Kalen M. has a modest appearance, a kind voice, and an impish snicker. She spent over a decade routinely driving 80 miles to and from Farmington Correctional Center: seven years as a visiting Zen Buddhist priest and five years as a prison chaplain. Kalen often heard about the difficulties the men had upon release and […]
One out of every four children will have or need glasses by the time they enter kindergarten, according to a 2018 report by the American Optometric Association. The non-profit Eye Thrive helps children in underserved areas who need glasses have them as early as possible through free vision services, including a mobile clinic where kids […]
How do you do community engagement well? You listen to the community, partner with them in the creation process, support their needs, evaluate, and repeat. Local public media station Nine PBS has always focused on early childhood education and being a free and engaging resource for teachers and families. It values the voice of its […]
The Empowerment Network (TEN) has provided brotherhood and fellowship to prostate cancer survivors and their loved ones at 6000 West Florissant Ave. in North St. Louis city for nearly 15 years. Although primarily African American men meet there, its virtual reach extends as far as Ireland. TEN exists today because of a promise to God […]
Beyond Housing is a staple in the Pagedale area. A foreclosure crisis and subsequent decline of a school district left the community struggling to survive. President and CEO Chris Krehmeyer says, “Our job with community folks is to rebuild the fabric of that place. To do that is not just one thing. It has to […]
Widespread research suggests that most girls stop feeling good about themselves by their teens. Girls on the Run (GOTR) works to counteract this through evidence-based programming that marries social and emotional learning with physical activity. The international organization strives to create positive experiences for girls in grades 3-8. While the pronouns “she” and “her” will […]
October is National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month as well as National Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Awareness Month. It’s also one of the busiest months of the year for Share Pregnancy and Infant Loss Support. A birth from loss In 1977, Sister Jane Marie Lamb began Share after listening to a bereaved family’s cry […]
Your aging mother has been feeling mistreated at a long-term care facility and you aren’t able to be there. You would like to install a camera in her room. The Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program of St. Louis, now known as VOYCE, has volunteers ready to visit with her and advocate for your mother at no […]
Fathers and Families Support Center (FFSC) has helped provide stability to families since its inception in 1997. The last few years have been bittersweet for the organization: it satisfied a dream of a new headquarters in downtown St. Louis and continued successful operations during a pandemic. Yet the loss of founder and CEO Halbert Sullivan […]
Wesley House Association had to think fast after the COVID-19 pandemic led to a total shutdown almost a year ago. Today staff are still the only individuals inside the Wesley House at 4507 Lee Ave. in North St. Louis city, yet because of its strong partnerships and dedication to the residents of the 63115 zip […]