The Campaign Continues!
Posted by Sue Wagener | Filed under Announcements
The $20,000 in 20 Days Campaign continues and with your help, we’ll reach our goal! As of Friday, June 17 we have raised $3,828 in gifts. We thank those who have already given online or mailed a check. You have made a difference for at least one youth because…
$25 provides a number of meals for our youth in crisis care
$50 covers educational materials to prepare for the GED
$100 helps a homeless youth stay in a warm and safe bed for an evening
With 13 days to go, you still have time to help us. Please take a moment and make that gift today!
Tags: 20 day campaign, CHMO Donations, Covenant House Missouri, homeless youth
$20,000 in 20 Days!
Posted by Sue Wagener | Filed under Announcements
This is a call-out to our friends, volunteers and donors of Covenant House Missouri! Today marks the kick-off of our $20,000 in 20 Days Campaign. Our fiscal year ends June 30, and we’re just short of our fundraising goal. With your gift, we’ll raise the needed $20,000!
Regular readers of our blog have seen the faces and read the stories of our special youth. Youth who are striving to find hope and a direction in life. Covenant House Missouri is committed to their cause and able to help because of people like you.
By making a gift today to our Campaign, you are making a difference for one or more of our youth in need! Please take a moment and make that gift today!
We appreciate your continued interest in our organization and welcome your visit!
Tags: Covenant House Missouri, Covenant House Missouri Donations, homeless youth
A Visit to Friendly Village
Posted by Sue Wagener | Filed under Covenant House Youth
Several of our youth were recently able to create a special night for about 50 residents of Friendly Village Apartments through a grant provided by the Mental Health Board. They provided a delicious dinner of baked chicken, mashed potatoes and vegetables to the grateful seniors. Following dessert, the bingo cards were passed around and a few wild rounds of bingo ensued. The idea behind the evening was to break down stereotypes between the generations by sharing food and fellowship. The seniors were touched by the youths’ efforts to reach out and do positive things for the community. The young people got the satisfaction of knowing they’d brightened the seniors’ day. The hugs and kisses at the end of the evening were a pretty good indication of the success of the project. For more pictures, find us on Facebook – www.facebook.com/covenanthousemo.
Tags: Covenant House, homeless youth, Mental Health Board, youth volunteering
Prom!
Posted by Sue Wagener | Filed under Covenant House Youth, Events
Rick and Mariah - Prom 2011!
Here’s a picture of two of our youth who attended Jenning’s prom last weekend. Prom was held at the downtown Hilton and Mariah said the ballroom looked just like a formal restaurant – folded napkins and everything! The food was good, the music was cool – they had a fun night. Personally, I think it’s pretty amazing that Rick had no idea what color dress she was wearing – they look awesome together! (but just friends…)
Tags: Covenant House Youth, homeless youth, prom
Field Trip to Jeff City
Posted by Sue Wagener | Filed under Covenant House Youth, Events
Several of our youth made a trip to Jefferson City yesterday to learn more about what goes on in our capital. They visited the State Capitol and witnessed our politicians hard at work. They also had the opportunity to tour the Governor’s Mansion. Antoine, one of the youth who went said the mansion was his favorite. “I’ve always wanted to see a mansion, it was so big and there was art everywhere. It was cool.” This is the second year staff has planned the outing and taken the youth to Jefferson City. It’s an opportunity for them to leave their cares behind for a day and just enjoy being tourists of the Show-Me State.
Hanging out in Jeff City
Tags: Covenant House Youth, homeless youth, Jefferson City
Panera Bread Partners with CHMO
Posted by Sue Wagener | Filed under Announcements, Covenant House Youth
Panera Cares and Covenant House are teaming up for a Job Transition Internship this February. This is a totally new concept for Panera – they researched and interviewed over 20 agencies in the St. Louis area and chose CHMO as their partner. Our youth will have the ongoing opportunity to intern at the Panera Clayton Community Cafe for six to ten weeks. They’ll learn life skills and job skills designed to provide them with personal and professional growth. The ultimate goal is to place our youth in a paying job with Panera. Ron Shaich, Panera founder, sparked this idea in hopes of giving back to the community. Needless to say, it is an incredible opportunity for our youth. About 25 interested youth showed up today to learn more and meet the people they’d be working with at the Clayton location. We are thrilled to be partnering with such an inspiring organization and look forward to playing a role in their efforts to better our community.
