Faces of YWRC Archives

I started working at the Young Women’s Resource Center in September of 2014. I believed that my job was to share my wisdom. There was a part of me that believed that I had the answer to their problems. Being a woman in my late 40’s and having been a mother for 15 years, I […]

I restarted this blog six different times. Everything seemed cliché and not even something I would want to read again. So, I sat down with a good friend and had a fiery conversation about why I am here, why I am so passionate about young women, and why I need a place that gives me […]

I am Maggie Irvine. Lots of things make up the person I am today, but something I am thankful for is my ability to help others. As a freshman in high school, I joined a club full of phenomenal girls called Sheroes. With time, we were lucky enough to work with the YWRC. We learned […]

I am Kathy Parenza the Volunteer Coordinator at the Young Women’s Resource Center.  I grew up on a farm in North Central Iowa with loving parents, four siblings and many relatives in the area.  As a young girl I enjoyed caring for my younger siblings, many dolls and pets.  I also was kind of a […]

Who I am My name is Duha Kowa. I am 13 years old, and I joined the YWRC when I was 10 and in the 5th grade. My elementary school counselor, Mrs. Howe, came into my classroom and talked to all the girls in my class about the groups at the YWRC and what they […]

This blog’s purpose is to share raw, unfiltered language used by clients to describe their lives and experiences at the Young Women’s Resource Center. I asked girls a variety of questions, and I quickly typed all of their answers as they spouted them out. It is important to note that it is impossible to capture […]

My name is Amy Tiefenthaler, and I am the therapist at the Young Women’s Resource Center. I am a mother to two beautiful little girls who are always on my mind and provide me with more joy than I could ever put into words.  I have a husband of 7 years who reminds me frequently through his […]

I am Katie McCune, a Prevention Program Specialist at the Young Women’s Resource Center. I grew up right here in the Des Moines area with my parents and five siblings. I enjoy many activities such as yoga, Zumba, hula hooping and going to concerts. However, some of my favorite things are long hugs, big smiles, […]

When I was eighteen, I got pregnant with my daughter. While I was still with her dad until she reached 6 months, he was on drugs and completely unsupportive. I started attending the Young Women’s Resource Center’s Young Moms group at my high school then transitioned to the programs offered on-site after graduating.  I participated […]

I am Emily Fichter, a Prevention Program Specialist at the Young Women’s Resource Center. I grew up on a farm in Shenandoah, Iowa with my mom, dad, and two older brothers. Like many young girls I wanted to be an astronaut. Living on a farm you can look up at the sky and see forever. […]