Ripple Effect Project

Ripple Effect Project We are a nonprofit dedicated to empowering kids with creativity, confidence and teamwork.

04/03/2026

What an incredible day at our Annual Easter Egg Hunt. Ripple Effect Project with Burns United Methodist Church! 🐣🌸 From exciting games and awesome prizes to creative face painting and, of course, the egg hunt itself the joy and laughter from the kids said it all. It was truly a day full of smiles, community, and unforgettable moments.

This special event brought families together in the best way, and we are so grateful to be part of such a caring and connected community.

A huge THANK YOU to all of our amazing volunteers who made this event possible we couldn’t do it without you! 💚

If you missed it this year, don’t worry… we’ll be back even bigger and better next time. Be sure to keep an eye out for next year’s event you won’t want to miss it!

You’re Invited! 🐣​Ripple Effect Project and Burns United Methodist Church are teaming up to host a community Easter Egg ...
03/25/2026

You’re Invited! 🐣
​Ripple Effect Project and Burns United Methodist Church are teaming up to host a community Easter Egg Hunt!
​📍 Location: 1909 Martin Luther King Parkway Des Moines iowa 50314
🗓️ Date: Thursday, April 2nd
⏰ Time: 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM
​There will be food, games, and plenty of eggs for the kids. See you Thursday! 🧺🌷

Robert L. "Bob" DouglasKnown as “The Father of Black Professional Basketball,” Bob Douglas owned and coached the New Yor...
02/09/2026

Robert L. "Bob" Douglas
Known as “The Father of Black Professional Basketball,” Bob Douglas owned and coached the New York Renaissance from 1922 until 1949. Though racial discrimination was severe and unrelenting, Douglas kept his team focused. The Rens barnstormed from Boston to Kansas City and played any team – black or white – that would schedule them, including the Original Celtics and the Harlem Globetrotters. They often traveled as far as 200 miles for a game, were barred from many hotels and restaurants, often slept on the bus, ate cold meals, and frequently played twice on Sundays before returning to their home base. Despite these obstacles, the Rens became a dominant team, winning over 2,500games. Douglas’s astute eye for basketball talent led him to such greats as Charles “Tarzan” Cooper and “Wee” Willie Smith. Through Douglas’s leadership, the Rens were virtually unbeatable, winning 88 straight games in 1932-33.

Robert L. Douglas is widely considered the "Father of Black Professional Basketball" for founding the New York Renaissance (the "Rens") in 1923, the first all-Black professional basketball team. He organized the team to provide opportunities for Black players, dominating in the 1920s and 30s, and later winning the first professional championship in 1939.



02/09/2026

Hustle, heart, and teamwork on full display! 🏀🔥”

These sixth graders brought the energy way to play, team



02/09/2026

Looking back at powerful team moments from last season.



Elizabeth Keckley (1818–1907) was an American dressmaker, author, and activist who famously became the modiste for First...
02/03/2026

Elizabeth Keckley (1818–1907) was an American dressmaker, author, and activist who famously became the modiste for First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln. Born into slavery in February 1818 in Dinwiddie County, Virginia, she purchased her freedom in 1855 and died in Washington, D.C., on May 26, 1907.

Elizabeth Keckley, a former slave and dressmaker, is recognized for founding the Contraband Relief Association in Washington, D.C. in 1862 during the Civil War, aiming to assist newly freed people with food, clothing, and education.
Contraband Relief Association was an organization formed in August 1862 in Washington, D.C., by Elizabeth Keckley and 40 African American women from Union Bethel Church to provide food, clothing, and shelter to formerly enslaved people (“contrabands”) escaping to Union lines. It provided critical aid to victims of war induced poverty.



Every dream starts young. When we believe in our kids, we don’t just build athletes, we build confidence, courage, and f...
02/03/2026

Every dream starts young. When we believe in our kids, we don’t just build athletes, we build confidence, courage, and futures.

Here are five fun facts about Martin Luther King Jr.:• His birth name was Michael King Jr. His father later changed both...
01/19/2026

Here are five fun facts about Martin Luther King Jr.:
• His birth name was Michael King Jr. His father later changed both of their names to Martin Luther King after being inspired by the Protestant reformer.
• He skipped two grades in school and entered Morehouse College at age 15.
• He was an award-winning speaker as a teenager, winning a statewide oratory contest in high school.
• He earned a PhD, receiving his doctorate in systematic theology from Boston University at just 25 years old.
• He was the youngest person at the time to win the Nobel Peace Prize, receiving it in 1964 at age 35.


12/23/2025

Happy Holidays from the Ripple Effect Project! ✨
As the year comes to a close, we’re filled with gratitude for every act of kindness, every shared moment, and every person who helped create positive change. Together, we’ve shown that even small actions can create powerful ripples.
Wishing you Love, peace, joy, and hope this holiday season and into the new year. 💚




Where imagination, confidence, and cake collide.
12/20/2025

Where imagination, confidence, and cake collide.




12/18/2025

🎨🍰 Art you can eat! 🍰🎨
We’re still smiling from our recent youth art event where girls got to paint directly on cake slices and a couple of boys also Join in the fun..using creativity, color, and a whole lot of pride. Watching them hold up their edible masterpieces was everything this nonprofit is about: confidence, self-expression, and joy.
A huge thank you to the incredible bakers who donated and beautifully frosted the cakes, making this experience possible. And special appreciation to Palms Restaurant on Ingersoll, who generously provided the food to keep us fueled and supported our young artists and athletes in the community.
Moments like these remind us how powerful art can be especially when it’s shared, celebrated, and delicious. 💖
Thank you to everyone who helped make this day so sweet!





Address

3415 3rd
Des Moines, IA
50313

Opening Hours

5:30am - 7:30pm

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