WesleyLife At Home

04/07/2026

Team Member Spotlight🌟

This week, we’re excited to shine the spotlight on our Office Admin, Niccole!

Niccole joined our team in 2024 and will be celebrating two years with WesleyLife At Home this August. From the moment you walk through our doors, her kindness and welcoming spirit help make our office a warm and inviting place for everyone.
Outside of work, Niccole enjoys spending time in her garden and making memories with her family.

Thank you, Niccole, for all that you do to keep our ship afloat. We truly appreciate you! 💙

04/05/2026

Rejoice - He is risen! On behalf of everyone at WesleyLife, we wish you a blessed, hope-filled Easter Sunday. Please enjoy this greeting that our president and CEO, Rob Kretzinger, sent to team members last week.

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Easter offers us something we all need: a quiet invitation to slow down and notice what matters. I don’t know about you, but as spring approaches, I want to be outdoors. On my walks, I notice signs of renewal all around me, and I’m reminded that each day is a new chance to make a difference.

A Scripture verse that comes to mind when I think about this season is from Isaiah 43:19: “See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?” It’s a reminder that growth and possibility are always unfolding, even in moments when they can be easy to miss.

Across WesleyLife, we see growth and possibility lived out every day. They can be present in small acts of kindness, in moments of reassurance, and in the trust placed in us by those we serve. Each interaction carries an invitation to live life with a greater sense of meaning, to lean into hope, and to pursue joy. That is both the privilege of this work and the responsibility we share.

As I prepare to retire in a little less than two months’ time, I’m thinking of my own renewal as I seek God’s plan for my next chapter. The fact that I’m able to prepare a “second act” is a testimony to what we do as a health and well-being organization; in previous generations, retirement was a time of rest. I’m looking forward to a little of that, sure … but mostly, I feel overwhelming gratitude for the health that will allow me to continue to make some kind of impact, and to be present and active with my wife, our children, and our six grandchildren.

I’ll leave you with this: The earlier we work on our health and well-being, the better. Please fill your body with good food, move naturally, connect regularly with those you care about, and partner with your health care provider on ways you can maximize your one precious life.

Whether or not an Easter celebration is a tradition for you, I wish you in the days ahead some time to rest, to spend time with the people who mean something to you, and to reflect on the difference you make. Your presence matters. Your work matters. And the impact you have reaches farther than you may ever know.

On behalf of our leadership team, thank you for all you bring to WesleyLife and to one another.

04/01/2026

This afternoon, we’re hosting something special, and you're invited.

"Side by Side: Portraits of Pets & Their People in the Meals on Wheels Community" is more than an art exhibit. It’s part of our “20 stories for 20 years” series, created in honor of Meals on Wheels’ 20th anniversary — a milestone that celebrates the people, connections, and moments that have shaped Meals on Wheels over the years.

Through a series of portraits and stories, you’ll meet individuals who receive Meals on Wheels and the pets who bring them comfort, purpose, and companionship each day. You’ll also experience how something as simple as a knock on the door can make a meaningful difference.

Join us today:
📍 Meals on Wheels Generations Room, 3206 University Ave., Des Moines (near Drake University)
🕓 4 - 6 p.m.
🎟️ Free and open to the community

Stop in, walk through the exhibit, enjoy light refreshments, and hear a brief program sharing the stories behind the work.

If you’ve been curious about Meals on Wheels or are looking for something meaningful and fun to do this evening, this event is worth your time. And if you can’t make it, check back tomorrow; we'll be sharing photos from the event!

03/31/2026

Team Member Spotlight🌟

This week, we’re excited to spotlight Hospice CNA, Erin!

Erin started with our team in 2022 and is celebrating 4 years with WesleyLife At Home Hospice this October! Erin enjoys traveling no matter the destination and outdoor activities such as hiking and geocaching.

Erin states there is not a day that goes by that she is not grateful for having the honor of "walking someone home" at the end of life.

Thank you, Erin for all you do everyday to live out our mission and support those we serve!

