in ‘stormy’ times

St. Louis Cardinals pitcher donates masks to Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis

St. Louis Cardinals Pitcher Jack Flaherty, Dennis Chang and SDL Synergy donated 1,000 masks to Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis youth and employees to use during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Flaherty mentioned that growing up with a single working mother who gave him access to after-school care helped him understand the importance of the programs that Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis offers and wanted to give back.

Flaherty says of the donation, which is the beginning of what he hopes will be a long term partnership with Boys & Girls Clubs, “We wanted to donate the masks to a place where we knew they would go to good use. The Boys & Girls Club seeks to enable children to reach their fullest potential across the country and also stresses inclusion of all children which is something we need at this time in our country. We just feel lucky to be able to be involved with such a great organization and I’m honored to help in any way possible. I look forward to spending time with everyone at the Boys & Girls Club in the future.”

BGCSTL President, Dr. Flint Fowler says of the donation, “We are so thankful to Jack who thought of and remembered our youth, especially during these challenging times. This partnership also reflects the great relationship we have with the St. Louis Cardinals that started our founding.”

The Ferguson Youth Initiative marks a decade of empowering youth

The Ferguson Youth Initiative (FYI) will host vulnerable children in ‘stormy’ times

By Jane Beckman

a total of over $103,000 — enough to keep 345 Jane Beckman is the Com

showing of support,” said the Saint Louis Crisis its annual fundraising banquet on Oct. 17. The event will be virtual in line with pandemic-related health guidelines.

Community leaders, local musicians, school district administrators and civically engaged youth will come together to celebrate FYI’s 10th anniversary of empowering teens in Ferguson and surrounding neighborhoods of North St. Louis County. The event will include performances by the Red & Black Band and DJ Nune. Speakers will include FYI Executive Director Aaron M. Harris, Ferguson Florissant School District Superintendent Dr. Joseph Davis and current members and alumni of the Ferguson Youth Advisory Board.

The COVID-19 pandemic and the racial injustice protests that have echoed across our country and around the world this summer underscore the urgent need for the kind of local, youth-driven programs that FYI provides. Supporting teens through this pivotal time requires innovation and teamwork. The virtual brunch is a call for “All hands on deck”: parents, educators, community organizers, civic organizations, public officials, entrepreneurs and business leaders. Our youth depend on the unique partnerships that FYI strives to build among all stakeholders in healthy communities.

The 2020 Decade of Empowering Youth Virtual Brunch will air live and on tape starting at 12 p.m. on Oct. 17. The event includes fresh culinary delights from local restaurants delivered to your door. Please visit https://m.bpt.me/event/4526680 to purchase tickets and select either the brisket or pulled pork sandwich from Ferguson Brewhaus or mostaccoli (regular or vegan) from Vincenzo’s.

In addition, the ticket price options include either an FYI t-shirt or FYI polo.

The Ferguson Youth Initiative is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. Established in 2010, FYI works with local schools, the city of Ferguson and other community youth programs to develop safe, wholesome activities as well as college and job counselling for our teens. To find out more about the event or how to get involved, please contact

Northwest Views:

St. Louis community rallies around

Of the current pandemic, some people have said, “We are all in the same boat.” A better description might be, “We are all in the same storm, but our boats differ greatly.”

Many of us can ride out the storm in a reasonably sturdy vessel, worried and concerned, but fortunate not to confront the awful choice between our health and safety and our ability to feed our families. The Saint Louis Crisis Nursery serves many people whose boats were barely sound before the storm, families that are among the most impacted by this pandemic.

Yet, even after months of struggle and adaptation required by the pandemic, the St. Louis community showed they can still be counted on to step up in support of children and families across the region struggling to stay afloat.

For example, in August, small business owners, restaurants, corporate and philanthropic sponsors and hundreds of individuals rallied to make the Saint Louis Crisis Nursery’s “Celebrity Night for the Crisis Nursery” a highly successful evening. The revised and mostly virtual event raised kids safe at our nurseries, which have remained busy throughout the pandemic helping parents experiencing overwhelming stress and crisis.

