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urban issues+ social awareness + entertainment + homeless resources
whats up MAGAZINE
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YOUR VENDOR BUYS THISMAGAZINE FOR 25 CENTS
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PLEASE ONLY BUY FROM BADGED VENDORS
whatsupstl.com
urban issues+ social awareness + entertainment + homeless resources
whats up MAGAZINE
SUGGESTEDDONATION$1.00
YOUR VENDOR BUYS THISMAGAZINE FOR 25 CENTS
AND KEEPS ALL PROCEEDS
REAL VENDORSDON’T SOLICITDONATIONS ABOVECOVER PRICE
ARTS + ADVOCACY + ACTION S
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SWhats Up is distributed by and for the Homeless and Disadvantaged of St. Louis
Submissions: All articles should be sent to the attention of the editors at the address below. For further submission info, visit our website or
contact us. We may edit submissions for clarity or length.
WHATS UP needs writers, photographers, graphic designers, marketers, administrative assistants, editors, and grant writers.
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WHATS UP MAGAZINE
STEFF SANCHEZ EDITOR-IN-CHIEFRJ KOSCIELNIAK PROGRAM DIRECTORJAY SWOBODA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR/FOUNDERKATE EWING PUBLICITY MANAGER
RYAN ALBRITTON CONTRIBUTING WRITERKEVIN BOYD WRITER/GRAPHICSMAX BOUVATTE WRITER/GRAPHICSROBIN DRENNEN-BROWN WRITER/VENDORNATE FORST CONTRIBUTING WRITERMACY MEYER GUEST PHOTOGRAPHER THEO WELLING PHOTOGRAPHER
WEARE
WHATS UP MAGAZINE serves as a community-based alternative media source. Our content actively combines social awareness and entertainment in a way that encourages the population of St. Louis to be socially conscious. Whats Up also operates as a human service provider aiding the homeless and economically disadvantaged by offering transitional employment. The homeless and disadvantaged take part in sales, advertising, and production of this pub-lication. Street vendors are given twenty free issues, and then pay 25 cents for additional copies. We are always looking for enthusiastic people dedicated to our causes of encouraging awareness and providing opportunities to the disadvantaged.
WHATS UP MAGAZINE906 Olive St., Suite 1212
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WHATS UP MAGAZINE is a 501(c)(3) non-profi t organizationContact us to fi nd out how you can support our efforts!
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Articles that appear in WHATS UP refl ect the opinion and perspective of the author and not the editors of Whats Up.
Articles should not be construed as attempts to aid or hinder any legislative body.
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WHATSINSIDE 3
ST LOUIS MISSOURI
CONTENTSSPRING 2010DECLARING OUR INTERDEPENDENCE SIX
SPARE SOME CHANGE? SEVEN
FREE IN THE CITY EIGHT
A STREETCAR NAMED DISASTER TEN
ARCHITECTURE OF PRESERVATION TWELVE
WORLD NEWS FOURTEEN
BARISTAS SCULPT A NEW FOAM OF ART FIFTEEN
AUTHENTICITY SIXTEEN
VENDOR VOICETWENTY-THREE
BUILDING BRIDGESTWENTY-FOUR
STREET SOURCESTHIRTY
WHY ST. LOUISANS MUST BAND TOGETHER TO FIGHT FOR THE TRANSIT THEY DESERVE
BUT WE ARE IN A RECESSION A LOOK AT HOMELESSNESS DURING HARD TIMES
HOW TO GET OUT AND ENJOY THE BEST THAT ST. LOUIS HAS TO OFFER FOR FREE
DOES ST. LOUIS REALLY NEED THE LOOP TROLLEY? RYAN ALBRITTON INVESTIGATES.
WHATS UP INTERVIEWS MICHAEL ALLEN, HISTORIC PRESERVATION ADVOCATE
A COLLECTION OF ESSAYS BY WHATS UP VENDOR ROBIN DRENNEN-BROWN
WHATS UP FIRST SHELTER SPOTLIGHT TAKES AN INSIDE LOOK AT THE BRIDGE
A COLLECTION OF STREET NEWSPAPER STORIES FROM ACROSS THE GLOBE.
