Thank you to our 2020 Women Helping Women co-chairs!

Thank you to our 2020 Women Helping Women co-chairs!

By Terri Speirs, Director of Community Relations

October 14, 2019 – The Des Moines Pastoral Counseling Center (the Center) is pleased to announce the three co-chairs for the 22nd annual Women Helping Women luncheon: Stephanie Asklof, Anne Rothe and Whitney Warne. For the next nine months, the three community leaders will engage Greater Des Moines to raise more than $200,000 and host more than 600 guests at the event, slated for May 15, 2020 at the Embassy Suites downtown. Funds will be used to support mental health counseling, education, trainings and other services that impact women, children and families who are uninsured or underinsured.

The co-chairs bring tremendous leadership and life experience to their role, and are motivated to serve in unique ways.

Stephanie Asklof, a realtor at Berkshire Hathaway First Realty, remembers the children and families she met in her 33 years of working as a school teacher and administrator: “My time spent with the Des Moines schools opened my eyes to the need for providing timely, effective counseling services for students and families. Often, families were faced with long waits for help, or with prohibitive costs, and sometimes those challenges seemed insurmountable.

“Through the Des Moines Pastoral Counseling Center, and the funds we’re able to raise through the Women Helping Women luncheon, families have one more option, one more hand reaching out to help.”

Anne Roth, strategic initiatives specialist at Iowa Business Council, sees the big picture of opportunities for the community: “The need for sliding scale counseling services is critical to our region. In evaluating where I can be most effective with my time and resources, I look to the Des Moines Pastoral Counseling Center as they have the history, the expertise, the leadership and the foundation to carry out the mission, which is to bring hope and healing to persons of all ages through counseling and education.

“In particular, the Women Helping Women luncheon strikes a chord with me because of its special allocation to the services dedicated to young, adolescent and adult women in our area. The need is great and lifting up populations that would not typically be able to afford services is a critically important role. We can all take steps to make sure our community is welcoming and thriving, volunteering and giving to this mission is one way I hope to do so.”

Whitney Warne, owner of Ivory House Photography and co-owner of Brand Launch and the #dsmhummingbird charm, shares her talents as a community builder: “I am honored to co-chair the 2020 Women Helping Women luncheon. I am passionate about supporting women and children’s mental health and love the mission of the center to provide quality support for all who walk through their doors.”

Whitney is looking forward to bringing her social media marketing skills to the team and getting the message of the Des Moines Pastoral Counseling Center out to the masses.

22 Years of Women Helping Women
Since 1999, the annual event has raised more than $1 million for women who experience violence, poverty, trauma, depression, anxiety, abuse and other issues that can be addressed through counseling, and education.

“Our mission of hope and healing is deeply rooted in a community that cares,” said Laurie Sloterdyk, the Center’s director of development. “We are so grateful that Stephanie, Anne and Whitney have stepped up in a big way to lead an effort so more women and families in our community may access critical services.”

The Center is one of few providers in Greater Des Moines who serve people from all income levels, including those from low-income households who are underinsured or uninsured – with thanks to generous community support. Seventy percent of the Center’s clients who need subsidized services are women. The WHW fund not only provides critical assistance to women and families, but it also frees up other client assistance funds to serve all people based on need alone.

Learn more about the Women Helping Women annual event.

#
The Des Moines Pastoral Counseling Center is a nonprofit organization with a mission to walk with people through counseling and education to find hope and healing, and live a fulfilling life. Annually, the Center serves more than 2,600 individuals through holistic mental health counseling and other clinical services (including nearly 700 children and adolescents). Additionally, the Center serves more than 2,400 individuals annually through mental health education and training services.

• Category: Women Helping Women