DES MOINES, Iowa — We know the Urban Bicycle Food Ministry: they’re a group of angels.

Loving Iowans who take it upon themselves to buy, make, and deliver food and supplies to Des Moines’ homeless out on the streets and in camps around the city. We’re talking about the people who don’t go to shelters. They’re outside — even in this weather — and so the Ministry is, too, every Thursday night.

On this particular Thursday, the basement of the Capitol Hill Lutheran Church was positively buzzing — like a hive of fluorescent-clad worker bees.

They cooked food, made sandwiches, packed bags, folded up warm clothes and sleeping mats, and then loaded it all into waiting vans.

“We’ll make 800 burritos, 400 turkey and cheese sandwiches, 400 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches; and we’ll also hand out fruit, water,” says volunteer, Robby Collier.

Since they don’t use their customary bikes to make the deliveries in the winter, they can actually carry more supplies on their routes, which reach out to all corners of Des Moines.

“The last few weeks,” Collier says, “we’ve been averaging about 420 people a night. It’s down from our summer numbers. In the summer we’ll be close to 550-600 people, but even in the winter, we’ll serve over 400 people each night.”

Some live in low-income housing and value the extra calories and connection. Others are completely unsheltered, living out in the open along streets and rivers.

All welcome the sight of Ministry volunteers.

“They look for us,” Collier smiles. “They see our bright, yellow shirts and the holler ‘Burrito slingers!’ and we come running to them, and offer radical hospitality one burrito at a time with grace, love, respect, and hope … and a hug.”

The Ministry works every Thursday over at the Capitol Hill Lutheran Church in the East Village —they’d love to have more volunteers. But they’d also love to have any blankets or warm clothing that you may not need anymore. You can find them at ubfmdsm.com, or on Facebook and Instagram.

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