IMAGES OF THE BARISTA GUILD OF AMERICA’S LATTE ART COMPETITION
NATE FORST PROPOSES CHANGES TO RECONNECT ST. LOUIS TO ITS ROOTS
MAX BOUVATTE
INFORMATION FOR THE DISADVANTAGED AND HOMELESS OF ST. LOUIS
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WHATS UP MAGAZINE MISSION STATEMENTTo empower men and women who are homeless or at risk of becoming so, as they work toward gainful employment and self-suffi ciency. Whats Up organizes, educates, and alliances to connect community-based solutions to the problems of hunger and homelessness leading readers to understanding and activism. The paper’s mission aims to alleviate miscommunication between communities by educating the public about hous-ing and poverty issues, and by giving the homeless a voice in the public forum. Whats Up also informs the homeless of shelter and occupational assis-tance, and acts as a creative self-help opportunity for those individuals who wish to participate.
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WHATS UP MAGAZINE
Declaring our interdependence
You are not alone. The promise of our local future can only be realized through our ability to move as a community. In these
modern conditions, when crisis remains a constant fixture of our different and divergent lives, the most radical action is that which is informed by the mind of the collective. When we understand that interdependence is the keystone to achieving any goals–be they in our homes, at work, neighborhoods, or cities–we claim the radical moment as our own. In a nation so publicly divided by the cultural vanguards of unpleasant and uncreative ideologies, we can only take authority of our fate by understanding the power which courses through each of us.
Power does not act on people, it acts through people. The black/white reality that has long been deposited in the vaults of our social conditioning must be excavated and abandoned. Nixon was right, there is a silent majority, but of different meaning –there is a local human enterprise of common purpose and common responsibility–it is our closeness and humanity which unites us in the face of all tyrannies, disparities, and inequalities. It is not the infinite blaze of ammunition, the din of bombs dropped, it is not bannered celebration on the decks of battleships, and it is certainly not the words of a few directed at the many that makes us one nation. This silent majority believes in the collective action of people, in the collective power of moving as one. We believe in the immutable power of solidarity and we intend on demonstrating that belief.
It is not merely enough to support transit, or advocate for the restoration or expansion of transit, our objective must be to save our community, to save St. Louis, and bring us –as one group so blessed with the potential of each individual – towards the full promise of our unique enterprise. We have been called upon by no such leader, by no overarching philosophy; we have come here without a prevailing ethos or any ulterior motives. The motives of the moment are pure; they are rooted in the importance of our communal concerns. We are only what we bring to this struggle; we are only what we find inside of ourselves by interacting with our peers and friends and colleagues. We are the keepers of our sisters
and the keepers of our brothers. The politics of the past offers us little in the way
of true inspiration; we can find possibility in the chronicles of our city but not true potential –that reservoir of thought, that bulk of power, comes from us, here and now. To move forward as a community, as a group willing to place its whole survival at the top of our priorities, we can and will start to realize that we must declare a solemn truth to those detractors and opponents. To the cynics and small-time despots, we must, as one community bound together in time and place sharing one dedicated soul, declare our interdependence. As this new decade stretches from its birth and strengthens its balance so we too must strengthen our common resolve. For we, as the sun sets on the promises of the past and rises to illuminate future disappointments, only bear the strength of the community we create. No one is going to save us from the fate menacing the life of our fellow urban brethren; the existence of the postindustrial city is being winnowed so as to become the home of the poor and the once-a-month tourist trap for the secure. St. Louis has for too long been cast as the malignant core that transitions into benign theatre for baseball, football, and hockey. It is more, and we –living and working and breathing –are more. This is no time to advocate for the future of our city, it is time to act in the name of that future.
