About Joppa

Joppa began reaching out to the unsheltered in the summer of 2008.

What began as a private family volunteer endeavor has quickly become a non-profit organization with hundreds of volunteers, dozens of partners, a large impact locally, and a national vision to help ease and end homelessness.

Joppa volunteers engage weekly in homeless outreach, housing, aftercare and advocacy.

We acknowledge people, treat them with respect and dignity, and invest time in building relationships.

We hug people and make sure they know how much we love them—regardless of their condition, behavior or past mistakes.

During winter, Joppa supplies heat weekly to tents and shacks throughout Des Moines and its suburbs, and we make sure every homeless person has a good pair of waterproof insulated boots. We also provide food, winter gear, tents, sleeping bags and other survival necessities, along with a 24-hour cellular hotline, counseling and response to special needs and emergencies.
We work closely with Primary HealthCare, LegalAid, the Veterans Administration, local shelters and other agencies to help people solve specific health, employment, housing and legal issues.

Our goal is to end homelessness, which happens one family, couple or person at a time. To date Joppa has helped more than 120 homeless people get off the streets of Des Moines.

Let some of our many homeless friends tell you about what Joppa means to them.

What Joppa Does

• Express Christ’s unconditional love
• Build relationships – become like family
• Help people stay warm, dry and healthy
• Provide food, humanitarian aid & care
• Respond to needs & emergencies
• Be a voice, advocate & link to resources
• Encourage positive steps forward
• Provide aftercare once off the streets