OLD NEWSBOYS 2022
SINCE 1957 • OLDNEWSBOYSDAY.ORG
THANK YOU FOR MAKING A DIFFERENCE TODAY
DONATE HERE
DONATION
A Tradition of Giving
HOPE VOLUNTEERS RAISE FUNDS FOR LOCAL CHILDREN’S CHARITIES ON NOVEMBER 17
OR GO TO oldnewsboysday.org
66th annual campaign benefits thousands of children through local charities BEYOND HOUSING
Transforming communities in the Normandy School District
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE CHARITY PHOTO BY CHRISTINA KLING-GARRETT
SEE STORY INSIDE: PAGE 7
ANNIE’S HOPE
Supporting kids through the unimaginable
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE CHARITY
SEE STORY INSIDE: PAGE 9
LOGOS SCHOOL
Helping students find hope, healing and a promising future
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE CHARITY
SEE STORY INSIDE: PAGE 13
ASSISTANCE LEAGUE OF ST. LOUIS
Helping St. Louis Thrive
Old Newsboys volunteers are ready to collect donations.
Old Newsboys volunteers will be out on streets raising awareness and funds on November 17, as they have since 1957. This all-volunteer organization uses a special edition of the newspaper to spotlight some of the children’s charities serving St. Louis and to raise money to help kids in our community. Each year, the public is invited to open their hearts and their wallets for those children in need through the Old Newsboys Day campaign for kids. The Sunset Ford family has been volunteering with the Old Newsboys organization for over 25 years. Cousins, Pete and Justin Heutel are co-chairs of the Old Newsboys campaign this year. “Sunset Ford is proud to have been part of the St. Louis community since 1912, back when a gallon of gas sold for only 12 cents. We are a fifth-generation family-owned business. Our dads and granddads have been involved in this St. Louis tradition for many years. Now, Pete and I are proud to carry on the family tradition and join fellow Newsboys and girls on street corners throughout St. Louis to sell the special edition for donation all for a great cause.” said Old Newsboys Day campaign co-chair Justin Heutel. “Old Newsboys helps St. Louis’ most forgotten children,” said Old Newsboys campaign co-chair Pete Heutel. “It is our privilege to lend a hand to lead the organization in its mission to assist area children’s charities. The children we help today will be tomorrow’s leaders. To be able to join the hundreds of corner volunteers, dozens of business and community leaders in this most worthy endeavor is our great honor.” In longstanding tradition, you will see Old Newsboys volunteers at corners around the St. Louis region from 7 to 9 a.m. on Thursday, November 17 but you can also donate online any time at OldNewsboysDay.org. This special edition newspaper features just a sample of the local charities served by the Old Newsboys organization.
A COMMUNITY EFFORT PHOTO COURTESY OF THE CHARITY
SEE STORY INSIDE: PAGE 15
CENTRAL INSTITUTE FOR THE DEAF
Helping deaf kids to succeed
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE CHARITY
SEE STORY INSIDE: PAGE 16
Old Newsboys Day has been a community giving opportunity since 1957, helping to educate the public about the region’s charities and assisting them on their mission to support kids. These grants are for items that directly impact the lives of children in our community. Whether they need diapers, formula, coats, socks or a support program, these charities are making a big difference in the lives of our children. It’s the least we can do to help offer them just a little extra funding. These in-the-trenches organizations rely on volunteers and the support of the generous people of St. Louis. Even just a few dollars can make a big difference for these programs that are offering children hope, warmth and support.
PHOTO BY CHRISTINA KLING-GARRETT
Campaign Chairs, Pete and Justin Heutel Old Newsboys collects donations through a variety of events throughout the year but the most recognized is the annual Old Newsboys Day campaign that’s been a St. Louis tradition on the Thursday before Thanksgiving. The community is invited to donate online and through volunteers at corners across the region on November 17. “It’s a great feeling to be able to make a difference in the lives of children,” said executive director, Mary Ann Wagner. “We’re providing these organizations with small grants so that they can provide the basic necessities for our most vulnerable population. These kids need everything from mental health support to a clean pair of socks. The charities we serve are the ones making a difference in the lives of these children and we’re happy to be here to support them for the 66th year.” This is truly a community effort. Hundreds of local charities are doing the hard work to make a difference in the lives of children who are in need of support. The Old Newsboys organization has the privilege of helping to support their work through fundraising and awareness of this campaign. We invite everyone to help make a difference this year by donating online and by reading and sharing the articles written by local high school journalists that volunteered their time and talent.
OLD NEWSBOYS
N2 • ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
M 1 • THUrSDAy • 11.17.2022
66TH ANNUAL CAMPAIGN BENEFITS CHILDREN’S CHARITIES CHILDREN’S CHARITIES BENEFITING FROM OLD NEWSBOYS CAMPAIGN FOR KIDS Thousands of children are helped each year through the Old Newsboys organization due to the efforts of local community and business leaders, the extensive network of Old Newsboys volunteers and the staff of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
The organizations that received funding from the 2021 Old Newsboys Day proceeds are: 4 Walls and Beyond
DOORWAYS
Jeremiah Healthcare Solutions
Sister Thea Bowman Catholic School
Academic Development Institute
Down Syndrome Association of Greater St. Louis
Joe’s Place
Society of St. Vincent de Paul Belleville Council
Aim High St. Louis
Kinetic Tapestry
East Side Heart & Home Family
Alive, Inc.
L.I.F.E. Foundation, The
Every Child’s Hope
Angels’ Arms
Lemay Child anf Family Center
Exceptional Equestrians of the Missouri Valley
Annie’s Hope - Center for Grieving Kids
Life House Center
Assistance League of St. Louis
Flance Early Learning Center
LifeWise StL (formerly Kingdom House)
Athleticare Sports and Health Foundation
Friends of African-American Families and Children Service Center, Inc.
Lift for Life Gym
Beyond Housing
Gene Slay’s Girls & Boys Club of St. Louis
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern MO
Logos School
Give Kids A Smile
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwestern Illinois
Little Bit Foundation, The Lydia’s House, Inc.
Giving is a Family Tradition
Birthright of St. Charles
Good Shepherd Children and Family Services
Birthright of Wentzville
Grace My Feet
Books for Newborns
Grace’s Place, Inc.
Boys Hope Girls Hope of St. Louis - Girls
Gray Summit United Methodist Church
Boys Hope Girls Hope of St. Louis - Boys
Griffin Center
Call For Help, Inc.
Guardian Angel Settlement Association
Cardinal Ritter Senior Services
Haven Of Grace
Caring for Kids
Heartlinks Grief Center
Carried With Love
Highland Area Christian Service Ministry
CASA
Holy Angels Shelter
Central Institute for the Deaf
HOME WORKS! The Teacher Home Visit Program
Christian Family Services, Inc.
Horizons St. Louis in Kirkwood
Claytonia Terrace Residents Association
Hoyleton Youth and Family Services
Community Rebuilding Inc.
Humanitri
Cornerstone Center for Early Learning, Inc.
Infant Loss Resources
Covenant House Missouri
Isaiah 58 Ministries
Disability Resource Association
Jefferson County Community Partnership
Manasseh Ministry Marygrove Midtown Community Services Mission: St. Louis Monroe County House of Neighborly Service National Council of Jewish Women North Side Community School Northside Youth and Senior Service Center One Hope United Our Lady of Guadalupe Our Lady’s Inn - St. Charles Our Lady’s Inn - St. Louis Puentes de Esperanza: Bridges of Hope Ready Readers Ride On St. Louis Santa’s Helpers Serving Our Community Kids Corp (S.O.C.K.S., Corp.)
SoulFisher Ministries Southside Early Childhood Center Sparrow’s Nest, The Springboard to Learning St. Anthony of Padua Parish dba St. Anthony Food Pantry St. Louis Arc St. Louis Arc St. Martha’s Hall St. Rita’s Food Bank Strong Tower Ranch Strong Tower Ranch Sts. Joachim and Ann Care Services Sweet Babies ThriVe Women’s Express Healthcare Tri-County Birthright United 4 Children United States Association for Blind Athletes Urban Reach STL, Inc Violence Prevention Center of Southwestern Illinois Walker Scottish Rite Clinic for Childhood Language Disorders Webster Child Care Center Webster-Rock Hill Ministries Women in Charge Youth In Need
To make a difference in the lives of St. Louis kids, donate online at oldnewsboysday.org.
Participating high school journalists Old Newsboys Fund for Children’s Charities helps nonprofits that help St. Louis area children. For this special edition, high school journalists wrote about those nonprofits which received funding. Check out the articles within the section and online at: oldnewsboysday.org.
Your donations help make the work you’ll read about possible. Thank you. Our gratitude also goes to the student journalists who offered their expertise to learn and tell about these wonderful organizations:
4 WALLS AND BEYOND
CHRISTIAN FAMILY SERVICES
MAGGIE AHLHEIM
CAROLINE SMITH
JUNIOR NERINX HALL
SOPHOMORE NERINX HALL
AIM HIGH ST. LOUIS
COURT APPOINTED SPECIAL ADVOCATES
SRUTHI DOMMARAJU SENIOR JOHN BURROUGHS SCHOOL
ALIVE, INC. EMILY WORTHMORE SENIOR MEHLVILLE HIGH SCHOOL
CHLOE SAPP SENIOR RITENOUR HIGH SCHOOL
DISABILITY RESOURCE ASSOCIATION MCKENNA HUDSON JUNIOR FRANCIS HOWELL NORTH HIGH SCHOOL
HORIZONS ST. LOUIS IN KIRKWOOD NELA SULJIC SENIOR MEHLVILLE HIGH SCHOOL
INFANT LOSS RESOURCES AVA BEARSKIN SENIOR PATTONVILLE HIGH SCHOOL
JOE’S PLACE MAXIMUS ZIEGLER JUNIOR BELLEVILLE EAST HIGH SCHOOL
ANNIE’S HOPE
DOORWAYS
KINETIC TAPESTRY
GRACE HERZOG
OLIVIA HU
ALLEN YOU
SENIOR LINDBERGH HIGH SCHOOL
SENIOR LADUE HORTON WATKINS HIGH SCHOOL
SENIOR LADUE HORTON WATKINS HIGH SCHOOL
ASSISTANCE LEAGUE OF ST. LOUIS
EXCEPTIONAL EQUESTRIANS OF THE MISSOURI VALLEY, INC.
