Seventeen Years &
Grant Dollars at Work in College Hill
{2008 – 2023}
Ready Readers will expand their early literacy program in the College Hill community, specifically using this grant over the next 2 years to:
- Support 155 children and their teachers in the Storytime program
- 1,085 new books in homes
- New books for 9 classrooms
- Storytime expansion kits
- Field trips
- Professional development for educators
- Family literacy events to engage and support parents
Our Lady of Perpetual Help food pantry will use this grant for:
- FOOD PROCUREMENT: Hiring a new transportation manager, expanding responsibilities, and increasing salary
- INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS: Enhancing website, as well as facility improvements, including renovating the bathroom, replacing entry doors, and getting new signage
- CAPACITY BUILDING SUPPORT: Increasing philanthropic and in-kind food donations, and marketing/social media
Urban League will maintain 2 family mentors at Bryan Hill Elementary School through their Community School Partnership Program. The CSP Family Mentors establish and maintain trust with parents and children and continue to be seen as a dependable resource. They assist in the classrooms, monitor traffic in the halls, and have lunch and mingle with the students during recess. By maintaining a dependable, positive presence, the Family Mentors continue to
position themselves as trusted, familiar advocates for students and families. They are stable, trusted, and dependable family members to the Bryan Hill administration, teachers, caregivers, parents, and students ...empowering the neighborhood community and changing lives.
College Hill Foundation will use this grant to fund their Golf, Opportunity, Learning, and Fun (G.O.L.F.) Program. They will enroll 10 to 12 boys and girls who are connected to, living in, or attending school in College Hill. The program runs 4 days per week from June 7-August 10, 2023. While learning the game of golf, this program teaches/reinforces important life lessons. Kids are also provided with 2 meals each day, as well as educational instruction and hands-on computer skills to support their academic performance in the coming school year.
Better Family Life, Incorporated will recruit two cohorts of up to 20
students (one cohort per year) in 2022-2023 for job training. The program is specifically designed to successfully train and develop inexperienced, low income individuals to become customer service professionals with the capacity to earn family supporting incomes.
Each enrollee will receive three months of free work readiness training and Call Center Representative Certification for job placement directly with Charter Communications. Better Family Life will provide transportation services and client incentives to help prepare unemployed and underemployed residents, particularly women, from the College Hill neigh-
borhood.
CHADS Coalition for Mental Health will provide CHADS Social-Emotional Mentoring services at KIPP Triumph Academy, located in the
College Hill neighborhood. They will dedicate a trained mentor 2 days a
week at KIPP Triumph for two years. Specifically, this will provide 562 weekly mentoring sessions at
KIPP Triumph for 40 students.
Gateway Region YMCA will be working with Bryan Hill School to establish an after-school water safety program where the Y staff will provide 4 classroom-based Water Safety Lessons to 2nd through 5th grade students at Bryan Hill Elementary School. These classes will be followed up with a Specialty Interest Program based at the Y where students will participate in 8 swim lessons and choose additional specialty programs such as dance, choir, or E-sports. This program will engage 60-80 Bryan Hill Elementary students Monday through Friday from 2:30-5:30 beginning Fall 2021 and will include transportation, initial swimming assessment, and Level 1 and 2 Swimming Lessons.
Our Lady of Perpetual Help is a food pantry located in the impoverished area of North St. Louis that serves the O’Fallon Park, College Hill and surrounding communities. They are open three days a week and welcome all who are in need of food. They have a large selection of vegetables, fruit and dairy. They are located at 4335 Warne near a bus stop and convenient to many who lack means of transportation. OLPH will use WOM funds to address water ingress that is causing damage to the building and also to replace a near obsolete walk in freezer. These improvements and repairs will enable OLPH Food Pantry to continue to serve the College Hill and surrounding neighborhoods for years to come.
Ready Readers will blanket the College Hill area with their outcome-based, early literacy program. They will provide early literacy program for two years to 155 preschool-age children (2-5 years of age) who attend the Water Tower Head Start (a Grace Hill Head Start Center), Birth Academy (an independent center), and Bryan Hill Elementary. In addition to a weekly Storytime session, Ready Readers will distribute more than 900 books to children and educators, provide professional development for educators, and offer a free family literacy night program at the three sites. Ready Readers brings the brain boosting benefits of read-aloud sessions and gift books to preschool children. By providing equal access to children living in College Hill, Ready Readers develops their early literacy skills, jump-starts their success in school and establishes educational advantages that will reap a lifetime of benefits. An investment in early literacy now reduces the future need for all other safety net programs provided in the College Hill neighborhood.
