Top of Page

Departing Words From Leslie

It is with a heavy heart that I say "goodbye" to our wonderful Faith Beyond Walls family.  Since my arrival in December 2002, I have been truly blessed by the staff, leadership, community partners and volunteers that I have encountered.  Together we have expanded from 4 projects to 45 last year and grown from 300 to over 1400 volunteers.  Faith Beyond Walls fills such an important void in the region by tackling projects that, most often, would not be completed without our assistance and yet they make such a measurable and observable impact on the community. 

I am humbled by the dedication and sincerity of all who work with this organization.  As I journey to North Carolina at the end of June, I will continue to pray for FBW's continued success. Thanks for such a wonderful and powerful experience as we partnered to put our faith into action..

Beth Damsgaard-Rodriguez, who many of you know already, will take on the volunteer and project management roles.  She can be reached at (314) 531-4787 or e-mail.

- Leslie (Director of Projects and Volunteers)

Top of Page

PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS

  FBW Returns to Kinloch

On Saturday, April 9, FBW volunteers returned to Kinloch for our 7th project since 2003.  As part of our Day of Interfaith Service for Collegians (DISC) initiative, forty-one volunteers joined twenty Kinloch residents to paint the, soon to open, Kinloch Learning Center and to landscape Boyd O'Guinn Park.

Specials thanks to the participants from the following groups: CREDO (Webster University and Eden Seminary), St. Louis University, F.I.S.H.(Fontbonne), Muslim Student Association (Meramac Community College), ATMA Hindu Student Association (Washington University), Catholic Newman Center (UMSL) and the residents of Kinloch.

Top of Page

FBW Makes Fairgrounds Park Greener

On Sunday, April 17, for the second year, FBW volunteers returned to Fairgrounds Park to plant trees.  This annual event is in honor of Earth Day.  Twenty-nine volunteers worked with residents to plant trees received from Forest ReLeaf of Missouri.

Project partners included the Jewish Environmental Initiative, College Hill Roundtable, Fairgrounds Neighborhood Council, and Neighborhood Stabilization Team.

Top of Page

FBW Expands Our Project Partnerships in the Metro-East

On Saturday, May 7 in partnership with Adventures in Motivation, Edgemont Elementary School and the Black Leadership Summit, FBW continued our efforts to support community improvement projects in the Metro-East.  Eighteen FBW volunteers representing the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and University United Methodist Church planted flowers, weeded the playground and cleared out the overgrown fence area to make Edgemont Elementary School in East St. Louis safer and prettier for students. 

Thanks to the Belleville News-Democrat for a great article about this project.  

Top of Page

For the Third Year FBW Overwhelmingly Supports the Letter Carriers Food Drive

On Saturday, May 14 ,  sixty-eight FBW volunteers sorted and packaged food at six area postal stations to support the National Letter Carriers Food Drive to benefit the St. Louis Area Foodbank. Results are below for the stations where our volunteers served .  

Thanks to the representatives from the following groups for coming out!

• Bahá'í Faith
• Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
• Episcopal Church of the Holy Communion
• First Baptist Church - Crestwood
• Greater Mt. Carmel Baptist Church
• Islamic Foundation of Greater St. Louis
• Kingsway Baptist Church
• Mt. Calvary Lutheran
• Shaare Emeth
• St. Robert Bellarmine Catholic Church
• Temple Israel
• Trinity Episcopal Church - St. Charles
• TREND of Affton High School
• Vianney High School
• Webster Groves Christian Church
• Webster Groves High School

Top of Page

Upcoming FBW Projects

Volunteers Needed for Head Start Summer Project in the Metro-East

In partnership with SIUE Head Start, last summer eighty-seven volunteers planted flowers, organized and painted classrooms and restrooms, cleaned the grounds, painted the solar system and stenciled games such as hopscotch on playgrounds and painted a safety zone on a parking lot at several Head Start Centers in Southern Illinois. We will return this summer to three Head Start Centers to complete similar projects. Volunteers Needed:   15 per location (ages 12 and up)

Contact Beth Damsgaard-Rodriguez at (314) 531-4787 or e-mail to register. 

Top of Page

SLICE Summer Service Camp Off to a Fantastic Start!

This summer FBW launches St. Louis Interfaith Community Explorations (SLICE), a program designed to provide a weeklong service experience for local interfaith youth.  The Monday of each week begins with a Poverty Simulation during which participants role-play the lives of low-income families, including single parents, people with disabilities, and senior citizens on Social Security. The next four days include assignments throughout the St. Louis region volunteering on community improvement projects. See a listing of neighborhoods and participating faith communities below.

 Top of Page

Help Needed to Raise Awareness About Poverty

32.9 million Americans, 11.7 million of whom are children under the age of 18, live in poverty every day. Many more have incomes above the poverty line, but their incomes are still low enough to qualify for programs like Food Stamps and Medicaid. The recent economic downturn has seen unemployment rates rise and the use of emergency food pantries increase.

It is difficult for those of us who have enough to truly understand the situations that families living in poverty experience every day – the decisions they have to make, and the fears and frustrations they feel. That is why we are inviting you to walk a mile in the shoes of those facing poverty by participating in the Community Action Poverty Simulation (CAPS).

The CAPS provides participants with the opportunity to assume the role of a low- income family member living on a limited budget. The experience is divided into four 15-minute sessions, each of which represents one week in which participants must provide for their family and maintain their home.

If you are interested in being a participant or serving as a volunteer staffer for the simulation please register today with Beth Damsgaard-Rodriguez at (314) 531-4787 or e-mail.  Lunch is provided.  We highly recommend this powerful experience for leaders of outreach or social action committees. Details are below. 

Simulation Dates and Times

Top of Page

Help Fight Hunger!

Help sort and package food donated to the St. Louis Area Foodbank. Details below.  Contact Andrea Erdman at (314) 531-4787 or e-mail to register.

Date: Saturday, July 16 from 8:00 a.m. -11:00 a.m.
Location: St. Louis Area Foodbank Repackaging Center, 1451 Page Ind. Ct., St. Louis, MO 63132
Volunteers Need: 20 (ages 12 and up)

+++++++