LOGOS
KAT GAU
ELI FERGUSON
SOPHOMORE VISITATION ACADEMY
SOPHOMORE MARQUETTE HIGH SCHOOL
BEYOND HOUSING
GIVING IS A FAMILY TRADITION
STRONG TOWER RANCH
MAX EASTMAN
EMILY WALKER
SOPHIA BRUMMOND
SENIOR LADUE HORTON WATKINS HIGH SCHOOL
SENIOR LADUE HORTON WATKINS HIGH SCHOOL
SENIOR EUREKA HIGH SCHOOL
BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF SOUTHWESTERN ILLINOIS
GRACE’S PLACE CRISIS NURSERY
STS. JOACHIM & ANN CARE SERVICE
ALISON PATE
REILLY HILL
LUCY BRANSCUM
SENIOR EUREKA HIGH SCHOOL
JUNIOR VISITATION ACADEMY
SENIOR EUREKA HIGH SCHOOL
BOOKS FOR NEWBORNS
HEARTLINKS GRIEF CENTER: FROM GRIEF TO GROWTH
THE HAVEN OF GRACE
BRICE SHEARBURN SENIOR JOHN BURROUGHS SCHOOL
LANA ENGLISH SENIOR JOHN BURROUGHS SCHOOL
REBECCA SIMPKINS SENIOR PATTONVILLE HIGH SCHOOL
MEGAN LIU JUNIOR JOHN BURROUGHS SCHOOL
CENTRAL INSTITUTE FOR THE DEAF
HOLY ANGELS SHELTER & HOUSING SERVICES
WALKER SCOTTISH RITE CLINIC AT MARYVILLE UNIVERSITY
HANA ILAHI
EMMA CARCAMO
AVERY BIGHAM
SOPHOMORE JOHN BURROUGHS SCHOOL
SOPHOMORE MARQUETTE HIGH SCHOOL
SENIOR EUREKA HIGH SCHOOL
OLD NEWSBOYS
11.17.2022 • Thursday • M 1
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OLD NEWSBOYS FUND FOR CHILDREN’S CHARITIES
St. Louis charity provides assistance to local children’s organizations The Mission of Old Newsboys - to ensure that children who are at-risk in our community, because of abuse or poverty, receive adequate food, shelter, clothing, health care and an equal opportunity for social development. With the help of our dedicated leaders, the Old Newsboys organization awards grants on an annual basis to local organizations that support the basic needs of at-risk children. For more information visit oldnewsboysday.org. 2022 Old Newsboys Campaign Co-Chairs, Justin Heutel, left and Pete Heutel, right, are joined on-field by Old Newsboys Chair Emeritus, Jackie Brock, and former St. Louis Cardinal and current New York Yankee and 2022 Honorary Campaign Chairman, Harrison Bader to officially kick off the annual 2022 Old Newsboys Campaign at Busch Stadium.
PRESIDENT’S CLUB MEMBERS
JACKIE BROCK
BILLY BUSCH
• CAMPAIGN CHAIR 2021-22 • EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE COUNSEL
• CHAIR EMERITUS • CO-CHAIR, OLD NEWSBOYS 1999 • BOARD MEMBER
• CHAIRMAN, OLD NEWSBOYS 2016-17 • BOARD MEMBER
JUSTIN HEUTEL SUNSET FORD
PETE HEUTEL SUNSET FORD
• CAMPAIGN CO-CHAIR 2022-23
• CAMPAIGN CO-CHAIR 2022-23
ORV KIMBROUGH MIDWEST BANK CENTER
DANNY POUGE MIDWEST BANKCENTRE
DOUG SANSONE SANSONE GROUP
MOLLY SANSONE SANSONE GROUP
• CO-CHAIR, OLD NEWSBOYS 2018-19 • BOARD MEMBER
• CO-CHAIR, OLD NEWSBOYS 2018-19 • BOARD MEMBER
PAULA ARZU
IAN CASO ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
BRAD GOSS AMUNDSEN DAVIS
• EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE PRESIDENT
NICK LAMB THOMPSON COBURN
STEVE NEWSTEAD • EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE TREASURER
SCOTT NIEKAMP NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL • CHAIRMAN, OLD NEWSBOYS 2014-15 • BOARD MEMBER
• BOARD MEMBER
JAY SCHAEFFER SHIELDS SCHAEFFER MANUFACTURING
MISSY HILL • BOARD MEMBER • POLO CO-CHAIR, 2021-22
KIRK STANGE STANGE LAW FIRM
• CHAIRMAN, PRESIDENT’S CLUB • BOARD MEMBER
MIKE WALSH • CHAIRMAN, OLD NEWSBOYS 2010-12 • EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE VICE PRESIDENT
BUSINESS LEADERS
RUSTY & BOBBY BAKER
JIM BICK, JR. JOSEPH C. SANSONE COMPANY
JOHNSON G’SELL MAGNOLIA DENTAL
LISA CLARK ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
GUS CLAUS NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL
LAURA DACUS PACE PROPERTIES + AVISON YOUNG
ASHLEY GATES • BOARD MEMBER
JOHN & COLLEEN GATES
• EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE SECRETARY
JOHN HESSEL LEWIS RICE
ROB JOHNSON PROTECTIVE LIFE
BILL SIEDHOFF
MARY ANN WAGNER • EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
• BOARD MEMBER
STEVE WIENIEWSKI RUBIN BROWN
• BOARD MEMBER
FRIENDS OF OLD NEWSBOYS AUTOMATIC CONTROLS - JUSTIN VOGT • AVISON YOUNG • ANDRE’S BANQUET CENTERS • BG SERVICES DON SUFTCO • DAN AND BARBARA BALL • ADOLPHUS BUSCH • CARDINAL DOOR • STEPHEN CAPRANICA BOB CIAPCIAK • CLAYTON FINANCIAL GROUP • ED DAHL • DAVID DICK ENTERPRISE BANK • SHREE FELDMAN FOREST LAKE SWIM AND TENNIS CLUB - GENE ELLIS • FREDERIC CO • ROBERTA FREEMAN TRAVIS & MARINA FREEMAN • TRENT GHEREDINI • SHERRI AND RICK GOLDMAN • SARAH AND WILLIAM HAKES DAN AND BARBARS HALL • JIM HALLEY • JOSEPH HALLEY • AL HAMMERMAN • KENNETH KLEBAN KNIGHTS OF THE CAULIFLOWER EAR • ALAN AND JONI LEBON • KATHY LUEDERS • TIM MAYNARD MCCARTHY, LEONARD & KAEMMERER, L.C. • PACE PREPERTIES • MEYER REAL ESTATE • STEVE O’LOUGHLIN BUD ROSENBLOOM • ROYAL BANKS OF MISSOURI • WILLIAM AND ANDREA RUBIN • SAKS FIFTH AVENUE SALON 210 • LAURIE AND BERT SCHRALER • RENEE SPIEGELGLASS • STIFEL • KIRK AND LISA SYBERG • SSM TSG - MICHAEL STAENBERG • WATERWAY CARWASH - TIM REIS • WESTVIEW MEDIA - JEFF HILL WELLS FARGO ADVISORS - MIKE WILHELM • ROBERT AND KATHY WILLIAMS • EVELYN WITTEN
If you are interested in joining the Old Newsboys team, please email oldnewsboyscharities@gmail.com
OLD NEWSBOYS
N4 • ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
M 1 • THUrSDAy • 11.17.2022
OLD NEWSBOYS FUND FOR CHILDREN’S CHARITIES
Where memories and friends are made... while improving the lives of St. Louis kids.
Mike Walsh, Vice President of Old Newsboys, presents to area community leaders the mission of the Old Newsboys Fund and the need to support St. Louis area youth.
Jackie Brock, Old New
an, er, Honorary Chairm us and Harrison Bad sboys Chair Emerit ys Campaign sbo New Old 2 202 off the 2. join together to kick Augusta in May 202 aboard the MS Miss
Old Newsboys Fund for Children’s Charities joins forces with business and community leaders and concerned citizens at these events to raise much-needed funds for St. Louis children’s organizations that assist atrisk children with their basic needs. Thank you for your support.
Campaign Co-Chairs Justin Heutel and Pete Heutel reach out to area business leaders to help raise much needed funds for the children’s charities supported by the Old Newsboys organization.
Honorary Chair Harrison Bader with Old Newsboys Business Leader Bill Siedhoff and Mary Ellen Cotsworth.
Longtime friends and Old Newsboys supporters, Scott Niekamp, Jay Shields and Mike Walsh.
Richard Jackson with Manasseh Ministries receives a special Old Newsboys grant from Harrison Bader. School uniforms will be presented to at-risk children with the proceeds.
Team Royal Bank in blue and Team Pace Properties in red put on an exciting match for nearly 1,000 spectators.
Dozens of local children’s charities participated in the Old Newsboys Parade of Charities opening ceremonies at the annual polo match.
Guests partake in the Top Topper Hat Contest at the annual charity polo match.
Nick and Lisa Lamb enjoy the polo match with their new granddaughter.
The Old Newsboys Charity Polo hats were available for purchase at the event.
Friends gather for a great cause.
Business Edition Leaders and Fredbird enjoy Old Newsboys Night at the Ball Park.
Volunteers sell 50/50 raffle tickets to guests at the annual charity polo match.
Gussie Busch, Co-Chair of the Pony Up for Kids Charity Polo Match, greets spectators of the polo match.
Missy HIll, Co-Chair of the Polo Match and Pete Heutel, Campaign Chair welcomes the crowd during opening ceremonies,
Old d Newsboys N s take t e to to the t e streets s to sell a special edition for donations
Come join us. There are so many ways to get involved. Check out our upcoming events, see how you can donate, and get more information on our programs at oldnewsboysday.org
11.17.2022 • Thursday • M 1
OLD NEWSBOYS
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WWW.STANGELAWFIRM.COM
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Navigating the Holidays With Your Children and Co-parent If you’re currently separated, going through a divorce, or have been divorced, you know that the holiday season can be especially stressful on you and your children. There can be a lot of variables that can affect your plans. These might include: • The geographical distance between you and your exspouse–do you live close by or far away? • Holiday plans for both households and scheduling time (e.g., who has family coming into town when?) • How custody is being handled? Is it with our without court involvement? • What kind of custody you have? Do you have full, shared, or joint custody? • Your relationship with your ex-spouse–is it friendly or hostile? • Whether you or your ex-spouse has re-married or found another partner Even though there are many things to think about as you plan for the holidays, putting your children first can help cool tensions and create wonderful holiday memories for you and your family. One of the best ways to do this is to plan ahead. Having a plan in place creates consistency for your children and reduces the chance of conflict between you and your ex-spouse, or between you and your children. Even with a plan in place, things may still not go smoothly, especially when you’re dealing with kids. Make sure
you keep communication lines open and that you’re flexible when possible, keeping the needs of your children as your main focus. At the same time, as your children come first, don’t overcompensate for your feelings of guilt and hurt over your separation or divorce by overindulging your children. You and your ex-spouse should be working together on creating a new normal for them that is both healthy for the two of you and for your children. You should also make sure that you’re taking care of yourself. If you’re unable to spend the holidays with your children, make sure you have plans for yourself that nurture you. The only thing that anyone can expect of you is your best. When you put your best efforts forward on behalf of yourself and your children, you will place yourself in the likely position of making peaceful, happy and healthy memories. No matter how things ultimately turn out, in the end, your best is enough. Stange Law Firm, PC, limits their practice to family law matters including divorce, child custody, child support, paternity, adoption, collaborative law and other domestic relation matters. Stange Law Firm, PC, gives clients 24/7 access to their case through a secured online case tracker found on the website. They also give clients their cell phone numbers. Stange Law Firm, PC, understands the emotions that can come from a divorce or family law matter. No matter the family law issue you face, we are here to help you rebuild your life. Call for a consultation today at 855-805-0595.
