Women Helping Women

Women Helping Women is the Center’s annual luncheon to provide counseling, education, trainings and other services for women, children and families who are underinsured or from low-income households.

Join us for the 26th Annual Luncheon:
Friday, May 17, 2024

Tickets will go on sale soon, or you can secure yours now by becoming a sponsor or donor!

See the current list of 2024 Women Helping Women sponsors and donors >

See highlights of Women Helping Women from the last few years >

2023 Women Helping Women Susan Voss (co-chair), Connie Isaacson (honoree), Jim Hayes (executive director), Anne Kelly (co-chair), and Jann Freed (speaker)
A special thanks to Susan Voss (co-chair), Connie Isaacson (honoree), Jim Hayes (Mind & Spirit Counseling Center executive director), Anne Kelly (co-chair), and Jann Freed (speaker).

We gathered 600 people for an inspiring luncheon at Embassy Suites in downtown Des Moines on May 19, 2023! A celebration of 25 years of honoring women who inspire with kindness and lead with purpose, we enjoyed a dynamic program from our 2023 honoree, Connie Isaacson, and our keynote speaker Jann Freed, PhD, who inspired us to ponder “What if the rest of your life is the best of your life?”

The energy in the room was palpable as we honored all of the women who have helped make the event a success for the last quarter-century! This year’s event surpassed last year’s record-breaking fundraising total, raising $300,000 to provide services for women, children, and families who otherwise couldn’t access the mental health care they deserve.

Be inspired by Connie and Jann’s influential messages and gain a renewed sense of purpose and worth.

Watch the video of the entire program! Save the date to attend next year’s event on May 17, 2024 for more inspiration and an opportunity to support mental health services in Iowa.

“Leave Your Mark”

“Leave Your Mark,” was a special project by the talented Laura Palmer. Every attendee was invited to add a dot on the canvas to represent the community that makes up Mind & Spirit Counseling Center. Each colored dot represents a different group: clients (including adults and children), telehealth services, and donors/volunteers/staff.

This artwork is in celebration of 25 years of Women Helping Women and will be displayed at the Center.

Laura Palmer and Women Helping Women 2023 committee members at the "Leave Your Mark" artwork
Laura Palmer, Katie Patton and Kate Juelfs invited attendees to leave their mark on symbolic artwork that will be displayed the Center.

More highlights of the 25th Annual Women Helping Women

A full room of attendees at the 2023 Women Helping Women annual luncheon to assist women and children with mental health support
With 600 attendees at the luncheon, the Embassy Suites was buzzing with inspiration.
2023 Women Helping Women committee members and Mind & Spirit Counseling Center staff
Kudos to all the great work by the 2023 Women Helping Women committee and members of the Mind & Spirit Counseling Center staff!

Thank you to our generous sponsors and donors who helped the 25th Annual Women Helping Women event raise a record-breaking $300,000!


Presenting Sponsors – $10,000+

Anonymous

Barbara and Michael Gartner

Susan and Carl Voss


Leadership Sponsors – $5,000

Patty and Jim Cownie

Kate Garst

Charlotte Hubbell

Rusty Hubbell

The Isaacson Families, in honor of Connie Isaacson

Tom and Linda Koehn

Karen Shaff and Steve Jayne

Toni Urban

Sally Wallace


Supporting Sponsor – $2,500

Pamela Bass-Bookey

Trudy Holman Hurd

Nancy Main

La Donna and Rich Matthes

Shirley Poertner

Rachel Stauffer and Jim Lawson

Marti Wade

Sally Wood

Kathi Zimpleman


Contributing Sponsor – $1,500

Dr. Barbara Beatty

Carol Bodensteiner

Jann Freed and John Fisher

Deb and George Milligan

D.J. Newlin

Jill Oman

Rita Perea

Mary M. Riche

Janis Ruan

Rebecca D. Shaw, M.D.

Kathy and Ted Stuart

Kim and Rich Willis

Connie Wimer

IMT Insurance logo
Special Friends – $1,000

Mollie and Britt Baker

J.R. and Meredith Boesen Family Fund

Tom and Michele Brown

Suzie Glazer Burt

Roxanne Barton Conlin

Nora and Dave Everett

Tom and Cindy Fischer

Shayla From

Sharon Goldford, in honor of Jann Freed

Mary Gottschalk

Leslie Heimbach

Starr and Harry Hinrichs

Ann and Tom Holme

Debbie Hubbell

Andrea James

Martha James

Kate Juelfs

Cathy Lacy

Virginia Laurisden

Joyce and Terry Lillis

Robbie G. Malm

Claudette and P.J. McDonald

Brenda Mouw

Pauline and William Niebur

Barb and Andy Nish

Cynthia O’Brien

Jennifer Lock Oman

Lynsey Oster

Kay Riley

Jackie Saunders

Nan Stubbs, in memory of Iola Tollakson

Lisa Veach

Dr. Teri Wahlig

Michele Whitty

Alan Zuckert and Joyce Dainty

Leader Plus – $500

Anonymous (1)

