Locker Wars Returns: Get Ready for Round Two
Tuesday, October 21, 2025 | 5:30-8 p.m.
Franklin Event Center, 4801 Franklin Ave., Room 106, Des Moines, IA 50310
Locker Wars is a unique fundraising event inspired by the excitement of storage unit auctions and the unpredictability of mystery boxes. Guests purchase chances to unlock lockers filled with an eclectic mix of prizes—ranging from high-value items like gift cards and merchandise to humorous or less-than-useful surprises. The event blends lighthearted competition, entertainment, and community spirit to support Project IOWA’s mission of helping individuals connect to purpose and pursue meaningful, stable employment.
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Locker Wars is Project Iowa’s signature fall fundraiser—a playful twist on the hit TV show Storage Wars, dreamed up by our very own building supervisor, Tim Rowley. Inspired by the thrill of storage auctions, this event brings the excitement without the high-stakes bidding.
Instead of repossessed lockers and intense competition, we’re offering a more relaxed, community-driven experience filled with fun, laughter, and surprises—all while raising money for Project Iowa’s mission to connect Iowans to meaningful, stable employment.
Here’s how it works:
🎟️ Guests purchase chances to unlock mystery lockers
🎁 Each locker is packed with a mix of exciting—and some not so exciting—items. Think gift cards, event tickets, home goods, clothing, sports memorabilia, outdoor gear, and maybe even a few things that will make you laugh. Part of the fun is not knowing exactly what you’ll unlock!🔍 You won’t be left totally in the dark—we’ll give you a full list of locker contents. You just won’t know which item is in which locker!
Whether you walk away with a treasure or a laugh, every bid helps Iowans take the next step toward economic mobility and personal growth. It’s not about cutthroat competition—it’s about community, opportunity, and a whole lot of fun.
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Lockers: Take a chance on mystery lockers filled with amazing surprises. Each locker contains a unique assortment of items, from gift certificates, valuable items, sports memorabilia, to fun novelties. You never know what treasure you might uncover! The lockers will feature an array of fun items and experiences generously donated by local businesses and community members.
Locker Captains: Adding even more energy to Locker Wars are our Locker Captains—a lively crew of volunteers and community members, each assigned to a specific locker. Their job? To hype up their locker and encourage guests to drop their tickets in for a chance to win its contents. It’s a fun, friendly competition that keeps the night exciting and the crowd engaged!Entertainment: Enjoy Music Bingo brought to us by The Rook Room, music, and other interactive activities.
Food and Drinks: Savor delicious appetizers and beverages. A variety of options will be available to cater to all tastes and dietary needs.Networking Opportunities: Connect with fellow attendees, including program graduates and participants, Project Iowa supporters, and community leaders and members.
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A special thank you to the following individuals and businesses for making this event possible.
Board of Directors
Dan J., ArtForce
Great Cater of Iowa
Franklin Event Center
Tim Rowley
Kenji Nakata/DJ Xan
Project Iowa Staff -
We’re incredibly grateful to the generous local and national businesses, as well as community members, who have already contributed items to make Locker Wars possible. Your support fuels the fun—and the impact.
Donations are still being accepted! If you’d like to contribute a prize (serious or silly), there’s still time to get involved and help us fill the lockers with surprises that will delight our guests and support our mission. Send an email to jamieevans@projectiowa.org.
Arby’s
Blissful Crafts
Chipotle
Des Moines Symphony
Escapology Clive
Funny Bone
Iowa State Athletics
Jethro’s BBQ
Kansas City Zoo & Aquarium
Middlebrook Farm
Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium
Oriental Trading
The Playhouse
Portillo’s
Power Life Yoga
Splash Seafood Bar and Grill
Thrive Market
Top Golf
Toppling Goliath Brewing Co.
University of Northern Iowa -
Sponsorship opportunities are available at a variety of levels to suit your goals and budget. With exposure to over 200 engaged attendees, with a strong social and digital reach, the opportunity to directly support workforce transformation, this is more than just an event—it’s a chance to invest in real change.