Panera employees take time to talk with our youth.
Tags: Covenant House Missouri, employment program, homeless youth, Panera Bread, St. Louis Bread Company
Thanksgiving Blessings!
Posted by Sue Wagener | Filed under Announcements
It’s always amazing at this time of year to witness the generosity and compassion in our community. Thank you to everyone who has blessed CHMO this Thanksgiving!
Young Leaders of South City Y for dinner and an evening of activities and community
Victory Outreach Ministries for sharing their wisdom about emotional intelligence and bringing us fantastic food and fellowship
McKendree University for making CHMO the recipeint of the donations from their ”Empty Bowls Project”
Covenant House staff for a delicious pot luck Thanksgiving meal
Derrick Ivory and the members of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity who will be delivering Thanksgiving dinner to our youth on Thursday. We are one of several shelters who will benefit from their “We Care” program.
Bar Louie – CWE, for providing an evening meal for our youth on Thursday
We are so grateful to each of you for your part in making our Thanksgiving Holiday so blessed!!
Tags: Covenant House Missouri, covenant house volunteers, homeless youth, Thanksgiving
Women’s Health Fair
Posted by Sue Wagener | Filed under Events, Volunteers
SLU students pursuing degrees in various health related fields provided the women of CHMO with a health fair last night. In the nutrition workshop, the girls snacked on tasty, wholesome treats while learning about healthy food choices. Menu cards were passed out so the girls could try a few new healthy dishes on their own. In the women’s health workshop, the girls learned about the importance of regular check ups and breast self exams. The exercise workshop provided some information on different types of exercise and a short session of cardio hip-hop. Thanks women of SLU for reaching out to the women of CHMO!
A food pyramid that makes sense!
Women's health workshop
Tags: Covenant House Missouri, homeless youth, St Louis University, Women's Health
Job Class Grads
Posted by Sue Wagener | Filed under Covenant House Youth
Earlier this week four young men with great potential graduated from our job class. The four graduates all have promising job prospects on the line. Board Member George Putney, helped ready them for the job market by leading them through mock interviews. Ms. Eileen (our Employment Counselor) said George was great and the students did an awesome job in their interviews. These four youth are some of the many, many youth who have completed our job class. In fiscal year 2010, 131 youth completed the class and 117 found employment – that’s an 89% success rate!! Another great example of how Covenant House is changing lives.
Tags: Covenant House Missouri, employment class, homeless youth, Youth Success
New Services at CHMO
Posted by Sue Wagener | Filed under Announcements
Thanks to a grant from MHB (Mental Health Board), CHMO will be expanding their services to include mental health care for our youth. Three new positions have been established in order to recognize, evaluate, diagnose and treat mental illness. Psychiatrist, Dr. Daniel Mamah, will be here on a part time basis to diagnose and prescribe medication. Brenda Elfgen is our new full time Mental Health Care Specialist who will be on site for counseling and evaluations. Blair Fingland, one of our former Outreach Workers has taken on the position of After Care Specialist. Blair will be doing follow up care for those diagnosed with mental illness once they leave CHMO. Blair will also continue doing Outreach but her focus will be on identifying homeless youth with mental illness.
Mental Health issues affect a significant number of our youth. They go undiagnosed in many cases because of a lack of health care, a fear of being labeled or a mistrust of doctors and institutions. Helping these youth get the care they need will have a tremendous impact on stabilizing their life situation and enabling them to move toward productivity. The After Care follow up will allow us to gather crucial data on how effective our programs are and give our youth who have left CHMO an ongoing support system.
Tags: Covenant House, homeless youth, Mental Health Board, mental illness
