Community Difference Makers
Bankers Trust and United Way of Central Iowa team up in 2026 to tackle our community’s toughest challenges, from food insecurity and housing to childcare and youth violence. Hear weekly conversations with experts and community members working to create real change. Welcome to Community Difference Makers.
Episodes
Graduating from high school is an important milestone. But what happens the morning after graduation? For more than one in five Central Iowa graduates—22%—there isn't yet a clear plan that includes education or training beyond high school.
In this episode of Community Difference Makers, we discuss the importance of helping young people leave high school with a sense of what comes next.
Featuring:
...
Preventing youth violence takes more than a justice system. It takes families, schools, mentors, community organizations, and young people working together. In this episode of Community Difference Makers, we explore Central Iowa’s Safe & Thriving Youth Community Plan, the progress being made, and how a coordinated community effort can create safer, brighter futures for local youth.
Featuring:
•Kimberly...
Explore two innovative housing solutions making a difference in Central Iowa: transforming extended stay hotels into supportive housing and creating affordable homeownership through a community land trust. Discover how creative thinking is helping expand access to safe, stable housing for more people.
Featuring:
•Jaqueline Chico, Central Iowa Community Land Trust / Home, Inc.
•Emily Osweiler, Greater Des Moines Suppo...
On this episode of Community Difference Makers, we explore how food pantries can serve as a gateway to additional support for families and individuals facing challenges with housing, transportation, healthcare, employment, and more.
Featuring:
• Kathy Underhill, DMARC (Des Moines Area Religious Council)
• Zuli Garcia, Knock and Drop Iowa
• Luke Lynch, United Way of Central Iowa
• Emily Abbas, Bankers Tr...
On this episode of Community Difference Makers, we discuss how central Iowa’s health and human services organizations responded to United Way’s Thriving Community Survey and what it tells us about the demand they’re experiencing, their ability to meet it, and what they expect in the months ahead in the Des Moines metro.
Featuring:
• Janice Schroeder, Children & Families of Iowa
• A...
On this episode of Community Difference Makers, Bankers Trust and United Way of Central Iowa recap the conversations we had throughout the season on food insecurity, housing, childcare, and safe and thriving youth.
On this episode of Community Difference Makers, Bankers Trust and United Way of Central Iowa learn more about how public safety, public health, and community impact can work together to address youth violence with United Way of Central Iowa's Luke Lynch, Chief Michael McTaggart of Des Moines Police Department, and Juliann VanLiew of Polk County Health Department.
On this episode of Community Difference Makers, Bankers Trust and United Way of Central Iowa discuss the power of mentorship, with guests Natasha Ratliff, Tone Roddy, and Saaliyah Singleton.
On this episode of Community Difference Makers, Bankers Trust and United Way of Central Iowa discuss how youth violence and engagement show up in Des Moines, highlighting Safe & Thriving Youth, a collaborative effort focused on long-term solutions, with guests Cheryl Werner, Jordan Colbert, and Zamiratu Dainkeh.
On this episode of Community Difference Makers, Bankers Trust and United Way of Central Iowa discuss how youth violence and engagement show up in Des Moines, highlighting Safe & Thriving Youth, a collaborative effort focused on long-term solutions, with guests Mary Sellers, Jaquie Easley McGhee, and Bridget Cravens-Neely.
On this episode of Community Difference Makers, Bankers Trust and United Way of Central Iowa learn more about the state of childcare in Central Iowa with United Way of Central Iowa's Dave Stone, and Jillian Herink of Iowa Association for the Education of Young Children.
On this episode of Community Difference Makers, Bankers Trust and United Way of Central Iowa learn more about the state of childcare in Central Iowa with United Way of Central Iowa's Kate Bennett, Kay Strahorn of Conmigo Early Education Center, and Brittany Brown teacher and parent at Conmigo.
On this episode of Community Difference Makers, Bankers Trust and United Way of Central Iowa learn more about the state of childcare in Central Iowa with United Way of Central Iowa's Erin Davison-Rippey, Kim Bonjour-Eiteman of Perry Child Development Center, and Boaz Nkingi of Iowa Congolese Organization and Center for Healing (ICOACH).
On this episode of Community Difference Makers, Bankers Trust and United Way of Central Iowa learn more about the state of childcare in Central Iowa with United Way of Central Iowa's Mary Sellers, Janice Lane Schroeder of Children & Families of Iowa, and Deidre DeJear of Oakridge Neighborhood.
On this episode of Community Difference Makers, Bankers Trust and United Way of Central Iowa learn more about the state of housing in Central Iowa with United Way of Central Iowa's Dave Stone, Lance Henning, CEO of Greater Des Moines Habitat for Humanity, and Julian Neely, director of advancement and community investment at Polk County Housing Trust Fund.
On this episode of Community Difference Makers, Bankers Trust and United Way of Central Iowa learn more about the state of housing in Central Iowa with United Way of Central Iowa's Luke Lynch, Melissa Gradischnig, who serves as a community navigator, and Brandi Courtney, as she shares her lived experience.
On this episode of Community Difference Makers, Bankers Trust and United Way of Central Iowa learn more about the state of housing in Central Iowa with United Way of Central Iowa's Erin Davison-Rippey, and Shelby Ridley, Director of Programs at Primary Health Care, Inc.
On this episode of Community Difference Makers, Bankers Trust and United Way of Central Iowa learn about the state of housing in Central Iowa with United Way of Central Iowa's Mary Sellers, Angie Arthur, Executive Director of Homeward, and Doug Romig, Executive Director of Housing Solutions Alliance.
On this episode of Community Difference Makers, Bankers Trust and United Way of Central Iowa learn about the state of food insecurity in Central Iowa with United Way of Central Iowa's Dave Stone, Lyn Wilson, Districtwide Homeless Liaison of Des Moines Public Schools, and Melissa Stimple, Executive Director of Waypoint Resources.
On this episode of Community Difference Makers, Bankers Trust and United Way of Central Iowa learn more about the state of food insecurity in Central Iowa with United Way of Central Iowa's Luke Lynch, Priscilla Marquez, who serves as a community navigator, and Shelby Chavez-Chun, Executive Director of Clive Community Services.
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