The Beacon Des Moines

The Beacon Des Moines Creating an environment that empowers women in crisis to achieve positive long-term change. Learn more at https://linktr.ee/thebeacondsm

The Beacon is a 34-bed home in Sherman Hill that provides community, healing, and growth for women who have faced trauma, abuse, substance use, incarceration, and homelessness. Clients work through a six-month, structured program that addresses mental health, relationships, financial responsibility, education/career development, substance use prevention, and experiencing community.

Growth looks different for everyone.A flower doesn’t bloom the day it’s planted.It takes time. It takes care. It takes t...
06/03/2026

Growth looks different for everyone.

A flower doesn’t bloom the day it’s planted.

It takes time. It takes care. It takes the right environment.

The same is true for healing.

Every day at The Beacon, women are working toward recovery, stability, and independence. Some are taking their first steps. Others are rebuilding after years of hardship. All are moving forward in their own way and in their own time.

Growth isn’t always loud. Sometimes it’s attending a meeting. Showing up for work. Rebuilding trust. Paying a bill. Asking for help. Believing in yourself again.

We are honored to walk alongside women as they create lives filled with hope, purpose, and possibility.

Over the weekend, we were reminded how quickly our community steps up when a need arises.After several women experienced...
06/02/2026

Over the weekend, we were reminded how quickly our community steps up when a need arises.

After several women experienced delays in accessing SNAP benefits, groceries began arriving almost immediately. We watched neighbors, supporters, and friends come together to help fill a temporary gap.

It was a beautiful reminder of what community can do.

It was also a reminder that unexpected challenges happen every day.

Sometimes it’s delayed benefits.
Sometimes it’s rising food costs.
Sometimes it’s an air conditioner that stops working during a heat wave.
Sometimes it’s a woman who needs a little more time, support, or stability than anyone anticipated.

These moments rarely make headlines, but they matter.

That is one of the reasons we created 26 for Her.

Monthly supporters help ensure The Beacon can continue providing safe housing, supportive services, recovery support, and the day-to-day stability that allows women to focus on healing and building their futures.

Because lasting change isn’t built in one moment.

It’s built day by day, one supported step at a time.

Learn more about 26 for Her: https://secure.qgiv.com/for/26forher

People often assume that recovery is built in the big moments.The day someone enters treatment.The day she gets housing....
06/01/2026

People often assume that recovery is built in the big moments.

The day someone enters treatment.
The day she gets housing.
The day she gets a job.
The day she graduates from a program.

Those moments matter.

But recovery is usually built in hundreds of smaller moments that happen in between.

It’s having groceries while waiting for benefits to arrive.
It’s having a safe place to sleep while rebuilding your life.
It’s having someone to call when things feel overwhelming.
It’s having enough stability to focus on tomorrow instead of just surviving today.

At The Beacon, we spend a lot of time in those in-between moments.

The moments that don’t make headlines.
The moments that don’t always fit neatly into a grant report.
The moments where a woman is simply trying to keep moving forward.

Those moments matter more than most people realize.

They are often where lasting change begins.

And they are only possible because a community chooses to show up.

Every volunteer hour, donation, partnership, meal, conversation, and word of encouragement helps create the stability women need to keep taking the next step forward.

Recovery is built one day, one choice, and one moment at a time.

Community ask 💛We are currently in need of more conditioner and hair care products for women of color at The Beacon.For ...
05/31/2026

Community ask 💛
We are currently in need of more conditioner and hair care products for women of color at The Beacon.
For many women rebuilding their lives, hair care is not “extra.” It is part of identity, confidence, self-care, and feeling like yourself again. Having products that actually work for your hair matters.
Current needs include:
• Conditioner
• Leave-in conditioner
• Moisturizing products
• Hair oils
• Products for textured, curly, coily, and natural hair
• Detangling and repair products
• General hair care essentials
New, unopened products are appreciated.
If you would like to help, items can also be shipped directly to us through our Amazon Wishlist (🔗 in bio) : https://a.co/0gKGLJi0

Yesterday, we shared that several women in our programs were impacted by the recent SNAP/EBT card disruptions across Iow...
05/30/2026

Yesterday, we shared that several women in our programs were impacted by the recent SNAP/EBT card disruptions across Iowa.

Today, our community reminded us why we never walk alone.

Within hours, groceries began arriving.

Oatmeal. Bread. Milk. Eggs. Fruit. Pasta. Cereal. Snacks.

Not because anyone was asked to solve a huge problem.

Because people saw a need and decided to help.

These donations will help ensure that women at The Beacon continue to have access to food and support while replacement benefits are being processed.

To everyone who dropped off groceries, shared our post, sent messages, made donations, or simply checked in to ask how they could help, thank you.

We are continually reminded that recovery, healing, and community are not things we build alone.

Thank you for showing up.