The existence of a strong public transit system is the physical representation of our commitment to our community–it is a gift from all to all. It is the truth defined by our labor, it is the connection we offer to ourselves. It is a map of the urban process; it is a map to urban progress. There is no war worth fighting alone. No battle to be won by a single pair of hands. Our fortunes are acutely connected to the fortunes of the whole. In these landscapes we find the defining characteristics of the different, unique, and innovative. In this we find our new definition of radicalism. We are a single anatomy. We are a single geography. We are the multitude of ideas. . We are a single St. Louis. There is no line; abandon the asphalt partition between the city and county. We can be the radical factor that controls this metropolitan fate. We are not alone.
RJ KOSCIELNIAK PROGRAM DIRECTOR
RECESSIONANDHOMELESSNESS 7
ST LOUIS MISSOURI
As publisher of an urban issues magazine that relies on homeless and disadvantaged men and women vendors for the distribution
of our thoughts, energy and ideas – it came to my attention that street sales might just be impacted by the current economic times and maybe, just maybe, the number of person’s experiencing homelessness had increased.
To test this theory, I took a walk to Lucas Park a few blocks from our office just after lunch. Not a soul in sight except two men leaning up against NLEC’s downtown homeless shelter across 14th street. This was a place many of us for years have affectionately referred to as “Hobo Park”! What gives?
It was a touch cold, so I ventured over to the Central Library across the street. It was crowded. Disheveled, bag-burdened patrons were scattered throughout the tables, but nothing like I remember in my early days of pacing these halls looking for a writer/friend who reliably was hunched over some obscure book. So, where were all these pesky homeless folks hiding?
National statistics point to an increase of about 900,000 – 1.1 million families with children that fall have fallen into deep poverty over the last year, and Catholic Charities’ Housing Resource Center is still getting over 30,000 calls a year in St. Louis.
New York City had a 40 percent increase in the number of families requesting emergency housing assistance – Massachusetts had a 32 percent increase, but what about St. Louis? How did the poor and
disadvantage of our town stack up?It turns about better than you might expect.
Despite the record number of calls for housing assistance, food pantries running out of supplies, and regional unemployment well over 10% - the number of homeless families and individuals that were getting stuck on the streets, and becoming “chronically homeless” actually decreased by 40 percent between 2007 – 2009 from 258 to 147. Amazing!
I’m not convinced this is just a fluke. St. Louis has been a national leader in the fight to end chronic homelessness. The Continuum of Care that exists in our region to connect people with resources is truly outstanding. Does this mean that we’ve solved homelessness? Or course not, but I think if you ask someone who has walked the streets of downtown St. Louis for more than 10 years – you would be hard-pressed to find someone who was unaware of the visible reduction in the number of hard-core homeless visibly projecting their economic condition.
Have we just gotten better at hiding our poor in St. Louis? It is possible. Maybe the downtown renaissance just pushed them out. Perhaps they got some wits about them and moved to California. I’m not suggesting we ignore the national statistics, but I think there is real cause for some small celebration. St. Louis just doesn’t get a lot of breaks and we certainly don’t get to stick out our chest often. I know we have a long way to go in this region. I know a lot of folks are hurting out there, but let’s be proud of the great work that countless souls are doing to improve the lives of our most economically-challenged St. Louisans.
We all make a difference. Every little bit helps. So, I know the panhandlers are still out there and many of us just don’t have the spare change we used to carry – but keep supporting the great organizations that in no small way have reduced chronic homelessness in St. Louis. When we get through this recession, and we will, remember to smile more often - especially to the panhandlers requesting your spare change!
J. SWOBODA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Spare some change? We’re in a recession!
The number of chronically homeless families and
individuals decreased by 40 percent in St. Louis between 2007–2009.
For months now, a flat grey sky has loomed, suspending sunbeams in its static haze. Despite the cold and a shoestring budget, one must
either get out or descend into a deep winter madness.
Traveling into the cold requires a plan. There are many attractions nearby that one can enjoy for free, some permanent fixtures and others passing attractions.
Forest Park abounds with the iconic architecture, art, and animals that are the pride of our city.
