December

Tuesday December 25, 2007
Over 100 Volunteers Provide a Hot Meal on Christmas Day.
This year’s Holiday Meal Delivery was a huge success!  With over 100 volunteers representing three faith groups, over 400 individuals were provided with a hot meal.  This was Faith Beyond Walls seventh year partnering with the Five Star Senior Center for this event.  With volunteers young and young at heart, the elderly were provided with a hot meal and a warm heart on a cold winter’s day. 

Each day in the United States, seniors go hungry.  The Meals On Wheels Association of America provides many seniors with their only nutritional meal of the day.  But on Christmas Day, Meals On Wheels finds itself woefully short on volunteers.  However because of the Five Star Senior Center and Faith Beyond Walls volunteers, these seniors do not have to go hungry on Christmas Day.  This was a wonderful event and thank you to all the volunteers who put their faith into action on this holiday!  Special thanks to Mike Howard and Judy Mettlach of the Five Star Senior Center!

Click Here for Project Pictures!

Saturday December 15, 2007
Volunteers Help at the St. Louis Area FoodBank
On Saturday December 15, 2007 18 volunteers representing two faith groups came out to the St. Louis Are FoodBank.  These volunteers helped to package and organize donations to later be sent off to other area food pantries in St. Louis. The St. Louis Area Foodbank is a non-profit food distribution center for organizations that feed hungry people in 14 counties in eastern Missouri and 12 counties in southwestern Illinois.  Thank you volunteers for putting your faith into action!  Special thanks to Brett Moeller of the St. Louis Area FoodBank!

Top

Sunday December 2, 2007
Buying Groceries or Paying the Mortgage Not an Easy Decision
On Saturday December 2, 2007 Faith Beyond Walls and Maryville University partnered together to bring a Community Action Poverty Simulation to the Maryville Campus.  This simulation was open to the public with the participants being Maryville students and faculty.  These students were broken down by families to live out four simulated weeks in poverty through 15 minute sessions.  After week one, students soon found out that making a decision between feeding their family and paying the mortgage before being evicted, quickly became a tough decision.  The day ended with an open discussion around the issues of poverty and how their faith group and college campus can help make a difference.  Special thanks to Steve DiSalvo of Maryville University! 

Top

November

Sunday, November 4, 2007
“It’s a Mitzpha”
In the Jewish faith the word “Mitzpha” has come to express an act of human kindness. On Sunday, November 4, seven volunteers from Temple Israel celebrated “Mitzpha Day” with Northside Team Ministry by painting doorways and boards on vacant apartments.  Northside Team Ministry is a non-profit located on North Grand that is committed to improve the neighborhood. They offer affordable housing for market and below market rates for families in need.  Thank you to the volunteers who’s faith drives them to “mitzphas”!  Special thanks to Bobbie Small of Northside Team Ministry! 

Top

October

Saturday, October 27, 2007
Students "Make A Difference" at Fairgrounds Park
On Saturday October 27, 2007 volunteers representing St. Louis University and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints spent their time “Making a Difference” in Fairgrounds Park.  These volunteers helped to mulch the trees that were planted in 2006 as part of FBW’s annual tree planting.  The Make A Difference Day is the most encompassing national day of helping others-a celebration of neighbors helping neighbors.  Everyone is able to participate! Created by USA Weekend Magazine, Make A Difference Day is an annual event that takes place on the fourth Saturday of every October.  Thank you to all the volunteers who put their faith into action!  Special thanks to Chris McCarthy of the St. Louis City Parks Department who provided the mulch!

Click Here to See Project Pictures!

Top

Saturday October 21, 2007
Plating Trees As A Religious Act
On Sunday, October 21, 2007 FBW had its annual tree planting in Fairgrounds Park.  With over 50 volunteers there were 25 trees planted and various bulbs that will bloom in the spring.  The tree planting initiative was started by the late Alfred Kahn the founder of the JEI (Jewish Environmental Initiative), who believed deeply that simply planting trees as a religious act was a way to put your faith in action.  Thanks to all the volunteers that worked hard and represented JEI, Central Reform Congregation, Brith Sholom Kneseth Israel, Temple Israel, Shaare Zedek and Congregation Shaare Emeth, as well as Overland Christian Church, University United Methodist Church and Alpha Theta Omega Christian Sorority. Special thanks to Rabbi Fleisher, JEI and Chris McCarthy of the Forestry Division of the St. Louis City Parks Department.

Click Here for Project Pictures!

Top

Sunday, October 14, 2007
St. Louis Area CROP Walk
Walking to Stop Hunger World Wide
On Sunday, October 14th , twelve interfaith volunteers assisted with the St. Louis Area CROP (Communities Responding to Overcome Poverty) Walk.  Interfaith Partnership/ Faith Beyond Walls endorsed the walk by encouraging participating congregations and faith groups to participate.  Volunteers helped with registration, water and snacks to the CROP Walk participants.  At the end of the day, volunteers helped pack up the unused beverages and snacks to be sent off to the St. Louis Area FoodBank, which provides needed food and goods to area food pantries.  This year’s CROP Walk raised over $25,000, 25% of funds raised it will go towards local hunger-fighting efforts, the remaining money will support  projects that combat hunger world wide.  Special thank you to Lelia Farr for organizing the event. Also, thank you to Rev. Dr. Paul Reiter from the Presbytery of Giddings-Lovejoy and Rabbi Mark Shook from Temple Israel who lead the event with an interfaith prayer.

Top

Saturday October 6, 2007
Students Striving To Be The Change
On Saturday October 6, 2007 over 70 St. Louis University Students came out to put their faith into action by participating in our Gandhi DISC (Day of Interfaith Service for Collegians) Day.  Out of those 70 students, there were 4 different faith groups represented; Christian, Hindu, Jainism and Muslim.  These volunteers work hard in Gravois Park to help beautify the grounds.  They mulched the trees to prepare for winter, painted traffic barriers and trash cans, picked up trash and cleaned out the public restrooms at the park.  During lunch these students were broken down into small groups to have a facilitated discussion around Gandhi’s teachings of service and peaceful action.  It was a wonderful day of service and discussion had by all.  Thank you to the students for putting their faith into action! Special thanks to Eric Bothe of Gravois Park and the Christine McCarthy at the St. Louis City Parks Department.  Also, to Sari ka Gu pta for organizing the SLU Hindu Student Association.

Click Here for Pictures!

Top