A few months ago, I was standing in a field in northeast Iowa admiring the corn and soybeans nearing harvest. The cornstalks danced overhead and a friend’s child was admiring the fuzz on the soybeans. If you got down close enough to the soil, you could spot the recently planted cover crop seeds. There I was surrounded by creation and a group that took time on the weekend to participate in a faith field day. I felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude because there is nowhere I would rather be than living out my calling at Iowa Interfaith Power & Light (Iowa IPL) and you make this possible.
2022 has been a year for the history books at Iowa IPL and I want to take a moment to thank you for all your support which has enabled us to have another successful year of faith-filled climate action. Iowa IPL has quite literally been all across our state this year promoting climate action through Faith Farms & Climate, getting supporters out for field days to see regenerative agriculture practices or explore local prairies, talking about climate anxiety and how to move forward with action, and so much more!
At Iowa IPL, we have the opportunity to hear from a diverse set of supporters in both rural and urban communities. We listen to supporters, farmers, and faith leaders and grapple with how we can all come together to care for creation and take action. And you make this possible through your support. Your gift gives Iowans hope for a future where creation is prioritized and when it joins gifts from other supporters, it makes a significant difference.
Give the gift of climate action by making a financial gift today. We honor any size of gift with the same enthusiasm and gratitude! Your financial support empowers Iowans of faith and conscience to take bold and just action on the climate crisis. Our work is made possible because of the generosity of supporters like you and together we are changing the world for future generations.
This year we worked with three college students over the summer through the Called To Climate Action student leadership program and one as a new Faith Farms & Climate fellow. Through Faith Farms & Climate programming we reached over 300 people in rural areas across Iowa and in 2023 we will be expanding our presence even more. During this fall’s Called To Climate Action event, we featured five young Iowan climate activists who shared their work. Iowa IPL continues to lead the environmental community in faith-rooted climate leadership development!
It has also been a year of growth as an organization. I was blessed to be named executive director in March and in June, Elston Tortuga (they/them) joined our team as our very first rural faith organizer. And in exciting news, this month, Ren Mattson (they/them) became our new program associate focusing on development and communications. (Stay tuned in December for another new staff announcement! They will be building up our advocacy, policy, and education capacity.) Iowa IPL is investing in our state’s next generation of climate action leaders and I’m so excited to see how they shape our work in new ways in 2023.
There is much work to be done in 2023, yet we remain hopeful. We are committed to uplifting faith voices in advocating environmental solutions. Thank you for all the ways you support Iowa Interfaith Power & Light. Together we are creating a world of hope and promise through the grounding of our faith.