One can get lost in The St. Louis Art Museum for hours. The echoing entry hall immediately transports visitors away from the ordinary and into a labyrinth of art. Each painting is a window into another state of mind, and each artifact a link to other cultures and times. However, the museum houses more than stuffy European paintings. Its many wonders include sarcophagi with real mummies and the armory room, which hosts intricately decorated weaponry and armor.
To learn about St. Louis’ rich past, The History Museum is the place to go. The main exhibits focus on the 1904 World's Fair and aviation superstar Charles Lindbergh's fascinating career. As for special exhibits, there is a section devoted to the 150 year history of the Missouri Botanical Gardens (open until May 30).
For a more hands-on experience, The St. Louis Science Center is an excellent place for people of all ages. Here one gets exposure to concepts including paleontology, optics, the physics of architecture and interplanetary travel. While admission to the museum itself is free, one can purchase a ticket to the OmniMax for a wrap-around movie experience.
Lastly, The St. Louis Zoo deserves a visit. St. Louis’ Zoo is consistently rated one of the best in the world, and still manages the exceptional distinction of charging no entrance fee. One can carouse with bear cubs or visit the Primate House or Herpetarium on Historic Hill without spending a cent!
Famed 17th-century mathematician Rene Descartes once said that “the reading of all good books is like a conversation with the finest minds of past centuries.” The same holds true today and local libraries are a great way to visit old favorites like Mark Twain or Bill Shakespeare for the lean of budget. One can avoid the elements while enjoying weeks of free entertainment. If a conversation with Descartes himself does not satisfy, today’s library
WORDS AND GRAPHICS BY KEVIN BOYD
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WHATS UP MAGAZINE
Free in the cityOr, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Enjoy St. Louis on a limited budget
FREEINTHECITY 9
catalogue now includes modern marvels like Xbox and Wii games.
...Books are not the only way to soak up information.
Experts deliver lectures all the time in our city, most of which are free and open to the public. For instance, some upcoming lectures to catch are:
Tue Mar 9, 7:30 p.m.: "Early Human Populations in the New World: A Biased Perspective.” By professor James M. Adovasio, Mercyhurst College. Lecture to be given at the Missouri History Museum.
Fri Apr 11, 8:00 p.m.: "Images on Textiles: The Weave of 5th century Athenian Art and Society." Lecture to be given by professor Michael Vickers at the St. Louis Art Museum.
Tue Apr 22, 8:00 p.m.: Lemp Historic Site: 4th summer excavation report. Lecture to be given by Mr. Chip Clatto at the Missouri History Museum.
Fri May 9, 8:00 p.m.: "New Evidence for Understanding the Initial Peopling of the Americas.” By professor Robson Bonnichsen of Texas A&M University, Lecture to be given at the St. Louis Art Museum.
The end of winter marks the start more of outdoor events. St. Louis is well equipped in the department of festivals and affordable entertainment. Some upcoming occasions include:
March 13, 12p.m.: 41st Annual St. Patrick's Day Parade. There will also be a run at 9 a.m. prior to the parade.
Sun Apr 25: St. Louis Earth Day Get together with members of the community to celebrate our celestial home in Forest Park.
May 26- June 20: The St. Louis Shakespeare
Festival will host free performances of Hamlet in Forest Park, nightly at 8:00p.m, except Tuesdays.
...As the weather starts
to lighten up with the onset of spring, new opportunities for free diversion will arise. The springtime sun will bring a blissful injection of serotonin, and like new leaves stretching out from dormant trees, people will creep out of their hiding places to soak it up.
For more information about the places and events listed in this article, please visit:
St. Louis Art Museum: www.slam.orgMissouri History Museum: www.MoHistory.orgSt. Louis Science Center: www.slsc.orgSt. Louis Zoo: www.stlzoo.org
St. Louis Public Library: www.slpl.orgSt. Louis County Library: www.slcl.org
St. Patrick’s Day Parade: www.irishparade.orgEarth Day: www.stlouisearthday.org Hamlet: www.shakespearefestivalstlouis.org/
ST LOUIS MISSOURI
Free in the cityOr, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Enjoy St. Louis on a limited budget
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WHATS UP MAGAZINE
St. Louis, once keeper of the great title “Fourth City” has seen decline in the past century. Our once booming industries have relocated or
consolidated with overseas companies. Our city has been compromised as an urban center by interstates, suburban interests, and competition between different communities all claiming St. Louis as their greater area. This disconnect has been exacerbated over the last century by the dismantling of our once robust streetcar system. Although plans are in the works for a revival, it is unlikely St. Louis will become a streetcar city again. Still, our City has had the ability to maintain and is now reversing these trends.
