Author Archives: ywrc

This month we are celebrating one of our wonderful volunteers, Karen Perez! Since joining us in April, Karen has continued to be a kind and familiar presence in our childcare space during Young Moms programming. With a personal connection to our mission, she brings empathy and understanding to every volunteer shift. Beyond childcare, Karen has packed […]

It is with great sadness that we share Iowa’s Biggest Book Sale (IBBS) Vice President and 20+ year volunteer Wanda Anderson has passed. We offer our deepest condolences to her family, friends, and loved ones. Countless volunteers, past and current, have known Wanda since she began volunteering for the Planned Parenthood Book Sale 20 years […]

I was fortunate when I became a mom to have a mother, sisters, and a counselor who cared in my corner. Not everyone has that level of support to know where to go and who to turn to. That is why the YWRC is so near to my heart.

This month we are celebrating one of our wonderful childcare volunteers, Sally Hazen. Since joining us in August, Sally has become a weekly presence and familiar face for our Young Moms participants and their children. “Before moving, I worked in a pediatrician’s office and I missed working with kids every day. When I moved to Des […]

This December we are pleased to celebrate one of our team members, Mackenzie Carlson. Mackenzie is our Development Manager and responsible for several aspects of our fundraising. She first learned about the YWRC through a friend and local historian when they were discussing the amazing work of women philanthropists in Central Iowa – one of […]

With such a busy fall underway, we wanted to share with you a few updates of completed projects, as well as information for upcoming ways to get involved, all in one place. THANK YOU for being a supporter of the YWRC. YOU are making a difference in the lives of local girls and young women. […]

This month we are excited to share about our partnership with Iowa State University Extension & Outreach’s Kids in the Kitchen and Teen Cuisine programs. The partnership began when YWRC team members Sy’Anne and Berenice met and spoke with Youth Nutrition Associate Educator Rebecca at a community tabling event about their fantastic program, Kids in […]

This month we are pleased to introduce you to our Interim Executive Director, Rachel Woodhouse (she/her). Rachel has spent more than a decade of her career in philanthropy, supporting a variety of non-profit organizations in Central Iowa and beyond. She comes to the YWRC after more than six years as a Program Manager at Principal® […]

WE’RE STILL HERE. The six-week abortion ban went into effect in Iowa today. This legislation may negatively impact the youth we serve – we’ll share more about the ban, why it matters, and the complexities of what it means for the future of youth another day. For now, hear us when we say that we at […]

We are excited to celebrate Empowerment Program Specialist Sy’Anne Dysart in this month’s staff spotlight. Sy’Anne has been a member of the team for just shy of three years but her involvement with us started when she attended one of our summer groups. She was also familiar with us through the involvement of her grandparents […]