Grace Hill Settlement House will operate the Community School Partnership Program (CSP) at College Hill’s Bryan Hill Elementary School (initially made possible by a generous 2-year award from Women On Mission). Over the past five years, the CSP has proven instrumental at driving gains in attendance at Bryan Hill, while strengthening and enhancing the lives of children and families. This human services program has provided a model the rest of the District is keen to adapt; St. Louis Public Schools has hired Grace Hill to add ten new mentors. Mentors work with parents to identify and set goals to improve family stability. They can connect families with resources for rent, utilities, food, job training, and health care.
In partnership with the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, the St. Louis Police Foundation will use our grant to implement their Gang Resistance and Education Training program in College Hill. They will also offer a neighborhood summer camp and field trips to build relationships and make a positive impact in the neighborhood.
Employment Connection will partner with The College Hill Foundation to hire and train College Hill residents to manage a profitable lavender garden in the community. All profits will fund low income, owner occupied rehab in the neighborhood. Plans to expand the original garden have already begun and 100% of the harvest has already been sold.
Little Bit Foundation is a leader in breaking down barriers to learning for disadvantaged children in the Saint Louis area. Our grant has allowed them to hire a therapist for Bryan Hill Elementary School in College Hill. This will help 25 children per year deal with the stress of those who live i poverty, have endured trauma and have been exposed to violence.
The grant funding the College Hill Community Play Space is a part of a total neighborhood revitalization plan. Fund from Women on Mission will be used to help purchase abandoned and unsafe land and turn it into a welcoming green space designed for creative play and positive social engagement for children and adults.
CTS will assist 20 women residing in College Hill with the necessary education and vocational skills training to enter the local construction trades industry. This will provide living wage employment allowing for better support of themselves and their families.
Funding will provide home-based social services and permanent housing to 15 families in College Hill. At the conclusion of the tw0-year grant cycle, the 15 families served will establish and maintain leases in their own name, demonstrate family and self-sufficiency as well as maintain employment at a livable wage.
Free eye exams and glasses will be provided to 250 children living in College Hill. Improved vision will help children excel in school.
The Family Partnership Program provided three family coaches to serve at Bryan Hill Elementary School. The mentors for children and their families offer individualized support in areas of academic and behavioral needs. Students are incentivized for attendance and academics.
These funds were used to purchase a state of the art security camera system. The system was deployed to “hot spot” areas responsible for 50% of the crime in College Hill. It provides valuable information to the police and limits the risk to residents who fear retaliation for reporting crimes. The safety of the neighborhood has improved dramatically with recent reports citing a 40% decline in total crime!
These funds were used to purchase a state of the art security camera system. The system was deployed to “hot spot” areas responsible for 50% of the crime in College Hill. It provides valuable information to the police and limits the risk to residents who fear retaliation for reporting crimes. The safety of the neighborhood has improved dramatically with recent reports citing a 40% decline in total crime!
Through the Responsible Fatherhood Program, 20 fathers of 59 children completed classes which provided tools and resources needed to find employment, improve parenting skills, address legal issues, and enjoy healthy relationships with their children. 77% of the men were employed within 4 months. Our volunteers served lunches and interacted with the
participants.
Women on Mission supported LHS in their long term plans to build 20 affordable homes in College Hill. Grant monies were used to address primary barriers to successful homeownership including financial education and a buyer support system. Our volunteers furnished the first house which was used as a model home and they also gave a housewarming to the first qualified buyer.
Our grant funded the placement of a counselor in the community to deal with overwhelming parental stress and child safety in times of immediate danger. This was the first time Crisis Nursery had focused on a single neighborhood. We continue to support the N. Grand location with donations of clothing and toys.
This grant funded intervention to reduce the impact of substance abuse on women and their families. The College Hill Community Recovery Project was specifically developed as an outreach, screening and treatment referral program. Members also sponsored a baby shower for pregnant women in treatment and made donations of clothing and baby supplies.
CTS opened an office in College Hill and used our grant to provide classes for heads of families in literacy, financial education, and job search. CTS still works in College Hill with permanent office space at Grace Hill Settlement House. Our members prepare lunches for class and help mentor the trainees. We also volunteer with the Dress for Success Boutique.
Our grant funded 37 matches of adults to children in College Hill. Although our grant was only for 2 years, the matches made were funded by BBBS until the children reached the age of 18. These relationships affected the entire family.