Here to Help You Rebuild Your Life™ DIVORCE | PATERNITY | ADOPTION | CHILD SUPPORT | MODIFICATIONS CHILD CUSTODY | COLLABORATIVE LAW | MEDIATION | FAMILY LAW | ESTATE PLANNING Note: The choice of a lawyer is an important decision that should not be based solely upon advertisements. Kirk C. Stange is responsible for the content. Headquarters office: 120 South Central Avenue, Suite 450, Clayton, MO 63105.
OLD NEWSBOYS
N6 • ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
M 1 • THUrSDAy • 11.17.2022
COURT APPOINTED SPECIAL ADVOCATES
Giving a voice to the voiceless backgrounds or who have experienced traumatic situations.”
CHLOE SAPP SENIOR RITENOUR HIGH SCHOOL
Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASAs) in St. Louis work with trained volunteers who provide a voice for children who have experienced abuse or neglect. The special advocates serve children from birth to age 20 while in foster care.
One of these trained CASAs is Michelle Mettler, a volunteer approaching her fourth year as an advocate for her sibling set of three. The time spent with the siblings has allowed her to advocate in many different ways. “I did my CASA training at the end of 2018 and was assigned my first case in January 2019,” Mettler said. “Four years later, and I’m still working on that case. I visit my children in their separate placement homes each month.”
The advocates visit their children at least once a month, attend court and family support meetings and visit with people who know the child(ren). CASA volunteers go through extensive training over six weeks — approximately 30 hours. Potential are required to complete an application with references, a background check, and a screening interview with a staff member.
Being in foster care and having to go through court hearings at a young age without the comfort of a parent can affect young children immensely, making them feel scared or anxious about how life will turn out. Mettler and Fultz are two people helping to comfort these children.
“The training covers a broad range of subjects to get them acclimated with the role and what they’ll be doing,” said Beth Fultz, manager of volunteer engagement. “They talk about issues relating to children experiencing trauma and the court system. We also discuss how to build relationships, particularly with people who might have different
“I think the unique thing about our volunteers is that they follow the child through their time in care — so many of our volunteers will say they’re kind of the last one standing,” Fultz said. “Even as foster placements, schools, teachers, therapists, doctors, and friends change
— our CASAs stand by them no matter what and are the one consistent person in their life. It’s no wonder I hear volunteers talk about how surprised the kids are when they visit them in those different spaces.” Mettler is one member of the community that has stepped up and gets to experience the joy of seeing her kids’ faces light up when they see her at a visit. “One standout memory, in particular, is arriving at the home of one of the girls and seeing her sitting behind the glass front door waiting for me,” Mettler said. “This is when you realize you are making a difference in the child’s life, even in the few hours you spend with them.”
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE CHARITY
CASA staff members meet for a picnic
GIVING IS A FAMILY TRADITION
GiFT provides essentials for NICU Families Home Program packages include cribs, car seats, clothes, diapers, feeding supplies, household safety items, and developmental items like books and toys.
EMILY WALKER SENIOR LADUE HORTON WATKINS HIGH SCHOOL
Giving is a Family Tradition (GiFT) is a nonprofit that pr families with essential supplies for newborn babies released from the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Some of the essentials provided in its Destination
Starting in 2003, Jennifer Krassinger, the founder of GiFT and a current NICU nurse, started the Holiday Project with her family and friends to donate essentials to one family in December. As the years went on, the Holiday Project grew, so Krassinger and her family and friends helped additional families going home with their babies with little to no help. Krassinger’s experience as a NICU nurse allowed her to see the need and gave her a valuable understanding of what families need. “We became a formal organization in 2011,” Krassinger said. “That [becoming an organization] was after an inspiring holiday project among my family and friends in 2010. We had overwhelming support from the community and decided to harness some of that momentum by helping families that have babies in the NICU through the calendar year and not just in December.”
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE CHARITY
GiFT Essential supplies for NICU babies and their families
During the holidays, people are typically eager to give back to the community, but Krassinger knew the need extends throughout the year. With the growth of the organization GiFT helps over 150 families each year. The primary goal of GiFT is to provide an easy transition from hospital to home care and to
give families the resources they need to feel secure in taking care of their infant. ”Through my work as a [NICU] nurse, I recognize that some of the families, at the end of a very long hospitalization with their babies, would not be able to afford to get all of the basic infant care essentials,” said Krassinger. “My work led me to do this specific type of community service, and it broadened my awareness that not every family has a village to help their child.” GiFT tries to break down barriers to visitation because research has shown that infants do better when families can spend time together in the NICU. “For me, it is heartwarming to bring the community together to support families with limited access to resources and support,” Krassigner said. “The impact that the Destination Home Program has on individual families is what inspires me to continue.” GiFT has approximately 10-15 regular volunteers in the St Louis area, and during special events, those numbers can swell to 30 to 50 volunteers. “I felt a lot of gratitude for the people showing up to support a family they didn’t even know. It’s inspiring to see people help others.” The most important thing GiFT provides is a sense of hope and to ease the additional stressors like financial burdens. “Knowing that you have everything you need to take care of your baby offers hope and relieves stress,”Krassinger said.
AIM HIGH ST. LOUIS
Helping students “Aim High” SRUTHI DOMMARAJU SENIOR JOHN BURROUGHS SCHOOL
Founded in 1991, Aim High helps middle school students from high-risk environments elevate their academic experience while setting them up for success down the road. It’s hard to ignore the ramifications of the ever-growing socioeconomic gap, especially in such a divided city in St. Louis; many students from less fortunate areas are left unable to receive the adequate education or attention they deserve. Aim High aims to lessen that gap through its enriching 5-week summer program and morning events planned throughout the school year. On a normal day during the summer program, nearly 400 middle school students from over 60 schools will pile onto buses or their parents’ cars, excited to be dropped off and start their day. Once they arrive at their destination, the students, dubbed “achievers” by the program, will be greeted by dedicated teachers, counselors, and over 70 volunteer teaching assistants. After eating breakfast and receiving some words of encouragement, students head off to attend their core classes: math, science, English, and history. Students will have breaks for snacks, lunch, and physical fun, before heading off to an elective of their choice. At the
end of the day, students attend an uplifting assembly; there might be a few announcements about a lost lunch box or yearbook photos, but the highlight is always a reminder that every student has power, even if they don’t always feel like they do. While the organization focuses on education, instilling confidence in its participants is just as important. This is part of why Aim High is beginning a partnership with Washington University in St. Louis this year. Rising 6th and 7th graders will still attend the summer program at John Burroughs School, but rising 8th and 9th graders will have the opportunity to learn at Washington University for the first time in the history of the program. This change is not only to accommodate the growing size of the program but also for exposure, as executive director Tammy Taylor puts it.
not be able to afford a college education otherwise and can transform a student’s life for the better. Aim High doesn’t just transform the lives of students; however, the program profoundly impacts every person participating in it. Every summer, the program accounts for over 10,080 volunteer hours from its hardworking teaching assistants, who are typically high school students. Many Aim High graduates give back to the program by later becoming teaching assistants, helping to guide the students with the knowledge and maturity they gained from the program. The benefits of Aim High have a reach far beyond the students that the program aims to serve. The lessons students learn are taken back to their homes, schools and communities. Aim High is equipping the next generation of change makers with the tools they need to make the world a better place.
“Expanding the program to Washu allows students to see themselves on a college campus,” Taylor said. Aim High has also developed an important partnership with Eureka College that allows graduates of the program to find a pathway to success. Eureka College has promised any graduate of Aim High that maintains a minimum GPA throughout their high school career admission into Eureka College completely tuition free. This opportunity opens doors for countless students who may
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE CHARITY
A teacher helps a student with her work.
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HORIZONS ST. LOUIS
Closing the opportunity gaps one student at a time in Kirkwood NELA SULJIC SENIOR MEHLVILLE HIGH SCHOOL
The out-of-school time for students can be difficult for families, including the typical summer gaps. An affiliate of Horizons National, Horizons St. Louis in Kirkwood (Horizons), is trying to close that gap by providing opportunities for under-resourced students attending Kirkwood Public Schools. Horizons offers high-quality academics and engaging activities outside the traditional school year. It’s not summer school or camp; it’s a six-week summer academic and enrichment experience. The Kirkwood School District serves as the host school for Horizons, providing the use of their state-of-the-art facilities, including classrooms, gyms, fields, iPads, etc. “Horizons is a program created to eliminate the academic gap,” said Lakesha Robinson, executive director. “Many of our kids catch up to their current grade level or surpass it.”
The organization uses a project-based educational model to promote learning with an emphasis on literacy and STEM. Horizons St. Louis also offers swimming instructions, healthy meals, field trips, arts, athletics, dance, music and sports.
Horizons is funded by people who live in Kirkwood or have some type of connection with the community. When donations are made to Horizons St. Louis, they go towards keeping the program free and all of the things included in the program.
“Our students also participate in certified swim lessons,” Robinson said. “Three days out of each week they work with certified swim instructors. We had kids sitting on the sidelines for three weeks who didn’t want to put their feet in the water, and by the end of the program, they were putting their heads underwater.”
“It’s not just a donation — it’s an investment in our children’s futures,” Robinson said.
Horizons serves students with a wide range of academic skills, providing them with opportunities to experience success in a stable environment. Students in the program benefit from a 5:1 student-to-teacher ratio which allows for deep connections and long-lasting relationships with teachers and peers. The students also have access to a certified reading specialist and additional professional staff to support them in their journey.
