I have had the great honor to work at Gateway 180 :: Homelessness Reversed for three years, so…read moreplease excuse my enthusiasm and pride. Gateway 180 is the largest emergency shelter for women, children and families in Missouri. Located just three blocks from City Museum near downtown St. Louis, this 25-year old agency is dedicated to making sure that homeless families in the shelter are placed into housing within 30 days or less. I recommend that anyone interested in working to end homelessness attend a Gateway 180 "Community Luncheon." These are free (RSVP needed - 314-231-1515) and held on the third Friday of each month from 12p-1pm. These luncheons are for those who want to learn more about St. Louis' fight to end homelessness and Gateway 180's role in that work. You will enjoy meeting like-minded people and having a chance to see first-hand how an organization works collaboratively with leaders and other agencies to strategically address the issue. The organization and its leadership are focused on ending homelessness in our community (not managing it). Gateway 180 has 110 beds and is open 24-hours a day, 365 days a year. Over 300 persons have been placed into housing this year. The organization also has an extensive food program, serving over 150,000 meals annually and providing bag lunches to those in need. At a cost of $22/person per day, the shelter is one of the most efficient in the nation, operating at 30% of the average daily cost of emergency shelter nationally. Its referral and placement rate and average length of stay position the organization as one of the best-performing shelters in the nation. Every child and family deserve a home, and Gateway 180 :: Homelessness Reversed believes that it is better for the child, better for the family, and better for our community when homeless people are rapidly re-housed.

Soup and Share has consistently been a place that has provided nourishing food to those of us who…read moreare either the working poor, on a rigid income or who are transients in Madison County, IL. There is no reason for anyone to be hungry in Madison or St. Claire counties when there's Soup and Share. But what makes Soup and Share unbelievably impressive in its efforts to make an immediate and needed difference in the lives of people living in and out of the community are the following: 1) Soup and Share is open weekly, every Wednesday and Friday (closed on 4th Friday). Most pantries are opened once a month. This makes Soup and Share unique in an effort to sincerely make a quick difference in the lives of those of us in need. 2) Every Friday scrumptious, mouthwatering meals are served to community residents who rush to the facility between noon and twelve - thirty to eat. Sherrie mandates prayer is offered before the consumption of any meal at the facility. Sherrie, Administrative Head / CEO /ETC, offers prayer to those requesting or needing divine intervention in their lives. 3) The volunteers, servers, leads, coordinators and Mrs. Sherrie Hare are more than accommodating; they are just downright friendly, compassionate, helpful and prayerful. We have to sign in on Friday mornings to get our foodstuffs later that evening. Gloria rises from her bed to greet us about 9:00 a.m.; some Fridays are freezing. Still, Gloria shows up willing to get that "initial" ball rolling by making sure every patron is correctly signed in for the food distribution later that day. What I find astounding too is that Sherrie knows the name of every patron . . . it seems. 4) Soup and Share's name is not definitive in the least of all the many roles this pantry plays in the community. Soup and Share has a clothes closet and diaper program for young mothers with infants and toddlers. The cloth closet can be attended by anyone and it houses many new items as well as "hardly" worn pieces. What a blessing! 5) Something has to be said about the quality and variety of the food given patrons on Wednesdays and Fridays. We have been privileged to all kinds of meats and food delicacies. The foods are the best quality. I have heard no rebuffs or complaints. Finally, I must give this place, Soup and Share, the highest accolades and merits since the existence and services provided by this pantry has enabled me to eat at times when it was difficult financially and to eats foods I had only been advantaged to read about in the past. The attitudes of staff and volunteers have uplifted me on days when I was disheartened and dampened by the circumstances of just plain living. It has proven to be a "vital" part of Madison County, outlying communities and my life. No one in need is ever turned away. Earline Price Venice, IL.

NLEC is a 45 year old church organization that has been serving the Midwest faithfully for Christ's…read moresake. Many many people have recieved so much help and continue to.

From the owner: NLEC Mission: The mission of New Life Evangelistic Center (NLEC) is to provide Christian…read morehospitality and respect for life through the services of food, clothing, shelter, education, and job training programs, as well as physical, mental and spiritual health care, to the poor and homeless in Saint Louis and beyond.

Highly recommend!!…read more Great location and staff! They give back To the community. Jeff was so kind! They had everything from sunglasses, kids clothing, women's, men's, formal wear, household, toys and so much more! So happy I found my new go to store!

We went in looking for a particular item, which wasn't currently in stock, but found a store that…read morewas clean, easy to navigate, stocked with nice items and staffed by friendly people. I will return.

I came by Craft Alliance before the holidays looking for some cute ornaments. Their selection of…read moreglass blown ornaments is beautiful and kept my tree very pretty. The people working there were very nice and helpful in teaching me about the artist and pointing out other items that might be of interest. I plan to keep these for years to come!

Craft Alliance offers camps for kids, classes for kids, teens, adults and 1 day craft seminars. All…read morethe teachers I have had there do a great job of balancing the students interests and aptitudes in the class while allowing freedom to explore and for projects in. I am so thankful to have a place like this in St. Louis. I highly recommend joining as a member and taking some classes (you get a discount as a member)!

I volunteer as a youth sports coach here and it is a fabulous experience! I love the program…read morestructure that allows me to come in and give my expertise as a coach but I don't have to worry about the details of finding practice time, space or games. This facility is truly a part of the community with programming in fitness, aquatics, child care, sports, community garden, skate park, and so much more! If you want to join programs there is a cost difference between members and non-members.

I have been to South City YMCA many times and I enjoy it. Coming here for a period of time I have…read morebeen able to notice some of the benefits and disadvantages of this gym. I enjoy the various group classes that they offer and the staff's level of professionalism. They also have two separate areas filled with weightlifting equipment. One thing that I think needs improvement is the amount of lockers that are broken, some of them can't be opened because the latches have broken off. Also the area for cardio machines have a good variety of machines, but it is also very cramped navigating through the area.

HavenHouse was truly our safe haven when visiting St Louis for a medical appointment. From the…read morestart, they were the best. Easy to make the reservation. Answered all questions when I called (and called back and back and back again!). They even called a couple of days before to confirm the reservation. Not only did they provide an affordable room, they treated one adult per room and children under 12 to the buffet breakfast and also gave us, free of charge, one meal (which we had as lunch) and snacks and drinks. To top it off, they allowed us to borrow a microwave and use their freezer! It truly was a saving grace and we wish they were in all states we visit for medical appointments as they made us feel cared for, like we had friends we could ask for help. Cannot thank them or recommend them enough.

Haven House is one of those places doing IMPORTANT work. It is one of my favorite local places to…read moredeliver boxes of goods. The Haven House has a donation wish list on their website. They also have volunteer opportunities for individuals or groups. Need a local charity to support...look no further than the Haven House. The Haven House is a hospital hospitality house. The mission to provide the comfort of home to patients and their families visiting St. Louis for medical treatments. Lodging, transportaion to area Hospitals, support, and meals are some of the amenities the Haven House provides guests. Visit their Facebook Page or Website for more details.