we can.
Once we have a plan to begin our Thursday night activities, we will let you know.

Blessings and peace to all of you!

Joe Laslo
Chief Burrito Slinger
Urban Bicycle Food Ministry - Des Moines