As reported by the Post-Dispatch on Jan. 26, the Brook ings Ins t i tu te has determined that poor are not as concentrated in urban and rural areas as they once were. According to their report, “suburbs in the country’s largest metro areas saw their poor population grow by 25 percent” between 2000 and 2008, In St. Louis City, the poverty level has dropped while the population has grown. Our region is also now facing the possibility of furthering our public transit infrastructure and increasing our viability into the future. This will, however, require that our overall community (city and county) come together and act as one regarding transit funding. As we are presented with the many options ahead of us it is imperative for the community as whole that we do not make decisions based on anything but what is best economically and socially for us all.
Metro St. Louis, the public transit institution for
St. Louis City, County and the Metro-East area, is composing a comprehensive plan for St. Louis transit over the next 30 years. This plan includes: Light-rail expansion, Bus Rapid Transit, possible commuter rail corridors and improvements to existing service. There is another public transit proposal in the works for the St. Louis area. Although unrelated to the Metro plan, the Loop Trolley could have major implications for it as well for the community.
The Loop Trolley proposal, currently in its fi nal planning phase, seeks to link the Missouri History
Museum to the Delmar Loop via a streetcar system running on Debaliviere and Delmar. The project harkens back to the the spirit of the streetcars that once dominated our City’s streets and provides access to and from the East and West Loop as well as Forest Park. The Loop Trolley Company, a coordinated effort between Joe Edwards
and Citizens for Modern Transit, has determined that the Trolley would spur economic development along the route, especially in the East Loop, and help ease traffi c congestion on Delmar. Also, because the frequency of the trolley, every ten minutes according to the LTC plan, it can be assumed that less cars will be on the road. People can park in one location and hop on the trolley to their next.
“You could make a case that it could subtract cars [from the road],”said Tom Shrout of CMT,
However, we must consider the cost of such projects. The Loop Trolley is estimated at upwards of $50 million with an annual operating cost of $4 million. The sources of this funding have not been
A Streetcar Named [email protected]
T h e L o o p Tro l l ey i s estimated at upwards of $50 million with an annual operating cost of $4 million.
Does St. Louis reallyRYAN ALBRITTON WHATS UP WRITER
LOOPTROLLEY 11
ST LOUIS MISSOURI
determined yet, but a study is currently underway and will be completed this year.
Trolley projects like this one are reviving historic public transit all over the country. The nostalgia is particularly strong in St. Louis, which had an expansive system of streetcars lasting into the 1960s. Looking at the old trolley map, it is apparent that St. Louisans once had the ability to exist without cars and do it well. The St. Louis Streetcar Company became the largest manufacturer of Trolleys in the world. The eventual demise of the system in the wake of automobile and highway development gutted dense urban area and gave way to sparse suburbs where public transit is impractical and virtually impossible.
Luckily for St. Louis, our region has been served by busses since. From the 1990s, we have also had access to light-rail. Together, these create one of the best transit systems for cities our size across the nation. Riders use busses and trains to get to and from work at the rate of 180,000 people per day, a number that continues to rise due to the weak economy. While not a revival of the old trolley network, Metro St. Louis does provide a practical and effi cient mode of transport for people across the Metropolitan area.
