WesleyLife At Home

10/14/2026

For Dr. Suzie Glazer Burt, philanthropy is about more than giving; it’s about finding joy in making life better for others and inspiring people to do the same.

Suzie's remarkable generosity has helped transform WesleyLife Meals on Wheels, creating opportunities to nourish more people, strengthen connections, and help ensure that no one in our community goes hungry. From helping establish a new home for the program to supporting innovative meal delivery and planning for its future, Suzie's impact will be felt for generations.

We're deeply grateful for Suzie's partnership, her vision, and her belief in the power of giving to change lives. Read our latest WesleyLife Foundation Donor Spotlight to discover the inspiring story behind her generosity and the lessons that continue to guide her.

Philanthropist Suzie Glazer Burt's vision is easy to understand, even if achieving it is anything but simple: No one should go without food.

10/06/2026

Please join us in welcoming Anna Callender to WesleyLife as our new chief operating officer!

Anna brings more than two decades of experience in services and care for older adults as well as a leadership philosophy rooted in relationships, listening, and helping people feel seen, heard, and valued.

As WesleyLife continues to grow, innovate, and revolutionize the experience of aging, we’re excited for the experience, curiosity, and people-centered leadership Anna brings to our organization.

In the link below, learn more about Anna and what drew her to WesleyLife.

https://hubs.li/Q04zkfp10

10/01/2026

What if philanthropy could do more than meet an immediate need ... and instead help change what’s possible?

That idea has shaped Tom and Linda Koehn’s longtime partnership with WesleyLife. Through their support of WesleyLife Meals on Wheels, the Koehns are investing in solutions designed to strengthen health, independence, and connection for years to come.

“We’ve always believed that philanthropy should do more than solve today’s problem. It should help create a better tomorrow,” Tom says.

Read more about Tom and Linda and the thinking behind their generosity in the link below.

Tom and Linda Koehn believe philanthropy can do more than meet a need; they know it has the power to change what's possible. Read their story!

09/21/2026

A 4-Star Medicare Family Caregiver Survey rating is an achievement worth celebrating. But what makes this recognition especially meaningful is how it was generated: It came from families WesleyLife Hospice has served during some of life’s most vulnerable chapters.

Recent family satisfaction results show that nearly 90% of respondents would definitely recommend WesleyLife Hospice. That's a reflection of the compassion, expertise, and support our interdisciplinary hospice team brings to patients and families every day.

Read more about this important recognition and the family feedback behind it in the link below.

WesleyLife Hospice has achieved a 4-Star Medicare Family Caregiver Survey Rating, reflecting feedback from families about their experiences.

09/08/2026

Food brings people to the table. Connection gives them a reason to return.

Across Polk County, meals prepared by WesleyLife Meals on Wheels are bringing older adults together at congregate meal sites for good food, conversation, laughter, and a sense of belonging.

Nourishment is about more than what’s on the plate. Sharing a meal can build friendships, strengthen connections, and help people remain engaged with the communities they call home. As one Ankeny attendee puts it: "The pie may bring people in, but the people keep them coming.”

See what’s happening around the table! Read the story in the link below.

Meals on Wheels prepares and delivers meals for Polk County's congregate meal sites. It's a partnership built around nourishment, in more ways than one.

08/28/2026

We’re excited to welcome Michelle Gogerty, MHA, to WesleyLife as vice president of Home and Community-Based Services!

As more older adults choose to remain in the homes and communities they love, WesleyLife is continuing to expand the ways we support independence, choice, and well-being wherever people choose to live.

Michelle brings more than two decades of healthcare leadership and a track record of building innovative services around the needs of the people they serve. In her new role, she’ll help lead and grow WesleyLife’s home and community-based services as we continue working to revolutionize the experience of aging.

Get to know Michelle and learn more about the experience and perspective she brings to WesleyLife. Read the full story in the link below!

Michelle Gogerty joins WesleyLife as vice president of Home and Community-Based Services.

08/15/2026

As WesleyLife Meals on Wheels continues the yearlong commemoration of its 20th birthday, we're more grateful than ever for corporate partners who believe in supporting our mission. Northwest Bank is doing just that with a generous $50,000 gift to WesleyLife Meals on Wheels!

This support helps Meals on Wheels address food insecurity and social isolation by providing nutritious meals, friendly connections, and important well-being checks for older adults and military veterans across Central Iowa.

Thank you, Northwest Bank, for helping us set the table for those who need us. Your partnership makes a meaningful difference!

(Pictured left to right: Sophia S. Ahmad, vice president of philanthropy, WesleyLife; Cara Treybal, president of Ankeny locations, Northwest Bank; Travis Simpson, regional bank president, Northwest Bank; Shannon Draayer, executive director of community nutrition, WesleyLife)

08/14/2026

Something fresh is growing at the Iowa State Fair ... and it started just a few miles away.

Produce from the Prairie Meadows Hydroponic Farm on the WesleyLife Meals on Wheels campus is adding locally grown flavor to the fair this year. Even better? The same farm helps bring fresh, nutritious ingredients to older adults and military veterans throughout Central Iowa all year long.

See what’s growing AND and where you can taste it at the fair!

Greens and herbs from the hydroponic farm on the WesleyLife Meals on Wheels campus take center stage at the Iowa State Fair!

08/11/2026

Des Moines resident Rita P., at right in the photo below, hadn't eaten in days when she received her first delivery from WesleyLife Meals on Wheels. Today, Rita is secure in the knowledge that she won't go hungry again, and that her delivery driver will spend a few minutes every day checking in to make sure Rita's doing OK.

The Metro is home to hundreds of older adults and military veterans whose stories are similar to Rita's, and WesleyLife Meals on Wheels serves them dependably, with compassion.

As Meals on Wheels commemorates 20 years of helping clients like Rita, please use the link below to vote for WesleyLife as the Des Moines Business Record's Most Influential Nonprofit. Your vote can enhance awareness of our services and help us make sure clients like Rita never have to wonder where their next meal is coming from. Thanks for your consideration!

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ZJD5T9J?fbclid=IwdGRjcAToa-lwZG9mBWZkaWQWUMQI2lug9abqjrThK5gKKwaP4xKFnGV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkCjY2Mjg1NjgzNzkAAR6_8OwMthfIImIyoM8FqL0E2h0o_rgTFC6vKcVjP2p30NPpb0L4YIr60vENtw_aem_xS4mbO43Gf6sUyfr8p3qlA

08/10/2026

A $1 million gift is creating lasting support for WesleyLife Meals on Wheels.

Des Moines philanthropists Bob and LaRue Maddox have established the program’s first endowed fund, helping ensure older adults and military veterans across Greater Des Moines continue to receive nutritious meals, well-being checks, and meaningful connection for years to come.

For Bob, a Meals on Wheels volunteer, the impact is personal. Read more about this transformational gift in the link below.

A $1 million gift from philanthropists Bob and LaRue Maddox to WesleyLife Foundation has established the organization’s first Meals on Wheels Endowed Fund.