The Mission of the Young Women's Resource Center is to support, educate and advocate for young women as they experience life's challenges.

Description:
Young Women's Resource Center educated more than 600 girls from Des Moines area middle schools in our "Problem Solving" groups, Chrysalis after school programs and local Girl Scouts of America groups. Programs focused on issues facing middle school girls and are designed to help these young women: build self esteem and positive body images, avoid drugs, alcohol and tobacco, prevent eating disorders, understand reproductive health, enjoy physical and mental health, address dating violence, bullying and peer pressure. Serving young moms - while the Center encourages young women to wait until adulthood to have children, teen pregnancy is a fact of life around our nation and in Central Iowa. The program focuses on lifelong parenting and relationship skills, child health and safety, pre- and post-natal classes, Doula support, completing high school, scholarships and continuing education. Serving shared interests
Keys (Keeping Education in Your Sights) helped young women visit area businesses, encouraged them to complete high school and learn how to apply to college. Mariposa is a leadership group for high school Latinas. SIG-NA (Survivors Integrity Group-No Abuse)is a collaborative effort with Polk County Victim Services to help young women understand their strength and resiliency as survivors. Free counseling and therapy is provided to young women at the Center.

History:
The challenges and opportunities facing young women today are vastly different than they were a generation ago, and differ from those facing young men. At Young Women's Resource Center we focus specifically on those differences in order to help young women of Central Iowa address their changing needs. YWRC provides 15 services and programs that collaborate with local area schools and works with more than 1,600 young women of Central Iowa each year.

Contact people:

Christina Heth, Volunteer Coordinator, (phone), (email) Adrienne Windley, Executive Director, (phone), (email) Jenny Mesecher, Financial Assistant, (phone), (email)

Office fax number: (515) 243-5073

Address:

705 E. 2nd Street Des Moines, IA 50309 (See a map)

Web Site: http://www.ywrc.org