Legacy Leader: Nancy Anstoetter
“Everybody needs a little help along the way and if you have the means to help others, you have an obligation as a Catholic or as a Christian to do so,” said Nancy.
Catholic Charities is dedicated to serving our neighbors in need with dignity and grace. Nancy Anstoetter, a former Catholic Charities Board Member and Board Chair, has helped advance the work of Catholic Charities through her guidance and leadership.
Nancy connected with Catholic Charities through another former board chair, Marty Walsh, and after learning more about the work Catholic Charities does in the Diocese of Des Moines, she began volunteering across the different programs. She later joined the board in the early 2000s, serving for 10 years and chairing the board for two of those years.
Through her volunteering, Nancy helped hand out food at the Catholic Charities Food Pantry, took meals to the Catholic Charities Emergency Family Shelter and held drives for some of the programs most needed items.
“Anything that Catholic Charities put out I tried to see what I could do to help,” said Nancy. “Catholic Charities holds a special place in my heart just from a social justice point of view.”
During her time on the board, Nancy helped grow and advance programs and services, most notably the expansion of the Catholic Charities Emergency Family Shelter in 2010, doubling the shelter’s capacity. After serving on the Catholic Charities Board of Directors, Nancy continued her involvement within the Diocese of Des Moines and joined the Catholic Foundation of Southwest Iowa Board of Directors, which supports Catholic Charities through planned giving and endowment resources. Currently, she serves as a member of the Diocese of Des Moines Finance Council.
Nancy and her husband continue to support the work of Catholic Charities through their advocacy and financial contributions through the United Way of Central Iowa. Nancy is grateful to be able to further support the community and Catholic Charities through their giving.
“Everybody needs a little help along the way and if you have the means to help others, you have an obligation as a Catholic or as a Christian to do so,” said Nancy. “Catholic Charities does a great job identifying the areas of need and through this organization I know we are making a difference.”
Nancy is also grateful for Catholic Charities’ forward facing approach to identifying and addressing the growing needs in the community. She encourages others to reach out and get involved however they can, whether it is through volunteering or financial contributions.
“I wish everyone realized that Catholic Charities is a part of our Diocese and a way that we can make a pretty big impact in the lives of those in need,” said Nancy. “There are small needs that can be met by anyone and there seems to never be enough hands.”
For more information on how you can get involved and support the mission at Catholic Charities, contact Director of Development and Marketing, Bobbi Jo Smith at 515-237-5064 or bsmith@catholiccharitiesdm.org.
Catholic Foundation of Southwest Iowa provides different avenues for individuals to support charitable organizations within the Diocese of Des Moines, including Catholic Charities. For information on planned giving, donor-advised funds and more visit catholicfoundationiowa.org.