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE CHARITY
Students express their gratitude for the program.
BEYOND HOUSING
Transforming communities in the Normandy School District MAX EASTMAN SENIOR LADUE HORTON WATKINS HIGH SCHOOL
Many factors make up a healthy community. Examples could include a park with kids playing on the playground, bustling shops, an entertainment district, or even something as simple as a well-stocked grocery store. Many residents take these things for granted,
but for some, the lack of these things can be glaring and may seriously affect a person’s quality of life.
teristics of a successful community within the Normandy school district.
Beyond Housing is a nonprofit organization that works to create healthier communities and combat poverty within the municipalities of North St. Louis County, specifically the Normandy School District.
“We’ve built almost 300 new homes,” Krehmeyer said. “We’ve built a grocery store, a movie theater, a food hall and a health facility. We’re investing in the environment, and people see the change. They can see dilapidated homes knocked down and new buildings built in their place. They have seen 1,000 seniors get their homes repaired, so they don’t have to move.”
“We intend to look at all the things that make up a successful place,” said Chris Krehmeyer, president and CEO. “We look at everything from housing, education, health care, jobs, economic development, public infrastructure, and family stability, and invest in those spaces. [We want to invest] not just individual silos, but to recognize the interconnectivity between all the spaces and rebuild the fabric of the communities we serve North St. Louis County.” This investment within the community is no easy task; a lot of planning and logistical work is done to effectively make a change. Beyond Housing has created a system that helps them address the needs of the communities they serve.
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE CHARITY
Community members decorate a tree outside of Carter Commons.
“We use a methodology called Ask, Align and Act,” Krehmeyer said. “We asked the people who live here — you tell us, what are the challenges? What are the things that aren’t working? But more importantly, what are the solutions to make the place you call home everything that you want it to be? We then align the appropriate resources and then do the work.” Using the Ask, Align and Act method, Beyond Housing has built many charac-
While Beyond Housing has improved the physical parts of the Normandy School District, they also have extensive networks of support to help residents in these areas. “We have 17 staff people embedded in the Normandy schools called Family Engagement Liaisons,” Krehemeyer said. “They help with food, clean clothes and school supplies. They also provide crisis intervention assistance with rent, utilities, and anything that prevents children from accessing an education. We also have a college-savings program; to date, we’ve helped send over 400 kids to college.” Beyond Housing wants to help outside of the Normandy School District. The nonprofit realizes the problems of poverty and the associated struggles span many communities. Beyond Housing’s ultimate goal is to prove that its blueprint works so it can expand to other Districts. “Yes, Normandy has these issues, but so does the Riverview Gardens School District, Jennings School District, Ferguson Florissant District and the Saint Louis Public Schools,” Krehemeyer said. “We want to prove the model works and show people we can make long-lasting transformational change.”
WALKER SCOTTISH RITE CLINIC AT MARYVILLE UNIVERSITY
Local clinic helps advance speech and language skills AVERY BIGHAM SENIOR EUREKA HIGH SCHOOL
to poor academic achievement and behavior problems in early years and beyond. Furthermore, studies identify language ability as a predictor of disruptive, hyperactive, and aggressive behaviors. “Research supports the positive effects of early intervention for children with speech and language disorders,” Gutshall said.
For the past 34 years, the Walker Scottish Rite Clinic has been striving to aid all preschoolers in reaching their potential in their communication. The nonprofit has served over 20,000 preschool-aged children. Their services help families afford and access free reliable speech-language therapy. A program of Maryville University, the clinic commits to teaching children ages 2 to 6 with speech disorders early on and helping start long-term therapy by equipping parents with tools to help their children at home. “The Clinic provides access and opportunity for at-risk children who are struggling to communicate to receive professional speech-language intervention services,” said Jacob Gutshall, clinic director. “Children with delays or disorders in communication are at a significant disadvantage, particularly in acquiring skills such as reading and writing. Reading is a speech-language skill requiring word knowledge and awareness of speech sounds.” Undiagnosed speech and language disorders are linked
“Fundraising events provide essential support and include a golf outing in September and a gala earlier this month,” Gutshall said. “Anything will help when it comes to nonprofit organizations. Simply giving your time and talents will have a bigger impact than one may think.”
Children are paired with speech-language pathologists (SLPs) who are certified by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and licensed by the state of Missouri. Therapy sessions are conducted in-person or virtually with the SLPs and are tailored to the needs of each child. Services include screenings, evaluations, individual and group therapy, audiological evaluations, and parent training. The clinic serves multiple areas in the St. Louis metro area, including St. Louis City and County, Jefferson, Franklin and Lincoln counties. Their services are funded primarily by foundation grants, fundraising and individual donations. The clinic does not receive federal funding, and families are never charged for speech-language therapy services, regardless of financial status or insurance coverage. Gutshall shares that the clinic needs community support to continue aiding the communication skills of many children. Many fundraising events need volunteers and attendees.
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE CHARITY
Children learn language through shared book reading and interacting with peers.
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ANNIE’S HOPE
Supporting kids through the unimaginable their struggles — a crucial part of processing Come full circle, many of the kids that grief. Annie’s Hope previously served come back to the nonprofit as a volunteer, leading the “When the kids get together, they realize everyone in the group has had somebody support groups they were once a member of die,” LaBelle said. “It makes it easier to years ago. bond and trust each other. The groups are “A large percent of our volunteers are kids a safe space for the kids to say what they’re and families that we served in the past,” thinking.” LaBelle said. “They’ll come back to help Parents also find themselves with a network because they know what it feels like and of support and an atmosphere of shared want to help others who feel the same.” experiences.
GRACE HERZOG SENIOR LINDBERGH HIGH SCHOOL
Established in 1997, Annie’s Hope supports children going through the unimaginable. Whether the nonprofit is hosting a six-week support group or a week-long summer camp, Annie’s Hope has one goal: to provide an open space for kids grappling with the death of a loved one. “Many parents will say that they “Grief is hard,” said Amy LaBelle, signed up for a support group for philanthropy director. “And once somebody their kids,” LaBelle said. “After dies, that grief is something you deal with the parents and kids have dinner the rest of your life — there’s no endpoint. together, they split up into their Most kids who’ve experienced the death respective groups where parents of someone will tell you it’s super hard to can talk about topics they don’t concentrate on anything because they feel want their kids to hear. Just hearing other people talking about their like no one understands them.” struggles and feelings provides Through support groups and mental health great relief. We find that many of exercises that the nonprofit provides, the our adult groups stay together after children and families can open up and share the program ends.”
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE CHARITY
Two campers share their experiences at Camp Courage, one of 10 programs Annie’s Hope offers.
JOE’S PLACE
A shelter from the storm MAXIMUS ZIEGLER JUNIOR BELLEVILLE EAST HIGH SCHOOL
In the Maplewood Richmond Heights School District, Joe’s Place, a nonprofit, charitable institution, has made it its mission to give “unhoused students… a caring home environment that supports them for high school graduation, self-sufficiency, and positive transitions into their adult lives.” It’s easy to underestimate how important consistent security, guidance, and affection are
for happiness and development. Unfortunately, many high school students lack access to these basic needs. Joe’s Place exists to provide for those needs and has significantly impacted the lives of many high school students over the years. In 2006, the Maplewood Richmond Heights School District, Crossroads Presbyterian Church, and other local churches and volunteers collaborated to establish the nonprofit. They aimed to alleviate the struggles they saw some students having to find consistent food and shelter. The School District purchased a house, and Joe’s Place hired staff to run the house. Faculty in the School District work to identify unhoused kids needing help, and Joe’s Place allows them to stay in the house. Like any other household, the nonprofit and its staff work to meet their needs, including basic shelter and food needs. Joe’s Place also works to give the boys structure and to teach them how to function independently and transition into adulthood.
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE CHARITY
Angela and Brandon Marty, the current house parents, stand outside Joe’s Place
“House parents” stay at the house to and sure the boys get to school, eat, complete homework, do chores, get to bed at a decent time, and follow all the house rules. A social worker was recently added to the staff at Joe’s Place to help graduates of the program transition into adult life, assisting with applying for jobs, making financial decisions, dealing with
mental health issues, and other challenges. “We try to establish a normal routine for the boys, so they can see what that looks like,” said Angela Marty, current house parent. “Where they’re currently living, it’s not always that way.” Together, with an administrator helping with many other tasks, the house parents, and a social worker, this small but mighty staff is dedicated to creating an atmosphere of security and caring for the young men in the house. A Board of Directors oversees Joe’s Place to ensure it is carrying out its mission. Currently, two boys live in the house. The house accommodates four boys, but COVID restrictions resulted in Joe’s Place only being able to house two boys at a time. Thankfully, Joe’s Place expects to return to full capacity soon. To date, Joe’s Place has housed 32 students, improved their high school experience and made a lasting impact on their lives. With help from the Old Newsboys grant, Joe’s Place will be able to continue to provide for the boys. “Joe’s Place will use the grant to pay for cell phones, winter clothing, food and hygiene products,” said Stacey Kelley, board vice president. “Although all of these are essential, contributions are also crucial for counseling services due to the stress and previous trauma the boys have experienced.”
DISABILITY RESOURCE ASSOCIATION
Show Me Home MCKENNA HUDSON JUNIOR FRANCIS HOWELL NORTH HIGH SCHOOL
Those with disabilities often rely on others for transportation, in-home care or everyday tasks. To say it’s a struggle to maintain their independence is an understatement. However, the good news is that the Disability Resource Association (DRA), based in Festus, Missouri, works to help those in need live their life while promoting an independent way of living. Through grants from the state of Missouri and private donations, the DRAs services provide consumers with free of charge personal assistance throughout their life. Jennifer Brody is the director of development at the DRA — responsible for writing grants, marketing and fundraising efforts. “I think that [independence] is the focus of all of our programs, especially in trying to help people stay healthy in the home they choose,” Brody said. “And so, sometimes that means helping them with basic concepts like budgeting, and sometimes it’s making sure they have an aide or an attendant to do some of the things they’re unable to do.” Established in 1996, the nonprofit began with a handful of employees servicing those in
Jefferson County, Missouri. Over the years, the DRA has raised over $7 million for enhancing its services. Today, they house over 20 programs which range from housing assistance to support groups.