NEW! Locker Loot Crew — Bring the loot, pack the locker, and stir up some serious bidding mayhem.
This is a fantastic opportunity for companies, departments, or employee resource groups—and a fun, high-visibility way to promote your brand while giving back to the community.
Join the Locker Loot Crew
Ready to stir up some fun for a great cause? Join the Locker Loot Crew and help make Locker Wars unforgettable! As a Crew member, you’ll take charge of one locker—filling it with epic loot, creative flair, and company swag designed to spark buzz and bidding wars.
Your locker can be themed, branded, mysterious, over-the-top—or all of the above. The more fun and irresistible it is, the better!
As part of the Locker Loot Crew, you’ll get:
A locker to fill and style with your own items, experiences, and branded materials
Company signage on the locker and recognition during the event
Shoutouts on Project IOWA’s website, social media, and event materials
The chance to show off your creativity and community support in one fun, high-visibility package
All proceeds support Project IOWA’s mission of helping Iowans find meaningful employment and build lasting stability. Your loot = life-changing impact.
To sign-up or for more information please contact Jamie Loggins-Evans at jamieevans@projectiowa.org.
A huge thank you to our generous locker donors, who made these incredible locker experiences possible.
Arby’s
Arnolds Park Amusement Park
B Bop’s
Beaverdale Books
Blue Zoo
Burst Oral Care
Cedar Rapids Kernels
Center Grove Orchard
Chipotle
Chuck’s Pizza
ClickStop
Climb Iowa
Club Car Wash
Cooper’s Hawk
Costco
Des Moines Ballroom
Des Moines Community Playhouse
Des Moines Curling Club
Des Moines Rugby Club
Des Moines Symphony & Academy
Dinner Delights
Dough Co.
Drake Athletics
DSMCulinary
Courtney Dufford
East Village Spa
Escapology Clive
FlixBrew House
Freddy’s
Fridley Theaters
The Fun Station
Funny Bone Comedy Club & Restaurant
Give.DSM
Gorjana
GourmentGiftBaskets.com
Great Des Moines Botanical Center
The Great Plains Zoo/Butterfly House and Aquarium
Hinterland
Niki Hinton
House of Colour Des Moines
Hupy & Abraham
Iowa Children’s Museum
Iowa Cubs
Iowa Events Center
Iowa Irish Fest
Iowa State Fair
Iowa Wild
Iowa Wolves
ISU Athletics
It’s Ruff Life
Jethro’s BBQ
Julie and Bill Fugenschuh
Kansas City Zoo & Aquarium
Knoxville Raceway
Kwik Star
Alicia Leach
Rick & Jeri Levi
Lucy’s Crochet
Ana Luong
Middendorf Insurance
Middlebrook Farm
Minnesota Orchestra
Minnesota Lynx
Minnesota Twins
Monkey 4
Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium
Orchestrate Hospitality Group
Oriental Trading
Our Iowa Magazine
OwlCrate
Portillo’s
The Power Life Foundation
Putts & Pins
Ragbrai
Raising Caines
Raygun
Riverboat Twilight
Riverside Casino & Golf Resort
Rube’s Steakhouse
Science Center
Scheels
Signet Jewelers
Shilpi Singhal
Jeff Smith
Spare Time Entertainment
Spalsh
St. Louis Cardinals
LaRae Stinson
Texas Roadhouse
Thrive Market
TopGolf
Toppling Goliath Brewing Co.
University of Northern Iowa
Uptown Arcade Bar
Urban Air – Ankeny
Warrior Lanes
Waterloo Black Hawks
West End Salvage
Kelly Woerdehoff
YMCA
Locker Wars 2024: A Smashing Debut!
Thank you to everyone that donated, supported, and participated in our first ever Locker Wars where we combined the excitement of storage unit auctions to live, combining fun and philanthropy in one unforgettable evening.
Locker Wars is an opportunity to support Project IOWA's mission to facilitate individual transformation that connects people to their purpose and provides career guidance to obtain meaningful and stable employment. All proceeds from the event go directly to funding programs, helping individuals achieve career success and stability.