Stephanie Asklof

Sandra Axness

Connie Beasley, in honor of Connie Isaacson

Janet Betts

Karin Beschen

Amy Bingaman

Beth and Dave Bishop

Annie Sloterdyk Brandt

Suzan Kelsey Brooks

Beth Coonan

Cynde Cronin

Sondra Eddings

Jessica Feeney

Jane Fogg

Rosalie Gallagher

Rachel Hardin

Renee Hardman

Sarah Hayes, M.D.

Jill Hittner

Connie Isaacson

Karen Quance Jeske

Anne M. Kelly

Cyril Mandelbaum

Lorraine May

Jeanne O’Halloran

Liza Ovrom

Donna L. Paulsen and Thomas E. Press

Stephanie Pearl

Jackie Romp

Patrice M. Sayre

Brenda Sedlacek

Barb Sherman

Diana Sickles

Kendra Simmons

Marti Sivi, in honor of Jann Freed

Laurie Betts Sloterdyk, in honor of Connie Isaacson

Terri Mork Speirs

Barbara Stennes, in memory of Helen Bryant

Sarah and Zac Voss

Char Vukovich

Linda Weidmaier

Deb Wiley and John Schmidt

Judy Winkelpleck

Kathy Zumbach

Leaders – $250

Anonymous (2)

Emily Abbas

Susan Ackelson

Cindy Ambroson

Becky Anthony

Beverly Apel

Jannice E. Bannister

Aura Baquero

Pat Barry

Mary K Bartine

Mary Ann Beard

Kristen Benge

Carrie Bening

Thomas Benzoni and Noreen O’Shea

Jan Berlin

Sarah Sullivan Bigelow

Meghan Blum

Don and Margo Blumenthal

Connie Boesen

Margaret Platt Borgen

Nicole Boyington

Phyllis Cacciatore

Teree Caldwell-Johnson

Mary Carlsen

Marilyn Carroll

Nancy Cheeseman

Polly L. Clark

Alicia Claypool

Julie Ann Connolly

Chris Conyers and Tom Baldwin

Holly Craiger

Christine Dietz, in honor of Isabel Dietz

Victoria Eckstat

Kelly Edmister

Karen Engman

Ardene Downing

Marsha and Ellery Duke

Denise Essman

Fran Fleck

Allison and Jim Fleming

Julie Fleming

Ann Flood

Carrie Galles

Kathy Giles

Shawna Gisi

Diane Glass and Jeff Means

Linda Goeldner

Mary Gordon

Mary Helen Grace and David Grace

Kimberly Graham

Courtney Greene

Dennis Groenenboom

Mary Gross

Jami Haberl

Cheryl Hamilton

Ginny Hancock

Jan Hardin

Lynn Heggen

Barbara L. Hein

Jane Hemminger

Susan Hemminger

Christine Hensley

Victoria L. Herring

Jim and Judy Heseman

Martha Hill

Jennifer Hilmes

Dixie Hoekman, in memory of Lois Kriebs and Jill Schreiber

Michelle Hogan

Linda Jennings

Dr. Darren Jirsa, D.D.S. in honor of Susan Voss

Joanne Johnson

Sandy Benson Johnson/Benson Family Foundation

Beth Stelle Jones

Maureen Keehnle

Mary Kelly, in honor of Connie Isaacson

Lola Kenworthy

Pamela Kenyon

Paula Kerman

Connie Klug

Jenna Knox

Mary Kramer

Diane and Keith Krell

Mary F. Kunkel

Jennie LeGates

Christine Lewis

Sheila Starkovich Lingwall

Marian Lyddon

Deb Madison-Levi

Sharon and Sue Malheiro

Kathryn Mandsager

Sandy McClelland

Andy McGuire

Cathy McMullen

Susan Vujnovich McRoberts

Kate Mead

Reo Menning

Ann Michelson

Joan Middleton

Lucrezia Moore

Tracy Mullen

Anna Nalean

Kurt and Melissa Ness

Liz Neumann

Charlotte Noble

Mary O’Brien

Jo Oldson

Leigh O’Tool

Katie Gibson Overby

Nina Socarras Pack

Marilyn Parsons

Katie Patton

Diann M. Peyton

Gail J. Pearl

Nancy Neufeld Price

Judy Quick

Artis Reis, in honor of Mary Riche

Rasmussen Group

Wilma Richards

Dawn Roberts, in honor of Susan Voss

Susy Robinette

Helen Robinson

Katie Roth

Dr. David Sagula

Laura Sands and Dave Busiek

Priscilla D. Sayeed

Susan Scharnberg

Pam Schoffner

Kim Shadur

Chris Sidwell

Jacqueline Stoken, D.O.