All of the programs offered by the DRA come with the personal attention and care provided by its employees. The transportation program provides consumers with wheelchair-accessible rides to medical appointments, day-to-day shopping or other locations. As part of the organization’s in-home service, people in need have the opportunity to be paired with a personal care assistant, homemaker, nurse or other services a client might require. “We offer opportunities to borrow medical equipment,” Brody explained. “People donate medical equipment they’re no longer using like wheelchairs, shower benches and chairs, walkers and canes. Then we sanitize them and loan them out to people for as long as they need. Some clients need it for a month or and others may need them for the rest of their lives. Regardless, there’s no timeframe, and they’re free.” Other services include social groups, ramps and home modifications and many more. Along with serving the elderly in the community, the nonprofit also helps youth in need. Each year, the DRA hosts a Back-to-School fair that serves low-income families in the Jefferson County area.
“We’ve done surveys that indicate 100% of the families say they wouldn’t be able to afford all of the supplies they receive at the fair for their children, Brody said. We know it’s a valuable service for the kids, and it’s important to us that they start the school year feeling like they’re prepared and ready to go.” On Oct. 22, the DRA celebrated its 25th anniversary with an event honoring staff, donors and clients. Since its inception, the DRA has been able to provide the people of Jefferson County free, personal care. “Our main goal is to continue to provide quality and compassionate services and to empower people with disabilities, older adults or people with low income to maintain their health and dignity in their own home,” Brody said.
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE CHARITY
DRA Driver Tom Hennenhoefer provides Mary Beth Goehl a ride
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ALIVE
Restoring safety and peace EMILY WORTHMORE SENIOR MEHLVILLE HIGH SCHOOL
The Missouri State Highway Patrol received over 2,200 domestic violence reports last year that covered the metropolitan St. Louis area. Domestic abuse often leaves individuals feeling like they have nowhere to turn. One St. Louis nonprofit organization is working to create a better future for those impacted by domestic abuse. ALIVE, which stands for Alternatives to Living in Violent Environments, was established in 1983 in two rooms in a church. Since its inception, ALIVE has grown into a full-service domestic violence prevention agency. It now has two locations, one in St. Louis and one in Franklin County. ALIVE provides therapy, advocacy, and residential services in addition to a 24-hour hotline crisis line. ALIVE’s mission is “to provide counseling, emergency sanctuary, and other critical services to adults and children impacted by domestic
abuse, as well as to increase awareness to create a supportive community.” Volunteers make this mission possible. What started as two directors has grown to a staff of 40 and around 100 volunteers.
ALIVE has volunteer opportunities for those who would like to help with its mission of supporting those affected by domestic abuse. Those may include fundraising, crisis-line volunteers, and awareness and outreach.
Debra Cotten began volunteering with ALIVE 20 years ago and is currently the vice president of philanthropy. “Statistics tell us that 1 to every 3 to 4 females and 1 in 10 males experience domestic violence in their lifetime,” Cotten said. “Domestic violence is rooted in power and control. Often, people will criticize survivors and wonder why they didn’t just leave the situation. There are many types of abuse which make it difficult for victims to leave their circumstances, including financial abuse, which is one of the most common forms of domestic abuse.”
“Whether they want to volunteer, intern, or help in another way, all they have to do is reach out, and we’ll have something exciting for them to do,” Cotten said. For those in an abusive situation, Cotten shared, “You’re not alone, and you don’t have to go through your situations alone.”
In addition to residential services and the 24hour hotline crisis line, ALIVE offers services for children who have witnessed domestic abuse within their household. From toddlers through school-aged children, ALIVE provides resources to help young people affected by domestic abuse cope and heal with past trauma.
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE CHARITY
ALIVE Golf Tournament Fundraiser
BOOKS FOR NEWBORNS
Making early literacy accessible BRICE SHEARBURN SENIOR JOHN BURROUGHS SCHOOL
Access to reading, though often taken for granted, is life-changing for infants and young children. Early literacy is crucial for reading comprehension, brain development and mother-child bonding. Books for Newborns, the nonprofit organization founded in 2016, aims to expand easy access to developmentally appropriate literature across the St. Louis area to provide t h e s e benefits.
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE CHARITY
Books for Newborns book bag.
“The vision is that every child in St. Louis and beyond gets to start life with the opportunity to engage in early literacy
and experience the power of books through reading,” said Patrice Shumate, director of development. Books for Newborns delivers books to social service agencies in hospitals throughout the St. Louis metropolitan area, providing families with accessible literature, bonding encouragement for mothers and caregivers, and insight into how effective reading to infants can be for their development. The organization started with the goal of giving book bags to families that had just delivered a baby or were in their first postpartum year. Today, it has grown to include an older siblings program that does the same for older children in the hospital or social service settings. Books for Newborns also started a program this past year with the St. Louis City School District’s ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) Migrant Families Program to create book bags for families whose first language isn’t English. They also formed a lending library through the school district to provide access to early literature in several languages. “We’re just trying to make reading as accessible as possible to families that are unlikely to have access to that in their homes,” Shumate said. The power of such access is incredible — providing them with the foundation of literacy can set a child up for long-term success in
school, college and beyond. “I know what reading does with kids,” Shumate said. “You can see it in their faces when they learn language, words, colors, or shapes. It offers access to a different understanding of the world in ways we process information.” While Books for Newborns is 100% volunteerrun, its impact largely depends on the amount of money they raise or receive through donations from businesses, families, and individuals. Thus, this year’s Old Newsboys Day grant, as with all the monetary support they receive, will go towards books, which are given directly to children and infants. Although providing books is the mission, literacy is much more complicated. Hands-on support and instruction within the community are just as crucial. Shumate highlighted both the importance of collaboration with organizations that directly support the community, the mutual support between those organizations, and the aid of individuals who have the means to help. “Literacy doesn’t happen just because a book exists,” Shumate said. “It takes a lot of research, knowledge and dedicated people in the community to help families have a strong foundation that helps them throughout the rest of their lives.”
HOLY ANGELS SHELTER & HOUSING SERVICES
Giving housing and love EMMA CARCAMO SOPHOMORE MARQUETTE HIGH SCHOOL
Being eight months pregnant with a 2-year-old, Kam went into labor early while also having COVID. After being released from the hospital, her newborn stopped breathing. Staff members from Holy Angels Shelter & Housing Services, along with a MedStar ambulance dispatcher, stepped in without hesitation, calming Kam and helping her baby without any regard for their safety. “At the time, these people were my only family, and they were just as worried as I was,” said Kam in the documentary “Holy Angels Shelter: A story of hope.” Access to affordable, safe and stable areas to live in helps anchor families and individuals like Kam, which empowers them to reach their full potential in all aspects of life — this is what the Holy Angels Shelter does. The nonprofit is one of several social service programs under the umbrella of the Catholic Urban Programs. Founded by Paulen Scheider, the organization serves the community of East St. Louis, helping at least 200 families a year by preventing
homelessness. The emergency shelter is an 18-bed facility and provides 24/7 care serving single women, moms with children and intact families. Holy Angels Shelter & Housing Services provides families with safe housing, large and healthy food boxes, self-sufficient classes and more. The volunteers and staff work to make the shelter as comfortable as possible by decorating for holidays and celebrating kids’ birthdays. “The environment for us matters,” said Toni Muhammad, executive director at Catholic Urban Programs. “It matters that it’s clean, fun and that it feels like home even if it’s temporary,” One strategy the shelter practices is preventing homelessness before it happens by placing its clients in apartments instead of shelters. The strategy entails helping with rental assistance, which could include paying the first month’s rent and security deposit. It may also include supporting those behind in rent to prevent eviction. In addition to their housing first strategy, they also have the ANCHORS program, which aims to help families living in unsafe, violent and deteriorating public housing into a safer house or neighborhood to benefit their physical and mental well-being.
“I love faith-based organizations because it is all driven by heart,” Muhammad said. “For a Catholic organization, the faith drives the organization.” Muhammad said many volunteers experience some form of poverty in their lives, which contributes to their desire to give back. Along with the Old Newsboys Day grant, the organization receives approximately 800 donations from the Catholic community. In the past, Holy Angels have used funds from the Old Newsboys Day foundation to buy car seats for struggling mothers. This year, they are planning to use the donations for strollers. “The moms want to take care of their children just like anyone else, and they don’t want to ask for help,” Muhammad said.
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE CHARITY
The home recently underwent a makeover.
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DOORWAYS
Fighting to the end OLIVIA HU SENIOR LADUE HORTON WATKINS HIGH SCHOOL
Founded in 1988, faith leaders in the community formed the nonprofit DOORWAYS. The sole purpose was to provide compassionate hospice care, allowing those with AIDS to die with dignity. As science and medications evolved throughout the years, DOORWAYS changed its focus from caring for the dying to rebuilding lives for the living. The nonprofit tackled this undertaking through its empowerment and housing programs. The empowerment programs include individualized care coordination, behavioral health counseling, employment assistance, self-development, community activities and access to resources. The housing programs vary from assisted living, emergency housing, permanent housing and subsidies. “People will not prioritize health over where they lay their heads at night,” said Opal Jones, president and CEO. “Our focus is to put
resources in place to ensure people have their social determinants of health covered.” For clients with small children, instability of any kind is stressful and hard to manage. Jumpstart is one of the six housing programs offered by DOORWAYS and focuses on providing immediate stabilization to their housing crisis — a much-needed ‘jump start.’ Clients in this program are often single parents and require multiple bedrooms that are hard to find and unattainable. The Jumpstart program can assist up to 18 families with housing throughout the city of St. Louis.
the grant funds, DOORWAYS made sure the Jumpstart kids had the necessary school uniforms, school supplies, shoes, and other critical items before the start of school. With improvements in medicine and services (such as the Jefferson Avenue Campus), Jones says that “the end of HIV is absolutely in sight.” Numerous previous clients have already reached the undetectable status, where almost no virus is in their blood, and they no longer transmit HIV. However, additional work is required to eliminate HIV.
“Clients in the Jumpstart program come from a homeless background, and most of them have small children or youth of some kind,” Jones said. “The clients and family members all receive intensive support and case management care. When our clients know their kids’ needs are being met, they can focus on their health care regimen and ultimately be better parents.” The Old Newsboys Day Foundation paves the way for such success. With
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE CHARITY
A playground at the DOORWAYS family residential complex.
