Women Helping Women Luncheon Returns for 28th Year Supporting Local Mental Health

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:
Heather Stuyvesant
Director of Development
Mind & Spirit Counseling Center
hstuyvesant@mindspiritcenter.org
515-564-5122

Women Helping Women Luncheon Marks 28 Years, Focuses on Grief, Healing, and Community

ALTOONA, IA (Des Moines metro) — May 15, 2026 — The Mind & Spirit Counseling Center will host its 28th Annual Women Helping Women Luncheon on Friday, May 15, 2026, at the Meadows Events Center at Prairie Meadows. The annual event continues a powerful tradition of community support that has raised more than $2.7 million since 1999.

Funds raised from this annual event support counseling, education, training, and other essential services for women, children, and families who are uninsured, underinsured, or from low-income households—ensuring access to critical mental health care for those who need it most.

This year’s luncheon explores the theme of grief, loss, and healing, inviting attendees into a meaningful conversation about how creativity, connection, and compassion can help individuals navigate life’s most difficult moments and reimagine what comes next.

“Grief touches every one of us, yet it’s something we rarely talk about openly,” said Amy Doyle, Executive Director of Mind & Spirit Counseling Center. “This year’s Women Helping Women is about opening that conversation—creating space for reflection and connection, and inspiring people to carry those conversations into their own lives and communities.”

The program will feature a powerful, intimate discussion led by longtime journalist Mollie Cooney, who will moderate a conversation with multidisciplinary artist Amy Putney Koenig. Together, they will guide a conversation that invites attendees to reflect on the losses we carry, understand the many ways we grieve, and explore how community and creativity can help us move forward.

Putney Koenig, a Des Moines-based artist and author, draws on her lived experience as a survivor of addiction and intergenerational trauma, as well as her work as a Death Doula. Her art invites audiences to find beauty in brokenness and meaning in life’s most challenging experiences.

The event will also honor Suzanna de Baca, an accomplished CEO, board director, and thought leader whose career has been defined by advancing human-centered leadership and championing holistic health. As CEO of Story Board Advisors, she works with organizations to build resilient, purpose-driven cultures grounded in trust and connection. A passionate advocate for mental health and health equity, her work continues to strengthen psychologically healthy workplaces and communities.

The luncheon begins with networking from 11:00 to 11:30 a.m., followed by the program from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Organizers invite the community to help reach this year’s $250,000 fundraising goal and continue expanding access to life-changing mental health services across Iowa.

Sponsorship opportunities, special guest experiences, and individual tickets are still available. For more information or to reserve your spot, visit:
https://mindspiritcenter.org/events/women-helping-women/

By participating, attendees help ensure that compassionate, high-quality mental health care remains accessible to those who need it most.

About Mind & Spirit Counseling Center

Founded in 1972, Mind & Spirit Counseling Center is an independent, not-for-profit, community-based organization serving central Iowa. As one of the region’s largest counseling providers, the Center has impacted tens of thousands of lives over more than 50 years.

The Center offers high-quality, accessible mental health services for individuals of all ages, including those who are uninsured, underinsured, or from low-income households. Services include counseling for children, adolescents, and adults; psychiatric care and medication management; psychological testing and assessment; spiritual direction; and a range of educational programs.

In addition, the Center provides clinical training programs for graduate students and postgraduates, as well as leadership and conflict transformation services for nonprofits, congregations, and businesses. The organization is committed to ensuring that all clients receive the same high-quality care, regardless of financial barriers.