Anna Helfgott was born on October 3, 1899, in Baltimore, Maryland to parents William Altshul and Esther Bass Altshul. After marrying her husband, Iser, the couple remained in Baltimore and had three children: Esther, Lenny, and Dorothy. Helfgott worked as a department store dressmaker and fitter, during which time she was a member of the International Ladies Garment Workers Union (ILGWU). In 1964, Helfgott relocated to Boston to work as a VISTA volunteer before moving to Bellingham, Washington, in 1970. In Bellingham, she took part in the Bridges Program at Western Washington University. After later moving to Seattle, Helfgott played an active role as a volunteer and board president of the Gray Panthers from the founding of the organization in 1976 until the early 1990s, and also volunteered with other organizations that supported elder rights and care, including the Elder Citizens Coalition, Citizens for Improvement of Nursing Homes, the Puget Sound Council of Senior Citizens, the Older Women's League, and the International League for Peace and Freedom. Anna Helfgott died on January 21, 1996.