HEARTLINKS GRIEF CENTER
Supporting communities from grief to growth it helps them move from grief to growth.” LANA ENGLISH SENIOR JOHN BURROUGHS SCHOOL
Heartlinks Grief Center is a comprehensive support center committed to providing services to anyone grieving. The nonprofit believes that grief is a natural process and that everyone should be supported, no matter the circumstances. “The organization does not charge for any of their services, as to bill insurance, you have to say that someone has a mental health problem and give them a diagnosis,” said Diana Cuddeback, founder and director. “Giving a diagnosis further isolates people, rather than help them realize they’re not alone, and PHOTO COURTESY OF THE CHARITY Heartlinks Grief Center’s Carnival
Spanning six counties in southwestern Illinois, the nonprofit offers several grief programs — professional counseling, support groups and different categories of grief, and school programs. Whether a program is at a high school, through Zoom, at their office, or somewhere else in the community, the nonprofit works to be of service and make the world a grief-friendly place. For example, Friends Who Get It, a program for young adults who have lost someone important, always meets virtually to accommodate individuals out of town or even out of the country. The agency also hosts special events throughout the year, such as its annual Grief Carnival. “We are just trying to make our footprint bigger by teaching other people how to help,” Cuddeback said. In addition to internal training for volunteers, Heartlinks goes into the community to train those who have a direct impact on the lives of those in grief — agencies, clergies, schools, etc. “While I love the services we provide, I know that to make a difference, we have to teach community members, both those impacted by grief and those who are supporting people impacted by grief,” Cuddeback said. Cuddeback
and
her
now-husband
created
Heartlinks while she was working at a hospice center and seeing the need for grief support. “People would call the hospice center and say things like — I have three kids and my husband just died; I don’t know what to do or where to go,” Cuddeback shared. Now, Cuddeback calls her role a “little bit of everything.” On any given day, she might be doing clinical work, meeting with agencies to coordinate within the community, training staff, or running a teenage group session. The Old Newsboys Day grant will allow Heartlinks to purchase snacks and therapeutic art supplies for the kids they serve. “We go out and serve kids in many areas where they are always hungry,” Cuddeback said. While sometimes the best support can come from individuals still dealing with their grief, any type of volunteer is always welcome and appreciated at Heartlinks Grief Center. Anyone in the St. Louis area is encouraged to reach out to Heartlinks at any age or stage of grief, and the team will help connect them with the resources they need. Grief is always a part of you, but with time, it doesn’t take up as much space in your life.
KINETIC TAPESTRY
Leaving a lasting impression ALLEN YOU Senior LADUE HORTON WATKINS HIGH SCHOOL
“Our classes also include an element of creativity for the students,” Waggoner said. “We encourage participants to create their own choreography, and it’s always interesting to see how people perform something in different ways.”
Jaime Zayas and his wife, Vanessa Waggoner, established Kinetic Tapestry in 2010 and formally incorporated it as a nonprofit in 2014. Kinetic Tapestry teaches and performs at their Circus Barn in Maryland Heights, Missouri.
In addition to performing physical theater at its Circus Barn, the nonprofit also provides unique entertainment for organizations, events and festivals at various venues. The live shows are produced and choreographed by Waggoner. “Our mission is to bring laughter to people “We want to cultivate and tell using circus arts,” Zayas said. “We also strive stories,” Waggoner said. to equip a future generation of artists. We Since its founding, the nonprofit call it — captivating audiences, equipping has traveled to Puerto Rico in the artists.” wake of Hurricane Maria and also Classes are 6–8-week sessions and include trapeze, silks, tumbling, acrobatics, mime and juggling — to name a few. Participants come at any level and range in age from kids to young teenagers and adults. The staff at Kinetic Tapestry are professional actors, circus performers and instructors.
partnered with local organizations, including veterans homes and nursing homes — to make people smile. In addition, during the pandemic, Kinetic Tapestry made it a point to take their shows on the road to provide socially distant performances.
“I love making people laugh,” Zayas said. “It’s one of those things that I believe God called into my life. We want to serve our community and provide meaningful performances that bring hope and joy to those who aren’t in a position to pay. If we can make it work, we’ll do it completely free of charge for them.”
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE CHARITY
Audiences watch the performer move on the silks.
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LOGOS SCHOOL
Finding hope, healing and a promising future REBECCA SIMPKINS SENIOR PATTONVILLE HIGH SCHOOL
Imagine a school that successfully personalizes learning for every student. A school with more one-on-one time with teachers. A school that leaves an impact on its students and gives them hope. LOGOS school is doing all of these things. Located in Olivette, Missouri, LOGOS is a therapeutic school that functions like a private school with an application process and interviews. Students attending the LOGOS School struggle with anxiety, depression, PTSD, or trauma. Kathy Fenger, head of school, said the school is also for students who have trouble in traditional school settings. While Logos may look like a traditional school, the students receive one hour of individual therapy and two hours of group therapy weekly. The largest class sizes are eight students allowing the teachers to individualize their learning. “Every student learns in their own style,” Fenger said. “We meet them where they are by doing the courses differently.” The tuition for Logos is $34,145. While they offer
a considerable amount of financial aid, Fenger acknowledges that some students still can’t afford it. “It’s hard to know that there are students out there that need it, but even with the funding and financial aid we have, they can’t afford it,” Fenger said. Many students arrive at the school discouraged and deflated, and after some time at LOGOS, students find their spark again.
The impact of the school doesn’t stop there. For Fenger, she attended LOGOS her freshman year of high school because she was losing her motivation and love for school. “By the end of freshman year, I didn’t even want to go to school — which was counter to who and how I was,” Fenger said. “When I was at LOGOS, I fell back in love with learning.”
“Watching them tap into the unbelievable potential they have…it never gets old,” Fenger said.
After graduating from Logos and attending college, one of the teachers reached out to offer her a teaching job, and she’s held different positions at LOGOS since.
Fenger tells the story of a student who wrote letters to all the teachers after she graduated about the impact that LOGOS had on her life.
“The school’s impact on the students is what it’s all about,” Fenger said. “The ability to help as many kids struggling find their way.”
“She had made these little starfishes and put them in our letters,” Fenger said. “There were hundreds of beach starfish that had washed up, and a man walks down the beach and sees this boy picking up starfish and throwing them back into the ocean. The man looks down and says -There’s a hundred; you’ll never save them all; you may as well give up. Then the little boy picked one up, threw it back into the sea, and said - I made a difference for that one. And, in this letter, the girl wrote (former student) to all of us - I was that starfish, and you saved me.”
STS. JOACHIM & ANN CARE SERVICE
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE CHARITY
A therapist (right) with students in the Outdoor Learning lab
Offering hope and a hand to those in crisis LUCY BRANSCUM SENIOR EUREKA HIGH SCHOOL
“Most people, if they’re honest, are one paycheck away from being on the street. We don’t have three months of savings set aside like our parents used to.” Michelle Ritter, Pantry Supervisor
Sts. Joachim & Ann Care Service is an organization dedicated to reducing the prevalence of homelessness and hunger by providing resources to those most in need. Although they started from humble beginnings with five founders and $500, over the past 42 years, the organization has grown into the leading housing social service agency in the tri-county area of Lincoln, St. Charles, and Warren counties. Although many dismiss the homeless community due to stereotypes of drug and alcohol abuse, the reality of homelessness is that due to rising inflation, poverty, and unemployment rates, this crisis is affecting more people than ever before. Pantry supervisor Michelle Ritter hopes to eradicate misconceptions about the community and the people she serves every day. The nonprofit provides many resources to its clients, but one of its main objectives is the
people unable to make it to the physical locations. “We take out a truck loaded with dry goods, canned goods, produce, dairy, fresh fruits and vegetables, and meats to the different food deserts in the tri-county area,” Ritter said.
advocacy and backing that helps people obtain and maintain safe and permanent shelter. Securing housing requires more than just a down payment which makes it critical that staff partner with landlords.
While in the community, the outreach team provides food to families and assesses their physical and mental care. For those ready to seek housing, the outreach team can help start the housing process and provide paperwork and personal information that often gets misplaced or left behind in unstable housing.
“People don’t realize that barriers like low credit scores or felony charges can end a person’s ability to get housing,” Ritter said. “So having an advocate helps because they’re able to say to a landlord — we know there’s a risk involved, would it help if we work to double their deposit or promise that we’ll be with them for six months … something along those lines.”
“Our outreach team works with the medics from some of the local hospitals so that we can address their health needs, like checking their blood pressure and wounds,” Ritter said. “We help work with clients ready to be housed, helping them get things like driver’s license(s), Social Security cards and birth certificates.”
Sts. Joachim & Ann Care Service also addresses the health needs of the community through a direct approach that involves meeting people face to face. In addition to two permanent food pantries in St. Charles and Elsberry, the nonprofit also has a new mobile food pantry that can serve
One of the resources provided by this organization is an intangible one — hope. “We meet them where they are on their journey,” Ritter said. “Sometimes they need a little bit of a bridge. They need that hand for a second to know the resources are out there.”
THE HAVEN OF GRACE
Providing shelter for homeless mothers and their babies 10 years to maintain security and stability.
MEGAN LIU JUNIOR JOHN BURROUGHS SCHOOL
The Haven of Grace serves as a safe community for pregnant mothers seeking shelter and care throughout the St. Louis area. Originally established in 1988 as an outreach ministry of St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, the organization’s purpose has been to break the cycle of homelessness, poor health, and poverty for young and pregnant women in North St. Louis, a specific area the nonprofit wanted to serve. Nearly 34 years later, The Haven of Grace still strives to uphold its purpose, and according to executive director Patricia Bosman, the mission is a big one. “We strive to provide a safe and nurturing home, educational programs, and long-term support for both mother and child, particularly through hope, dignity, and the pride of independence.” Mothers who come into the community receive support through a three-tier system of programs: The Maternity Center, The Quad, and finally, an aftercare program that supports moms for up to
The maternity shelter has seven core programs: parenting, housing, independent living, physical and emotional health, education, employment, and character development. The nonprofit works with mothers to help them pursue their individual goals and connects them with family advocates and therapists. When it comes to shelter, The Quad consists of transitional apartments where mothers can stay up to two years with their children. Living in The Quad ensures mothers are living with continued support and helps them learn financial and rental responsibility for when they are ready to go into the real world. “It’s vital these women not only find housing but also learn how to live in a community,” Bosman said.
expecting mothers in the Haven’s shelter or hosting baby showers would show these mothers that they are loved. The Haven of Grace relies heavily on support, especially during winter, when families need coats, gloves, hats, and boots.
The unique community that Haven of Grace creates proves how the organization lives up to its name. In a final statement, Bosman expresses gratitude for the Haven’s overall impact on the community and its continued support for mothers who may be struggling. “The Haven of Grace would like people to know that we are here, we are committed to the population we serve, and we want to continue ensuring that our moms are physically and emotionally healthy by creating a safe environment where mothers can heal.”