03/27/2026

More evidence that everything in life is about the connections and relationships we form:

Last night, members of the WesleyLife team attended a Turkish dinner hosted by the Des Moines Area Community College Culinary Arts program at the Iowa Culinary Institute. We are proud of our strategic partnership with the DMACC program, and our team members enjoyed a wonderful evening.

The experience was especially meaningful for Maureen Onyeziri, our director of organizational learning. Maureen writes:

"Meeting this woman was the highlight of my evening. Her name is Gloria Mariette Okpara, from Nigeria. She’s Igbo (my tribe). During chef introductions, I heard her name and immediately knew her country and tribe.

"While they were walking away after introductions, I said 'Thank you for the amazing dinner' and 'Well done' in my native Igbo language, and she immediately came over to hug me! She also met me on my way out at the end of the night and said how pleased she was to hear someone else speak Igbo to her in Iowa. She called it a rare experience since she moved here, and it made her heart swell."

We are happy Maureen and Gloria were able to connect in such a real and organic way. A big "thank you" to Krista Adams and her culinary team for facilitating unique opportunities not only for the residents we serve, but for the team members who execute and support the serving!

03/26/2026

Des Moines-based Principal Financial Group is in the middle of a volunteer effort to support meal deliveries and well-being checks for older adults and military veterans in the Des Moines area by "taking over" WesleyLife Meals on Wheels deliveries all week! Principal team members also are helping to harvest greens in the Prairie Meadows Hydroponic Farm on the Meals on Wheels campus.

WesleyLife deeply appreciates Principal's prioritization of giving back to people in need throughout the Greater Des Moines community. Enjoy this WOI-TV WeAreIowa story on the difference their efforts made to one east-side resident yesterday.

88-year-old Janice Killian says Meals on Wheels allows her to keep her independence.

03/24/2026

Team Member Spotlight🌟Meet Ellie!
Ellie supports our WesleyLife At Home Home Health team as a Case Manager. She returned to WesleyLife At Home in 2025, after originally starting with us as an RN in 2021.
She’s looking forward to warm weather and spending time at the lake. Ellie’s favorite part of working at WesleyLife is the strong connections she has built with her leaders who genuinely care about her as a person, not just an employee.
Thank you, Ellie, for everything you do to support our team and those we serve!

03/23/2026

National Volunteer Month is right around the corner. In early observation, we're featuring a story about two dedicated Meals on Wheels volunteers whose motivation to give of their time is straightforward: They saw a need, and they responded. Read about Tom and Linda Corson in the link below.

For Tom and Linda Corson, delivering meals means building relationships, supporting pets, and showing up with care each week.

03/20/2026

Today we welcome the first day of spring, a season of fresh starts, growth, and new possibilities. At WesleyLife At Home, spring reminds us of the joy found in caring connections, brighter days, and helping our clients live well where they feel most comfortable—at home.
Here’s to longer sunshine-filled days, blooming moments, and continuing to make a difference together. Happy Spring! 🌷

03/18/2026

Team Member Spotlight🌟

This week, we’re excited to spotlight our Physical Therapy Lead, George Perry!

George started with WesleyLife At Home in 2024 after relocating to Iowa from her home state of Oklahoma. She shared that some of her very first Iowa friends were her coworkers, a true testament to the welcoming culture of our team.
George describes her experience with the team at WesleyLife At Home as “women supporting women through all phases of life.”

Thank you, George, for being a valued and impactful member of the WesleyLife At Home team!

03/18/2026

Want to learn more about the Prairie Meadows Hydroponic Farm on the WesleyLife Meals on Wheels campus? Travel Iowa features the farm in its Farm to Table series, highlighting how our own Amanda Kanehl and her team are joining other growers in promoting food as medicine to make Iowa healthier. Take a moment to watch!

https://hubs.li/Q04765jv0

03/17/2026

At WesleyLife at Home, we struck a pot of gold with our incredible team members. Our team members bring compassion, dedication, and heart to everything they do and it shows every single day!
We’re so lucky to work alongside such an incredible team! 💚