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St. Louis Leaders
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STL Leaders Speak Out is a brief video by Leadership St. Louis® graduates offering insights on leadership to inform and inspire. This week, hear from Vince Hillyer, President and CEO, Great Circle. Read more
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FOCUS Blog
Mar
25
Written by:
Focus St. Louis
Friday, March 25, 2011 2:05 PM
Every year, the FOCUS St. Louis® What's Right with the Region! awards ceremony recognizes 20 individuals, organizations, or initiatives that have a positive and significant impact on the St. Louis region. Four honorees are chosen in each of the five following categories:
- Creating Quality Educational Opportunities
- Improving Racial Equality and Social Justice
- Demonstrating Innovative Solutions
- Fostering Regional Cooperation
- Promoting Stronger Communities
This week, we'd like to introduce you to the honorees who will be recognized for Demonstrating Innovative Solutions in our region.
Healthy Kids Express Mobile Health Van
Children who don’t receive proper healthcare could have a very direct effect on our future mortality rates. With three different vans in the fleet that focus on specific needs (asthma education and care, dental care, and preventative screenings) Healthy Kids Express provides services to 20,000 children per year. With Healthy Kids Express, more children have the opportunity to be healthy when they are exposed to free, quality healthcare that is offered to them right in their community.
Judge Jimmie M. Edwards
A product of the same segregated, low-income St. Louis neighborhoods as the children and teens he strives to reach, Judge Jimmie M. Edwards has a heart for “problem” youth and troubled families. In the spring of 2009, Judge Edwards learned that the St. Louis Public Schools would be closing several buildings. He contacted the Special Administration Board, expressed his interest in obtaining a building, and in a matter of weeks, a building was identified. By August 2009, the Innovative Concept Academy (ICA), a one-stop service center for at-risk St. Louis youth, was formed. More than 30 community partners participate in various programs at the ICA, and the students who attend continue to be the change that the community needs.
Simone Bernstein
After realizing that there were no resources or information available for youth and family volunteerism, Simone Berntsein, an active community volunteer since the age of 12, founded www.stlouisvolunteen.com, a resource for area youth, nonprofits, and schools to find volunteers or opportunities to volunteer. She organized and created the first St. Louis Youth and Family Volunteer Fair, which is now an annual event at the St. Louis Magic House. Over 1500 students have found volunteer opportunities through the website, @stlvolunteen on Twitter, and the Volunteer Fair. The website’s home page has an Anne Frank quote that sums up the entire mission—“How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.”
St. Louis Bread Co. Cares Café
The St. Louis Bread Co. Cares Café is a study in individual philanthropy. Its existence is solid evidence that there is still a large basis of good in the world. It was started as a means to enable those in need who can’t afford a good meal. At this ground-breaking café, many customers are given the option to pay the “suggested funding level” price, or whatever they are able to afford. Those who can afford to pay nothing can still walk away with a meal simply by volunteering to help out around the café for an hour. In a world filled with thoughts of dollars and cents, this café that operates as a not-for-profit is a breath of fresh air.
Congratulations to all our honorees! Check back with us—we will be highlighting the winners of each category weekly for the next month.
Meet our honorees recognized for Creating Quality Educational Opportunities.
Purchase your tickets here! Advanced online ticket sales are NOW OPEN for What's Right with the Region! 2011.
About the writer: Denise Kruse is the Marketing & Communications Director at FOCUS.
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