Ellen Strachota

Matt and Erin Strawn

Mary Stuart

Gail Stubbs

Sarah Susanin

Karen Novak Swalwell

Cheryl Sypal

Joyce and Harold Templeman

Marsha Ternus

Karen Unrau

Teresa VanVleet-Danos

Terri Vaughan

Sheri and Dick Vohs

Marilyn Warling

Teresa Weidmaier

Dee Willemsen

Jean Williams

Emily Williams-Bouska

Janie Wine

Barb Yankey

Roberta Yoder

Eleanor Zeff

Young Leaders- $125

Anonymous (1)

Julianne Hilmes Bartlett

Rachel Bruns

Paige Franzluebbers

Christine Hilbert

Sara Hopkins

Emily Kessinger

Ali Makris

Kathleen McGuire

Dani Musselman

Katie Patterson

Anne Roth

Erica Shannon

Ann-Charlotte Wade

Emily Webb

Dania Wilson

Meg Whitty

Friends of the Center Support – $500+

Eden

ITA Group Foundation

The Jewish Federation of Greater Des Moines

Kemin

Table Hosts

Nancy Bone and Tracy Wheeler

L.U.N.A. hosted by Sharon Goldford

Oakridge Neighborhood hosted by Sharon Goldford

Mary Gottschalk

Katie Patton

Stephanie Pearl

Knapp Properties

WesleyLife Foundation

Donations

Anonymous (4)

Peg Armstrong-Gustafson

Ann Balentine

Mary Brooks

Diane Child

Eva Christiansen

Angela Connolly

Joanne Cutler, in honor of Connie Isaacson

Judy Deutch, in honor of Connie Isaacson and Sharon Goldford

Marge Doyle

Michael Egel

Jennifer Ellis, in honor of Connie Isaacson

Priscilla Gilbert

Sharon Goldford, donated chocolates in honor of Connie Isaacson

Diane Hedden

Karen Henderson

Dale Howe

Michelle Hutson

Rick and Kelly Isaacson, in honor of Connie Isaacson

Laura Jacobsen

Myrna Johnson

Dianne and Roger Jones

Dr. Jim and Mary Ellen Kimball

Kaye Lozier

Colleen MacRae

Kate Massop

Robyn Mills

Lisa Minear

Rev. Rachel Thorsen Mithelman

Greg Nichols

Kris Ohle, in honor of Susan Pogge

Joanne R. Page

Sally Pederson

Allison Peet

Judith Perkins

Susan Pogge

Annette and Randy Roth

Joann Sargent

Kathy Shives

Sheila Jane Spellman

Jan Stump

Jill and Derek Trobaugh

Nancy Vernon

Ann Victor

Rebecca Westberg

In-Kind Support

Chocolate Storybook

Connie Wilson Design

Embassy Suites by Hilton Des Moines Downtown

Integrity Printing

Laura Palmer

Media Sponsor


2023 Planning Committee

Stephanie Asklof
Annie Brandt
Melissa Cano-Zelaya
Kathy Giles
Sharon Goldford
Rachel Hardin
Renee Hardman

Kelly Isaacson
Kate Juelfs
Anne Kelly, co-chair
Paula Kerman
Leigh O’Tool
Laura Palmer
Stephanie Pearl

Shirley Poertner
Kelly Sparks
Susan Voss, co-chair
Billie Wade
Ann-Charlotte Wade
Connie Wilson


2023 Underwriting Cabinet

Stephanie Asklof
Pam Bass-Bookey
Carol Bodensteiner
Annie Brandt
Beth Coonan
Ann Flood
Jann Freed
Sharon Goldford
Sarah Hayes

Starr Hinrichs
Andrea James
Kate Juelfs
Anne Kelly
Emily Kessinger
Claudette McDonald
Lynsey Oster
Katie Patton
Stephanie Pearl

Shirley Poertner
Mary M. Riche
Anne Roth
Katie Roth
Kathy Stuart
Marti Wade
Sally Wallace

SAVE THE DATE

26th Annual Women Helping Women

May 17, 2024

The Center is planning another inspiring annual luncheon to address Iowa’s mental health crisis by assisting women, children and families who are uninsured or underinsured. We look forward to your support!

For more information, contact Laurie Betts Sloterdyk, Director of Development

Office: 515-564-5122 | Cell: 515-778-5436 | Email: lsloterdyk@mindspiritcenter.org