The nonprofit can meet its financial needs mainly with individual donations, grants, and some public funding. The Haven of Grace relies on these funds to help operationally and helps sustain special programs and services. “We rely heavily on the generosity of the people in the St. Louis metropolitan area,” Bosman said. There are many ways for the community to get involved without making a donation. Something as simple as providing a welcome basket to
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE CHARITY
Carlie smiling at a birthday event.
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BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF SOUTHWESTERN ILLINOIS
Helping youth reach their full potential ALISON PATE SENIOR EUREKA HIGH SCHOOL
Since 1980, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwestern Illinois has supported over 400 kids by utilizing a one-on-one style mentorship. Located in Belleville, IL, the nonprofit works to match at-risk youth, called Littles, with adult mentors, called Bigs. Bigs are friends, mentors, and role models for Littles, helping them build self-confidence and guiding them in the right direction in their developmental years. The Bigs can be anyone desiring to be a positive example in a child’s life. There is no degree or specialization needed. The nonprofit provides resources and support specific to the Little’s age and also makes sure they’re matched with well with their Big. The pairs hang out one to four times a month for a few hours doing everyday activities like going to the movie theater, playing games, sharing a
meal, or just hanging out. When there’s a Big in the Little’s life, it helps them earn better grades and develop lifelong friendships. “Every child in our community has a chance to graduate high school with a plan for their future and a mentor for a lifetime,” said Heather Freed, president and CEO. The relationship between Bigs and Littles has such an impact on children that the nonprofit is recognized by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention as a proven prevention strategy. The organization is also the only membership program in the country recommended by the CDC to prevent adverse childhood experiences and trauma.
Ninety percent of donations are private contributions from foundations, community members and local businesses. Big Brothers Big Sisters plans to use the funding for Match Success Kits. These kits will include items that matches can use on their outings to break the ice and get to know each other. Items in the kit include a deck of cards and games, or journals and disposable cameras to memoralize their time together. In addition, each kit has a handwritten letter from someone on staff offering encouragement, along with coupons for places to go.
The organization’s headquarters is in Belleville, Illinois providing services in four counties in southwestern IL: St. Clair, Madison, Clinton and Monroe. “We are the only evidence-based youth mentoring organization in our community providing strong, enduring, safe, and impactful one-to-one relationships that ignite the power and promise of our youth,” Freed said.
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE CHARITY
New Match: Big Sister Claire and Little Sister Yasmine
EXCEPTIONAL EQUESTRIANS OF THE MISSOURI VALLEY
Providing opportunities for disabled people in Franklin County ELI FERGUSON SOPHOMORE MARQUETTE HIGH SCHOOL
When 2-year-old Ada started horseback riding at Exceptional Equestrians of the Missouri Valley (EEMV) in February 2022, she couldn’t hold her head up for more than 10 minutes. By September, she could hold her head up for more than 40 minutes. Ada has a severe disability that causes underdeveloped muscle function and respiratory issues. The other therapies she attended weren’t working well enough, so they added horseback riding to her schedule; she’s had astonishing results. “It was pretty amazing,” said Lindsay Mohr, administrative manager.
EEMV provides licensed therapeutic horseback riding and physical therapy for riders with disabilities ages two and up. These disabilities range from ADHD to Autism to Down Syndrome. The beneficial effects of horseback riding therapy were discovered by disabled and amputated World War II veterans. The discipline, posture and rhythmic motion of riding have shown to have mental and physical benefits for injured and disabled people.
He went on to volunteer at the organization for the next 10 years, and he and his mother became part of the staff. “It amazes me, the difference in him,” Mittendorf said.
“It’s a very close-knit community,” Mohr said.
Oliver, a Gypsy Vanner breed, is the go-to horse for the organization. When Oliver was introduced to the program, it didn’t seem that he would be a good fit. After 13 years, Oliver became the best horse. He has helped severe clients like Ada, as well as advanced riders.
Most of the staff members at the organization started as volunteers. Some volunteers have been with the organization for upwards of 30 years. Mohr volunteered because she had been taking horseback riding lessons and her counselor told her she needed to do some community service.
Nineteen years later, she’s the administrative manager of EEMV. Claire riding Tove, a 17-year-old Norwegian Fjord
Jake rode a horse at a residential facility prompting him to become involved with the EEMV again; he spent his whole summer at the barn. “He was a completely different young man,” Mittendorf said.
In 1991, Charla Shurtleff, an occupational therapist assistant, founded the organization to meet the therapeutic needs of disabled people in Franklin County. The organization offers programs throughout the year for beginners to advanced riders. They also have summer camps for kids with and without disabilities and free lessons for veterans. Located in Washington, Missouri, the program services more than 200 individuals and teaches 1,500-1,700 lessons each year.
“I quit my regular lessons and was there all day every Saturday,” Mohr said.
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE CHARITY
Autism and was attending the program. When he took a break from the program, he began acting aggressively and struggled behaviorally. “He had gotten to the point where he was taking out his aggression on us at home,” Mittendorf said.
Andrea Mittendorf, volunteer team leader, started out as a parent of 10-year-old Jake, who had
There’s a lot that goes into choosing a horse for therapeutic riding because therapeutic riding horses are known to have the highest stress levels of any horse. The program currently has 15 horses and two miniature horses.
“He does everything,” Mohr said, “He is just so indispensable to our program.” The organization will use the Old Newsboys Day grant to pay for resources needed to take care of the horses, like hay and new equipment. The price of horses, hay and equipment have skyrocketed, and the need for horse instructors has risen since COVID-19.
ASSISTANCE LEAGUE OF ST. LOUIS
Helping St. Louis Thrive KAT GAU SOPHOMORE VISITATION ACADEMY
Everyone deserves a pair of well-fitting shoes, and Assistance League St. Louis couldn’t agree more! However, they don’t stop at shoes; the nonprofit provides numerous assistance programs that reach throughout the St. Louis area. Its mission is to transform “the lives of children and adults through community programs.” Founded in 1987, the Assistance League has a staff made up of 100% volunteers. To date, their 494 volunteer members have donated 61,200 hours of their time to the various community programs that Assistance League offers. “It’s a dynamic organization that adapts to the community it serves,” said Pam Bogosian, president. “Our programs do just that — they listen to their community to best supply them with what they need to thrive. Three such community programs Operation School Bell, Steps to Success, and Books from Friends, serve the needs of St. Louis area children. Whether it’s a pair of shoes or a
toothbrush, programs like these are prepared to help children in the community. Operation School Bell provides coats, uniforms, underwear, and hygiene products to children in the public school system. Over the last year, they provided for 3,555 students in 37 different schools. Assistance League knows kids need shoes that fit, so Steps to Success provides new shoes and socks for children who have outgrown or outworn their previous pair. Books from Friends provide children with age-appropriate books, supplying 26,675 books to aspiring readers in the last year alone. Assistance League realizes that children are our future, so they do all they can to give them the items they need to reach their full potential. The nonprofit understands that there are also adults who need help, and they have programs to meet those needs. Project ROSE supplies emergency shelters with care bags filled with clothing and hygiene products for women, children, and sexual assault victims. Over the past year, they served 1,229 women and children in emergency shelters and provided 152 sexual assault kits. Working with social workers, the organization assists families in the long term by helping them get back on their feet with household supplies and bedding. This year, they’ve helped meet the critical needs of 4,604 individuals across 44 agencies.
To fund these programs, Assistance League operates an upscale resale shop year-round where people donate gently used items such as clothing and household goods. The store, Fantastic Finds, is located on Olive Boulevard in Creve Coeur and is staffed by volunteers. The proceeds from sales are put back into the community through their programs. Other income sources include individual donors, grants, and proceeds from the Image gala in November and the Authors Brunch in April. Bogosian’s future goal for Assistance League St. Louis is to continue responding to the community’s needs. Understanding the value of teamwork, she continues collaborating with other charities and nonprofits to help as many people as possible, especially the kids in the community. “All these kids are our kids,” Bogosian said.
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE CHARITY
Steps to Success provides shoes for area children.
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4 WALLS AND BEYOND
Supporting children affected by parental incarceration MAGGIE AHLHEIM JUNIOR NERINX HALL
4 Walls and Beyond, located in Florissant, Missouri, has worked hard to preserve communication lines between children and incarcerated parents. In 2004, founder Lisa Brown was incarcerated and immediately noticed the lack of contact between parents and children. Months and sometimes years would go by, and there would be zero contact between parents and their children. When Brown was released, she made it her mission to help children and their parents living in these situations after seeing firsthand how communication with their children impacted the lives of those incarcerated. The nonprofit offers services such as phone calls, and virtual or in-person visits between incarcerated parents and children. They also provide services such as tutoring and in-person classes for children trying to graduate from school. Prioritizing
education helps keep children in school and from making bad choices like drugs or teen pregnancy. 4 Walls and Beyond also offers access to therapy and counseling for children. This can help to ease the transition of life without a parent and help them process their emotions. It’s important for children to learn how to deal with their mental health when they have a incarcerated parent.
Fundraisers and grants are used to provide transportation, meals and resources for tutoring and online classes. Earlier in the year, 4 Walls and Beyond assembled 130 Easter baskets for area children. Before school started, the nonprofit organized and gathered over 500 back-to-school backpacks for children.
The pandemic resulted in prison shutdowns, which had a direct influence on the mission of the organization. Safety precautions restricted children from seeing their parents for two years. As protocols have changed, 4 Walls and Beyond has been able to get back to its mission: helping children communicate with their incarcerated parents. “The most rewarding part of my work is the connection I’m able to form with the children,” Brown said. “I can relate to what they’re going through and understand their emotions. I want every child to have a relationship with their parents. Many people aren’t aware of the severity of the issue and how it affects the lives of children and their families.”
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE CHARITY
Book bag giveaway.
GRACE’S PLACE CRISIS NURSERY
Children find a happy home in rural Missouri for children of all backgrounds and circumstances; all families in need are welcome at Grace’s Place Crisis Nursery.
REILLY HILL JUNIOR VISITATION ACADEMY
Children from birth to 18 years old can find a small piece of home in rural Missouri. Grace’s Place Crisis Nursery opened in 2010 in Washington, Missouri. The crisis nursery is a temporary emergency shelter
An assessment done by the Franklin County United Way highlighted the need for a crisis nursery that would be accessible to families living in rural areas. By December 2010, Franklin County had received what it needed to set up its first home with enough space to house six children. By 2017, Grace’s Place supported eight children around the clock for 30 days at a time and opened a second location in Union, Missouri, providing care for six more children. Due to residential guidelines, there’s not enough room to care for additional children right now; however, Grace’s Place isn’t backing down. As a nonprofit, Grace’s Place relies on an assortment of funding and often hosts fundraisers and annual giving campaigns. The organization has a vision of opening up a third location so they can help even more children.
