CONTRIBUTED PHOTO The House of Compassion, located at 211 W. Church St. in Marshalltown, is celebrating its 30-year anniversary of operations this August.

For three decades, the House of Compassion has provided a variety of services for low-income individuals and families and the homeless. For the month of August, the HoC is celebrating this milestone with a 30th anniversary birthday bash.

Executive Director Jasmine Spikes, who assumed duties back in March, said the month will be filled with chances to give back to the community and participate in fun, inclusive activities.

“Each week’s theme is based on a service we offer, so be sure to follow our progress on Facebook. Join us in helping us finish strong by donating, volunteering, and being part of our mission to uplift our community,” Spikes said.

Week one has focused on the HoC’s soup kitchen with the theme of “Feed the Soul.” It serves a daily meal Sunday through Friday, 5 p.m. to 6:15 p.m. Everyone is welcome, regardless of income or county residency. Donated foods including bread, treats and desserts are distributed at that time.

Spikes noted that from January to June 2025, 7,060 people were served in the soup kitchen, staffed by 934 volunteers.

A total of 109 people got financial assistance for utilities, while the supply closet aided 1,153 families and 4,416 individuals, with 114 of those families being new. These services have income requirements and people need to reside in Marshall County.

Week two has the theme of “Power of Compassion” with a “Keep the Lights On” campaign, inviting the public to make $30 donations in honor of 30 years.

The HoC assists people with electric, gas and water bills (currently no assistance for rent or down payments). Spikes noted many people are just a paycheck away from poverty or an unexpected expense away from financial hardship.

Week three will highlight “Hope for the Future.” There will be a life skills library drive August 14 requesting GED books, life skills books in Spanish, college test prep, and any books that help serve as reference material for life skills. August 18 will offer a bingo game night.

The HoC’s current services include:

Assistance for utilities: electric, gas and water.

Vouchers for medical supplies and prescriptions.

Tuition payment for language courses at Iowa Valley.

GED tuition assistance.

Help obtaining birth certificates and new IDs.

Bus transportation to job interviews.

Adopt a Family Christmas program.

Access to showers.

USPS mail service (a place to have mail sent).

Dress for success voucher system, partnering with Second Chance Thrift Store in Marshalltown. You get a $10 coupon to purchase clothing to wear to a job interview.

Soup kitchen Sunday through Friday, 5 p.m. to 6:15 p.m.

Distribution of bread.

Scholarships for Marshall County graduating seniors.

Supply closet offering cleaning supplies and personal care items.

Life skills classes.

Animal Rescue League Dialogue with the Director, Austin Gillis.

In Stitches sewing classes by Elisabeth Curtis.

Mickey McDonald teaching budgeting and finance classes.

Iowa State Master Gardeners working the community garden Mondays and Thursdays, with the aid of the public.

Knitted Needs Club: public can meet up to knit and crochet items for those in need. Meets at 2 p.m. every Monday and Wednesday upstairs of HoC.

Referrals to the Bridge Home homeless shelter in Ames.

Week four will spotlight “Compassion in the Everyday” with August 20 featuring an adopt-a-shelf drive inviting donors to “adopt” shelves for deodorant, razors, laundry soap and more for the supply closet.

Aug. 23 will focus on “Bouncing Back to School” where HoC will partner with Wild Spirit Counseling and Schumacker Construction to bring fun and school supplies to students in Marshalltown. Set up at 7 Westwood Drive, festivities will run 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and include local food trucks, bounce house, dunk tank, face painting, community resource booths, balloon animals and a free backpack with school supplies.

Week five will wrap up the celebration with a movie night on Aug. 29 showing “Coco” upstairs during meal time, followed by a dinner and birthday bash on Aug. 31.

“We’re going to have a birthday party for our clients. We’ll have cake and cupcakes and decorations and balloons. It’s going to be a good time,” she said.

While there is much to celebrate, Spikes notes attendance at the soup kitchen is on the rise.

“That is concerning, but good to know so we can allot enough resources to that,” she said.

The HoC receives funding from the United Way, private donors, and churches, with more than 40 percent coming from individual donations.

“My goal is to expand how much we can provide help to individuals. We have a limit on how much that we can give right now, and I would like to expand that down the road,” Spikes said.

She would also like to offer more classes including a baking class open to all ages.

In the spring of 1994, Trinity Lutheran Church decided to relocate its homeless shelter out of the physical church building. Pastor Gregg Davison said in a previous interview with the T-R that with the help of a community investment program from Marshalltown Savings and Loan (today Home Federal Savings Bank) the church was able to secure the Echoes of Calvary Church. This house of worship was actually built by Trinity Lutheran Church in 1892, then was sold in the late 1950s and turned into a Jewish Synagogue. It then was obtained by Pentecostals and was called Echoes of Calvary. “To take ownership of the building we formed a non-profit corporation known as the House of Compassion,” Davison explained. “Our organizational meeting was at Elim Lutheran with eight members — we passed the hat, collected $75, opened a checking account, and the House of Compassion was born.”

Thanks to the generosity of area businesses, the church was renovated and opened as the HoC in the fall of 1995. Jean Bergen served as the House of Compassion’s first full-time director, followed by Karen Frohwein, March Runner, Chad Hammar and now Spikes. A board of directors aids in the running of the organization, with Spikes assisted by long-time office manager Maryna Salas and custodian Lupita Sotelo.

And while services have changed through the years, Spikes said the HoC remains committed to helping those in need.

“We want to empower our neighbors and help them be successful,” she said.

To learn more visit, www.houseofcompassion.net.