8th & College Connections

8th & College Connections is a brand new nonprofit organization which serves the River Bend neighborhood specifically and Greater Des Moines generally. While we would like to expand to offer more services, currently our largest project is our ELL program. Through our ELL program we offer much-needed English language instruction to newly-arrived and long-term residents of our community who would like to improve their command of the English language. We teach basic to advanced English classes both mornings and evenings within a relaxed environment, all the while striving to foster self-sufficient members of our city who are able to find and use their voice in Des Moines.8th & College Connections also collaborates with Trinity United Methodist Church and Las Americas comunidad de fe on social justice projects like the Prison Van Ministry.