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE CHARITY
Grace’s Place provides essential items such as child-friendly food, clothing, and education
and helps set up doctor’s appointments. The organization also takes children on field trips to the zoo or to movies. Frequently, the 18-year-olds are paired up with sponsor families to help them find permanent homes and prepare them for adulthood. “We want to encourage the kids to be kids while they are with us,” said Amanda Jones, Chief Executive Officer. When the second location in Union opened, the organization acquired a van allowing volunteers from Grace’s Place to travel to the homes of families in need and transport the children to the nurseries. Over 900 children have been helped in the 11 years Grace’s Place has been open. Whether it’s a mother going through a rough period, a teenager who needs a place to stay until they head to college, or a small child who needs a loving home — Grace’s Place Crisis Nursery will continue to provide as long as there are families in need. “I see some kids at high school events or just out in the community,” Jones said. “I love seeing the kids we’ve cared for functioning and healthy.”
Pickleball Tournament Fundraiser
CENTRAL INSTITUTE FOR THE DEAF
Helping deaf kids to succeed HANA ILAHI SOPHOMORE JOHN BURROUGHS SCHOOL
Located on the Washington University Medical School campus, the Central Institute for the Deaf (CID) teaches children who are deaf and/or hard of hearing to listen, talk, and read, as well as empowers families and professionals both in St. Louis and worldwide to help these children succeed. They provide educational instruction using intensive interventional methods to cater to every child’s needs and ensure they gain valuable knowledge to navigate their local school districts after leaving Central Institute for the Deaf. CID offers educational support for children from infancy through age 12 and audiological support for alumni through age 18. Since 1914, they have served families from at least 48 states and 34 countries. The organization serves a range of kids who experience different types of hearing loss ranging from profound to mild. Most children who attend the institute experience profound hearing loss and use cochlear implants to hear. “We have to teach kids how to listen to the sounds they’re hearing through these devices and interpret those sounds,” says Dr. Heather Grantham, executive director. “We use many different strategies to help them learn how to listen. Once that’s in place, we can help teach them how to talk.”
Teachers at CID emphasize listening, talking, and reading in everyday classes such as math, science, social studies, etc., to monitor each child’s progress and offer further support when needed. In addition, the small class sizes and several specialists on campus make CID a valuable resource for deaf children and their families. Audiologists and speech-language pathologists at CID assist kids on campus daily with questions about their hearing aids or cochlear implants, provide regular speech intervention, and offer comprehensive audiology evaluations. “Children can go right down the hall to audiology and get their hearing aids or cochlear implants fixed,” Dr. Grantham said. “We are proud of that. They don’t have to wait for a doctor’s appointment or go off campus.” According to CID’s website, the audiologists maintain classroom sound field and personal assistive listening systems. The classrooms are specially designed with acoustic paneling to ensure extra quiet environments for the children, and teachers wear microphones and utilize sound systems to ensure the children can hear. CID also guides teachers in neighborhood schools to use special strategies to ensure that when deaf children transition from CID to their schools, they feel included and well-adjusted. The switch to other schools also includes teaching the child to advocate for themselves and what they need in the classroom to succeed in all aspects of their learning.
The school is funded by various donors, fundraising efforts, support from grants, and additionally partnering with school districts to help pay for children to attend CID when local schools don’t offer deaf education programs. “We use the Old Newsboys Day grant to help with scholarships for our students,” Dr. Grantham said. “We don’t want anybody to turned away because they can’t afford to come here.” Central Institute for the Deaf has helped countless deaf students throughout so many communities accomplish their goals and gain skills that will serve them throughout their lives. “Every day, I hear voices of children talking when they otherwise wouldn’t be able to learn how,” Dr. Grantham said. “When I walk in the door every day, I see two-year-olds laughing and talking and learning how to interact with their families.”
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE CHARITY
A child at Central Institute for the Deaf learning in a classroom.
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STRONG TOWER RANCH
Healing through horsemanship SOPHIA BRUMMOND SENIOR EUREKA HIGH SCHOOL
In the middle of the thick woods in Wentzville, Missouri, Strong Tower Ranch is working tirelessly to help kids who’ve been through unimaginable circumstances. The Christian nonprofit comes alongside children ages 7 to 18 offering them hope and guiding them toward their best selves through the love of Jesus. The staff at Strong Tower Ranch serve as mentors to the campers helping them reach their full potential and helping them realize they are worth so much more than they think. Many children who come to Strong Tower Ranch have been through a life-changing event. Different types of traumas can change the emotional makeup leading to mental disorders and sometimes suicide. “My nephew lost his life that way which makes helping these kids very near and dear to my heart,” said Lori Brooks, equine program director. “I want to tell each child how important they are — not by what they do or what their future looks like but to know they are cherished as they are.” Helping the campers know how important they
are is no easy task. Brooks shares how the kids get so caught up in the downward spiral of depression and anxiety. One of the programs at Strong Tower Ranch that helps get them past that is the horsemanship program. “We use horses as part of our mission because they are emotionally intelligent creatures and can get a good read on kids right away,” Brooks said. “Most of our horses have been through abusive or abandonment situations, so we have taken them in and rehabilitated them, and now we use the horses to help kids heal from their trauma as well.”
Strong Tower Ranch also aims to equip the campers with the mental tools they need when they’re back in the world going through life. “We help them weed through the lies and tell them that how God created them is enough — that’s our primary goal,” Brooks said. “We live in a performance-based competitive world, and sometimes we base our worth on what we do and not who we are.”
Along with horsemanship programs, Strong Tower Ranch offers 114 acres that the children are allowed to explore and include activities such as ziplining, archery, obstacle courses and swimming. The day camps help children realize their strengths outside of their usual environment. “We help them explore the creation God has given us with no electronics around them, and it’s wonderful,” Brooks said. “They get to explore, swim and be outdoors, which is huge because it helps them connect and be present in the moment.”
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE CHARITY
SPUR mentors form a tunnel for the kids attending camp.
CHRISTIAN FAMILY SERVICES
Serving families through hard times services can access them. CAROLINE SMITH SOPHOMORE NERINX HALL
Christian Family Services (CFS), a pillar in the Webster Groves and greater St. Louis area, provides adoption, foster care, counseling, and family life education and enrichment services to struggling individuals and families. The Webster Groves Christian community started CFS as a nonprofit organization to provide individuals with an alternative to abortion in 1973 after the Supreme Court decision on Roe v. Wade. Since then, CFS has expanded their services. It partners with approximately 20 churches and has extended its work beyond Webster Groves to other places in Missouri so clients who need its
The nonprofit puts clients first and helps them with whatever emotional support they need as part of its mission to strengthen and support families, individuals, and children through quality social services. CFS makes services available to individuals and families through every stage of their struggle. This includes being there when they need someone, having therapists on hand ready to help, helping them access community resources, and working to leave the individual or family better than they found them. As a nonprofit, CFS makes closer connections with its clients and gets to know them better than if they were working with a big corporate team. “When a family is ready to go through adoption, we help them through the process,” said Jodi Mitchell, office administrator and social services supervisor. “There are many highs and lows in this work. It takes a lot of strength to deal with those issues, and CFS helps.” One of the most rewarding and challenging aspects of their work is helping children in foster care find permanent healthy homes. This process can take an emotional toll on children, but CFS supports them during it. The organization also works with couples who are struggling in their marriage.
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE CHARITY
“Watching couples rekindle their relationship is one of the most rewarding things I see, but
there are also many negative aspects in this line of work,” said Eric McPherson, director of family life. The pandemic was challenging for CFS because it caused the adoption world to crumble across the country. They saw extreme lows that they had never seen before. At the same time, foster care needs exploded, but there were not enough families to fill the need. This is partly because the pandemic caused more stringent requirements to be placed on temporary housing programs. Many people who were already struggling with the existing requirements could not meet the COVID-19 guidelines. “Many people were backed against the wall during COVID,” Mitchell said. COVID also affected mental health services, and the needs increased quickly. CFS had to transition to online services within a week because they had patients to see and could not meet in person. “The pandemic was a blessing in disguise because it forced us into virtual technology that allowed greater access to people,” McPherson said. Jodi Mitchell and Eric McPherson have been at the nonprofit since the early 2000s and love what they do. They believe Christian Family Services is stronger now and ready to meet the challenges individuals and families will continue to face in the future.
Christian Family Services building.
INFANT LOSS RESOURCES
Guiding grieving families AVA BEARSKIN SENIOR PATTONVILLE HIGH SCHOOL
According to the CDC, 3,400 infants die in the U.S. yearly from sleep-related deaths. Statistics like this can leave parents feeling a whirlwind of emotions: grief, guilt, neglectful, heartbreak and more. Infant Loss Resources (ILR) provides grief support for families who’ve experienced sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and education on how to prevent infant death.
newly bereaved families to talk,” said Vikki Collier, executive director. “It provides hope because they’ve lived through it.” In addition to grief support services, ILR strives to educate families on how to prevent SIDS. Their big focus is on the ABCs of sleep: Alone, on their Back, in a Crib, with no blankets. This method provides the baby with a safe sleeping environment and can decrease the risk of SIDS. The nonprofit has an education program that goes through the ABCs of sleep with families, and after completing the program, they provide the families with a Pack ‘n Play crib so they have a safe environment for the baby to sleep.
when families are devastated by the loss of their infant and prevent this from happening to other families. Infant Loss Resources also helps memorialize babies who have passed with a candlelight vigil held during the holiday season.
“Not only do we teach safe sleep, but we also give them something tangible to provide safe sleep for their baby,” Collier said.
The nonprofit provides grief support in five counties around St. Louis. They connect with families who have lost an infant through hospitals, social workers, and the child fatality review board. Once they know who to connect with, ILR will contact the family with information. ILR’s services include group therapy sessions, one-on-one sessions, Facebook support groups, and a peer-to-peer support system.
Collier hopes to grow ILR’s outreach in minority communities. They currently have employees who go out into the community to advocate safe sleep. “We’re making sure that we’re there,” Collier said. “We’re trying to get them to do the classes. We’re trying to bring education to them.”
“We connect families who’ve lost a child with
ILR hopes to create an environment of support
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE CHARITY
Demonstrating the ABCs of safe sleep.
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SCHNUCKS SALUTES
OLD NEWSBOYS DAY!
Thank you to the many volunteers who make Old Newsboys Day such a strong community tradition. Because of you, at-risk children throughout the area will receive food, shelter, clothing, medical care and the support they deserve year round.