Anne Deisinger lives in Milwaukee and has been serving as an Ignatian Volunteer Corps member at St. Bakhita Catholic Worker House in Milwaukee since 2022.
Anne joined the Ignatian Volunteer Corps of Milwaukee, in hopes of expanding her sense of self-fulfillment while growing deeper in her faith through service in the Milwaukee community. Anne joined the corps with a wealth of professional expertise in project management as well as advanced degrees in engineering, theology, and project management. Through Ignatian Volunteer Corps (IVC), Anne has found an intersection between faith-based service and her project management expertise through her volunteer work with St. Bakhita Catholic Worker House (CWH).
St. Bakhita CWH provides supportive community housing for women who are survivors of sexual exploitation and human trafficking. St. Bakhita CWH follows the mission set forth by Dorothy Day and the Catholic Worker movement. This mission is to teach and embody the Beatitudes and Catholic social teachings, which aim to improve how we understand and value the human person. The spiritual and communal foundation of the program provides residents with a newfound support system as they transition into a new chapter of their lives. Anne reflected that, “Whether it’s getting a GED degree or decorating a Christmas tree for the first time ever, it’s encouraging to celebrate these women’s accomplishments and newfound life experiences that we commonly take for granted.”
Currently, Anne undertakes an interdisciplinary role with St. Bakhita CWH that involves financial project management and clerical organization. “I love it because I feel like my work allows Anne Haines (executive director of St. Bakhita CWH) to focus on the greater initiatives of the organization.” Over the years, Anne Deisinger has built a strong professional and personal relationship with Anne Haines. Deisinger has enjoyed learning from Haines about Dorothy Day and her impact on the Catholic Worker movement. Through her conversations with Haines, her recently developed Ignatian Spirituality, and meetings with fellow IVC members, Anne is grateful for the sense of community that being a part of IVC has fostered. “What we all need is a supportive faith community that’ll hold us up through good and bad, and help provide us with a sense of purpose.”