“When we call on the St. Louis community to rally together for a cause – especially the cause of caring for, protecting and helping children and babies – we know we can always rely on a strong Nursery’s CEO, DiAnne Mueller. “That is why the Saint Louis Crisis Nursery has been able to operate continuously, without interruption, for over 34 years, and that is why, even now in the midst of this terrible pandemic, we remain open for parents experiencing overwhelming stress and crisis. The community supports those who do good in this region, through thick and thin.”

The Saint Louis Crisis Nursery currently has three nursery locations in full operation, and our Family Empowerment Program has conducted over 5,000 individual telehealth sessions since March. Over 400 emergency fund requests have been disbursed to families in need, in many cases preventing shut-off of utilities or evictions that would exacerbate the underlying issues that lead to crisis and stress.

So while the storm rages on, our community remains resilient and able to withstand the worst of it because no one is left to ride out the storm alone. This is the St. Louis hometown pride we all know and love: someone will always be there to lend a hand – or an oar – when times get tough.

314-749-5379. munications Director at Saint Louis Crisis Nursery.

The opinions expressed in this column are the columnist’s alone and do not reflect the opinion of the owners or staff of Community News.

www.oasisnet.org/covid

Home Builders Association donates $15,000 to LOVEtheLOU

On behalf of the Home Builders Charitable Foundation (HBCF), 2020 HBA President Bill Wannstedt (Consort Homes) (left) presented a $15,000 donation to Lucas Rouggly, executive director and founder of LOVEtheLOU. LOVEtheLOU is a not-for-profit community development initiative that connects resources to the needs of the city of St. Louis. The donation will be used to finish stabilizing an apartment complex that was donated to LOVEtheLOU’s STL | LIVE, a housing program designed to alleviate the stress of high rent and at the same time provide necessary resources to each family. The organization has completely rehabbed nine out of 10 apartments in the building located in North St. Louis City. The building works as a training ground for its housing program. Through STL | LIVE, abandoned houses and apartments are being purchased and are then remodeled for identified families to enter into a rent-to-own lease in an effort to stabilize the neighborhood.

The HBA is a local trade association of more than 600 member firms representing the residential construction industry. The Home Builders Charitable Foundation, the HBA’s charitable arm, is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing housing assistance to people or organizations with special shelter needs.

Submitted photo

1st Financial Federal Credit Union set to rebrand as Alltru Credit Union

1st Financial Federal Credit Union, created in 1968 by the men and women of the District 837 Machinist Union, will become Alltru Credit Union on Nov. 17.

Using the tagline “The Better Way To Bank,” 1st Financial currently serves more than 35,000 members throughout St. Louis City, St. Louis County and St. Charles County. As Alltru Credit Union, the Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) will continue to grow by providing equitable access to financial services in all communities.

“For many years, we’ve existed as 1st Financial Federal Credit Union. A name that, while common and quite institutional, didn’t tell the story of us. The story that we have been telling anyone who would listen for 52 years,” said Carol Minges, CEO of 1st Financial, in a recent letter to the member owners of the credit union. “Alltru is a name that reflects our collective ownership, demonstrates our shared integrity and separates us in the St. Louis market.”

www.forevercleangutter.com

1st Financial collected feedback from current members, employees, board members and people in the community who had no relationship with the credit union, to develop this new brand. Through extensive research and creative exercise, the credit union was able to narrow the new brand down into a name that resonated with people who desire authenticity, integrity and collective partnership. One of the largest distinctions between a credit union and a bank is that credit unions are wholly owned by those who bank there. Alltru Credit Union is a name that points back to that distinction by reminding members of their ownership and influence.

Members of 1st Financial and surrounding communities will see changes in the brand in the coming months leading up to the official launch date of Nov. 17. The tagine “The Better Way To Bank” and the credit union’s web address, TheBetterWayToBank.org, will remain the same through the transition.

Chairman of the Board of Directors at 1st Financial, Gina Hakenewerth recently said, “We are so excited to present our members and community with this new brand. It’s important to us that everyone know we haven’t been sold and nothing about who we are is changing. This new name will help us grow and widen our circle of accessibility in our communities.” She went on to say, “Our name is changing, but we are still the same cooperative we have been for 52 years.” While the credit union has changed their name, their staff, hours, products and services remain the same. For additional information, Alltru has created a web page dedicated to the name change at https://www.1stfinancialfcu.org/alltrucreditunion/.