SAM Team

This group from Word of Victory Church in Ankeny experienced SAM Team in May 2009
Young people from Berean Assembly of God in Pleasant Hill participated in a SAM Team in May 2009

Our Service and Mission (SAM) Teams provides a “hands-on” group outreach experience. The six-hour day includes a variety of activities which includes a work (service) project at our Hope Outreach Center, a meal at our Hope Café, a tour of our Bethel Mission facility, education about homelessness, and a visit to the homeless who live in tent camps along the rivers in Des Moines.

SAM Teams are led by Hope Ministries staff and trained volunteers. We invite church groups, families, civic service groups and others to schedule a SAM Team experience.

Like our Hope on the Streets outreach, many of the individuals we come into contact with through our SAM Teams often end up coming to Hope Ministries when they are ready to, as one former tent camp resident said, “face the world again.”

“We had such a wonderful time on Saturday! I know everyone in our group was enlightened to the needs that exist and moved to be a part of encouraging these men and women through service, donations, and prayer. The entire staff at Hope Ministries is made up of very special people who truly have the heart of God, and you inspire us all. Thank you for the opportunity to serve, and I look forward to many more of our church’s small groups getting involved with Hope Ministries!”
-Jamey Deen, Point of Grace Church

The Saturday SAM Team schedule provides the following:

9 – 11 a.m.:   Work group project at Hope Bargain and Community Outreach Center
11:30 a.m.:   Experience a meal at Hope Café alongside the homeless, near-homeless and hungry of our community.
12 p.m.:   Meet in our Bethel Mission Chapel for a time of reflection, prayer and a presentation on homelessness, as well as a testimony from a recovery graduate.
12:30 p.m.:   Tour our Bethel Mission facility—the largest emergency shelter for men in Iowa.
12:45 – 3 p.m.:   Deliver food and supplies to homeless tent camps in the woods and along either the Des Moines or Raccoon rivers.


To express your interest in scheduling a SAM Team experience for your group, please click here to fill out our volunteer group application, and be sure to check the SAM Team box in the list at the bottom. For more information, contact us at (515) 265-7272 or info@hopeiowa.org.


We wish to thank the youth group from New Covenant Church in Knoxville who participated on our Service and Mission Team visiting homeless tent camps and provided bags of food and supplies.


This youth group participated on a Service & Mission team in May 2007.  They worked for two hours at our Hope Bargain Center on a Saturday, ate at Hope Café, heard a presentation on homelessness, toured our Bethel Mission facility and delivered food and encouragement to several homeless tent camps.  Here they are standing in the center of one of the camps.