Community ask 💛We currently have several women in our program managing diabetes, and we are in need of diabetic-friendly...
05/29/2026

Community ask 💛
We currently have several women in our program managing diabetes, and we are in need of diabetic-friendly snacks, food items, and meal replacement shakes to help support their health and wellbeing.
Some helpful items include:
• Crackers
• Raisins
• Fruit snacks
• 100% juice boxes
• Glucose tablets (not candy)
• Protein shakes and meal replacement shakes
• Low sugar and high protein snacks
• Shelf-stable meal items someone could make a full meal from
We have a large freezer and pantry space available, along with limited refrigerator space.
Managing diabetes while rebuilding your life, attending appointments, working, and navigating recovery can be incredibly difficult. Having safe and reliable food options available can make a meaningful difference.
If you have questions or would like to coordinate a donation, please call us and select extension 1.
Thank you for continuing to care for the women at The Beacon in such thoughtful and practical ways. New, unopened products are appreciated.
If you would like to help, items can also be shipped directly to us through our Amazon Wishlist (🔗 in bio) : https://a.co/0gKGLJi0

A woman in our program has been searching for employment for months and this week, she finally got the call. She got the...
05/29/2026

A woman in our program has been searching for employment for months and this week, she finally got the call. She got the job. 💛
Now we need help making sure she can start with confidence.
We are currently looking for support purchasing:
• Black work shoes
• Women’s size 9
Employment is often one of the biggest steps toward long-term stability, independence, and rebuilding confidence after crisis. Moments like this matter.
We also added the shoes directly to our Amazon Wishlist for anyone who would like to help:
Purchase the Work Shoes Here: https://a.co/0gKGLJi0 (🔗in bio)
Thank you for continuing to show up for the women at The Beacon in practical, meaningful ways.

Community update:Multiple women at The Beacon Sherman Hill & The Beacon Village have already been impacted by the recent...
05/29/2026

Community update:

Multiple women at The Beacon Sherman Hill & The Beacon Village have already been impacted by the recent Iowa EBT card issue, resulting in temporary interruptions in access to SNAP benefits while replacement cards are being mailed.

The issue is expected to be temporary, but for some women, even a few days without access to grocery benefits can create additional stress during an already challenging season of life.

If you’ve been looking for a simple way to support women rebuilding their lives, this is a great week to help.

Our greatest needs right now are meal-focused items that can help women easily prepare breakfast, lunch, or dinner, including:

• Shelf-stable meals
• Easy-to-prepare meals
• Oatmeal and breakfast items
• Soup and canned goods
• Peanut butter and jelly
• Cereal
• Healthy snacks
• Coffee and creamer

We also have several women managing diabetes and would appreciate:
• High-protein snacks
• Protein shakes
• Meal replacement shakes
• Diabetic-friendly food options

We do have some room available in our community fridge and lots of room in our community freezer, so fresh and frozen food donations are also welcome, including frozen meats and proteins that can help women create complete meals.

Items such as frozen chicken, ground beef, ground turkey, frozen fish, frozen vegetables, and other meal ingredients can help provide nutritious meal options while women wait for their benefits to be restored.

Donations can be dropped off weekdays between 7:30 AM and 5:00 PM at:

1717 Woodland Ave
Des Moines, IA 50309

Questions about coordinating a donation? Please email [email protected].

Thank you for helping ensure women have access to nutritious meals and healthy snacks while they focus on healing, recovery, employment, and long-term stability.

https://www.kcci.com/article/iowa-snap-recipients-face-delays-in-receiving-replacement-ebt-cards/71437938

What a night! 🎉Thank you to everyone who joined us for Trivia Night for The Beacon.From the friendly competition and lau...
05/29/2026

What a night! 🎉

Thank you to everyone who joined us for Trivia Night for The Beacon.

From the friendly competition and laughter to the wine pull and community connections, it was a fun evening filled with people who believe in supporting women as they rebuild their lives.

A huge thank you to the team at Bash for generously donating your space, time, and hospitality. Your support helped make the entire event possible.

Thank you to our Board of Directors for helping plan and organize the evening, and a special thank you to Board President Shannon Sobek for serving as our trivia host.

We are also grateful to RōCA and Thistles for donating prizes and helping make the night even more memorable for our participants.

Most importantly, thank you to everyone who purchased a ticket, donated, brought a team, or simply showed up. Community is built one relationship, one conversation, and one act of support at a time.

While it was a fun night of trivia, the impact reaches far beyond the answer sheets. Every dollar raised helps provide safe housing, support, accountability, and stability for women working toward healing, recovery, and long-term independence.

Thank you for being part of that story. 💛

Address

1717 Woodland Avenue
Des Moines, IA
50309

Opening Hours

Monday 4:30am - 10:30pm
Tuesday 4:30am - 10:30pm
Wednesday 4:30am - 10:30pm
Thursday 4:30am - 10:30pm
Friday 4:30am - 10:30pm
Saturday 4:30am - 10:30pm
Sunday 4:30am - 10:30pm

Telephone

+15152444713

Website

https://linktr.ee/thebeacondsm

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