Big help Crisis Nursery presents prestigious H.U.G.S. & K.I.S.S.E.S. awards

The area’s foremost child abuse and neglect prevention agency, the Saint Louis Crisis Nursery, will present its prestigious H.U.G.S. & K.I.S.S.E.S. “Healthcare Partner of the Year” award to Mercy and its Woman of the Year Award to Pam Duffy of Chesterfield.

For 26 years, the Saint Louis Crisis Nursery has bestowed the H.U.G.S. & K.I.S.S.E.S. awards to individuals, businesses, and groups who have shown Helpfulness, Uncommon Generosity, Sincere Kindness, Integrity, Shining Service and Extraordinary Support for the Crisis Nursery. There is no higher award from this nationally known organization.

Mercy has been a valuable and generous champion of the Crisis Nursery; they currently host three Crisis Nursery Family Empowerment Centers. In 2017 the Family Empowerment Center -Jefferson County, based at Mercy Hospital Jefferson, opened; in 2018, the Crisis Nursery’s Family Empowerment Center – South County opened at Mercy Hospital South. Most recently, the Family Empowerment Center--Lincoln County opened on the Mercy Hospital - Lincoln campus.

Crisis Nursery CEO DiAnne Mueller said,

“It has been such a blessing for all these years to have Mercy’s dedication and passion to the Saint Louis Crisis Nursery and our mission of child abuse prevention! Because of Mercy’s commitment to the communities it serves, the Crisis Nursery is positively impacting many more families in the underserved regions of Jefferson and Lincoln counties. We are excited to name Mercy the Crisis Nursery’s ‘Healthcare Partner of the Year’ in recognition of Mercy’s long-standing mission of transforming the health and wellness of our communities.”

“Collaborating with the Saint Louis Crisis Nursery is a true win-win situation,” said Eric Ammons, president of Mercy Hospital Jefferson. “We are able to help the Crisis Nursery reach people in need of their services. We are able to easily connect our patients, community members, and our own co-workers to the support Crisis Nursery provides. The entire community is better served by Mercy and the Crisis Nursery working together.”

The Saint Louis Crisis Nursery has also received funds from Mercy Caritas, established to provide funds for health and human services programs that meet unique community needs.

Duffy is the President of Rhodey Construction and has been a Crisis Nursery supporter for over ten years. She is a member of Crisis Nursery’s Board of Directors and served as the Board President from July 2020 to June 2022.

Mueller said, “Pam is our Woman of the Year because she has been a fantastic supporter for many years. Her term as Board of Directors President included the worst years of the pandemic, but under Pam’s guidance, while other agencies had to close their doors, the Crisis Nursery remained open. Pam continues to help the nursery in many ways – from Rhodey Construction sponsoring Crisis Nursery events to Pam recently backing a pajama drive that resulted in new pj’s for nearly 500 children!”

Duffy said, “I am truly honored to receive this award. I am proud to be involved with an organization like the Crisis Nursery. It is important to me to give back, and the Crisis Nursery is wonderful--the staff is amazing to work with and they help so many families in St. Louis!”

The award will be presented at the Crisis Nursery’s Razzle Dazzle Ball on April 1.