What is Live Well Montgomery County? 

Live Well Montgomery County (LWMC) is a 501(3)c non-profit, tax exempt organization with the goal to educate, sponsor events and provide opportunities for people in regard to health and wellness.   
 

What is the purpose of Live Well Montgomery County? 

LWMC is a group of stakeholders that work collaboratively to assess needs, provide education and fill gaps that exist related to the intellectual, financial, emotional, environmental, physical, occupational, spiritual and social needs of the people living in our community. Our goal is to increase community support systems, volunteerism and usage of community resources to address the optimal wellness needs of all members of our community.

LWMC Mission

Engaging our community to improve the optimal wellness of all people living in Montgomery County. 

 LWMC Vision

All people living in Montgomery County will have equal access to resources necessary to achieve optimal wellness.

 

Collage of Community Images

LWMC is a board governed non-profit organization that meets monthly to work towards promoting health and wellbeing in Montgomery County. Beyond overseeing the development of the organization and making program decisions, the board is also responsible for fundraising, grant writing and coordinating all LWMC initiatives.

 

Current LWMC Board of Directors & Advisory Members:

Laura Kloewer, Board Chair, MCMH + Clinics

John Blomstedt, Treasurer, Red Oak Community 

Sumer Sandholm, Vice-Chair, Montgomery County Public Health 

Aubrey Dreyer, Director, Stanton Community 

Beau Boeye, Director, Friends of the Red Oak Trails

Evan Vannausdle, Director, Elliott Food Pantry

Jamie Werges, Advisory Member, MCMH + Clinics 

Justin Miller, Director, Stanton Viking Center

Kesandra Pullen, Director, MCMH + Clinics 

Pat Shipley, Director, Feed the Pack & Villisca Community

Sadie Graham, Advisory Member, Iowa State Extension & Outreach 

Sala Aistrup, Director, Master Gardener 

Todd Turner, Director, Master Gardener

 

Does LWMC Have a Current Focus? 

LWMC is currently focusing on increasing food security and food access in our communities. Our goal is to increase food security in our communities through collaboration, education and implementation of sustainable strategies and programs that address both the acute need for food and also look at addressing chronic food insecurity.

Learn more about Food Resources

 

 

Community Gardens:

 LWMC Garden Image LWMC Garden Image   LWMC Garden Image LWMC Garden Image   LWMC Garden Image
One of LWMC's largest projects is the Community Garden Project. LWMC supports gardens in Red Oak, IA; Stanton, IA; & Elliott, IA. Volunteers, Master Gardeners & LWMC Board Members help to support and care for the Montgomery County Community Gardens! 

Red Oak Garden:

Located on the east side of Evergreen Cemetery, the Red Oak Community Garden & Orchard has plots for community members to rent, and also has a large Giving Garden cared for by LWMC volunteers and board members. All produce harvested from the Giving Garden is donated to local food pantries and low-income housing. The Red Oak Community Garden has been in operation since 2014 & the Orchard was planted in 2022.

Are you interested in renting a garden plot in the Red Oak Community Garden? Garden plots are rented on a first come basis. We have 3 sizes available this year; raised beds are 4ft x 6ft, medium plots are 23ft x 12ft and large plots are 23ft x 24ft.  The cost per bed is $10, $15 & $30 respectively.

Garden Plot Application

Stanton Community Garden:

The Stanton Community Garden is located on the north side of the Stanton Community Center. Similar to the Red Oak Garden, the Stanton Garden has plots for community members to rent and also has a Giving Garden section. All produce harvested from the Stanton Community Giving Garden is donated to Stanton community food pantries. 

Elliott Community Garden 

The Elliott Community Garden is located on Main Street in Elliott, IA directly across from City Hall. The Elliott Garden is made up entirely of Giving Garden beds and all produce is donated back into the community through the Elliott Community Food Pantry. 

Our Community Gardens are funded entirely by grants and donations. We welcome your support and encourage you to reach out if you'd like to discuss ways to support the community gardens! 

Donate Today! 

Call Today!

 

Mobile Food Pantries:

Another one of LWMC's major projects is the bi-monthly Mobile Food Pantry (2024 Mobile Pantry Calendar). This program brings fresh, healthy food directly to our community members who have difficulty accessing food. The Mobile Food Pantry is FREE and open to anyone in need.

LWMC is proud to partner with Food Bank for the Heartland along with countless other local organizations to deliver 400 local households' food every other month. Learn more about the impact of our work below! 

Additional LWMC Programing:

Throughout the years LWMC has supported many other community initiatives including the following: 

  • Walking School Bus
  • 5K Fun Runs throughout the Community
  • Healthy Eating & Lifestyle Initiatives
  • Smoking Cessation Programs
  • Farmers Market Sponsorship