It is likely that the Loop Trolley will spur development along its route, much like an expansion of Metrolink would do elsewhere in the city. The difference lies in the motivation and goal for such a project. When Metro expands, news agencies and politicians research their history, look at their fi nances and question their motives. In fact, as a non-profi t
transit organization, their only goal is to move people effi ciently. Hopefully before tracks are laid on Delmar, we will ask those same questions of the LTC. The Loop Trolley will be nice. It will be nostalgic. It will be attractive. It will do exactly what a bus can already do. There is nothing wrong with streetcars, just as there is nothing wrong with buses or light-rail–they all serve communities in different ways. Transit planning, however, has to be done with a bias towards the community it serves and not to the mode it plans to employ. If it is determined that the Debaliviere/Loop area would best be served–practically and economically–by a streetcar, then let the tracks be laid. If, however, there is another motivation behind the desire for trolleys along this route, if the goal is to have just one more attraction in the Delmar theme park, then serious reconsideration needs to happen because a streetcar that does not serve its neighborhood as well as it serves its visitors is nothing more than a novelty.
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A Streetcar Named Disaster
THE PROPOSED ROUTE OF THE LOOP TROLLEY. COURTESY WWW.LOOPTROLLEY.ORG
need the Loop Trolley?
STLP
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WHATS UP MAGAZINE
Frank Lloyd Wright once said that “The mother art is architecture. Without an architecture of our own we have no soul of our civilization.”
Michael Allen, an architectural historian, is fi ghting for the soul of St. Louis. Whats Up asked Allen about his efforts to preserve buildings in the St. Louis area.
WHATS UP: St. Louis' buildings face serious problems–development pressures, limited funding sources and changing neighborhood patterns. What do you consider when developing an opinion as to the fate of a particular structure or group of structures?MICHAEL ALLEN: My fi rst act is looking at the level of community support. If residents and property owners around a threatened building really want to save it, then it makes a lot of sense to get involved. I try to offer aid and amplifi cation to existing preservation efforts, rather than go into communities and tell people what should be preserved. The more wide the support for saving a building, even one that an owner or the city considers too far gone to save, the better chance that there will be many people working to fi nd a new owner and new use. Believe it or not, I dislike solo advocacy. Without wide support, a building can be spared a demolition action but will end up being lost anyway through neglect. Ultimately, I don’t pick which buildings get saved–people who can afford to save them do. I try to lead those people to opportunities.
If community support is hard to determine, then my next criteria is looking at the importance of a building or group. This is not necessarily the ultimate importance or stand-alone signifi cance, although it can be. If buildings are signifi cant examples of a style...a material or a building type, then I will want to do my best to try to raise community support.If community support does not materialize, then I might act alone to raise awareness. Some buildings are just too place-defi ning to go down without a fi ght. At the end of the day, every beautiful building helps defi ne the total sense of place of the region. We all have the obligation to
defend historic buildings all across the region.Still, in some cases I will walk away. Rather, I end
my visible efforts–people don’t always realize that 99% of preservation advocacy happens outside of public meetings. If I don’t testify against demolition at the Preservation Board, that could be because I exhausted the efforts and came up against unwilling owners, offi cials and neighborhood residents. In that case, it’s best to put efforts into winnable battles than to showboat on a lost cause. WU: St. Louis began as a village with only minimum planning. Now, St. Louis City still only has an “Acting Director of Planning” since the departure of Rollin Stanley. How has this affected communication and coordination with current planning and preservation efforts?MA: The lack of a permanent planning director defi nitely is detrimental to preservation efforts. However, the position is so constrained by statue that perhaps some in city government fi gured there would be little difference–save a large salary–if the position went unfi lled. I disagree....[T]he city planner is an important part of implementing preservation
goa l s i n redeve lopmen t agreements. The planner is called into discussions about large projects no matter where they are. Unless a major project is in a local historic district, the Cultural Resources Offi ce rarely even gets to offer an advisory opinion. The planning director can shape projects anywhere in the city. Thus, the planner often is the primary conduit for preservation planning, and Rollin
was an ally who did much good for preservation. We have a great acting planning director now, but we really need a permanent director with the acknowledged authority that Rollin built. WU: When portions of downtown and the Soulard neighborhood rebuilt after the fire of 1849, brick became the predominant building material. What is your opinion of the use of brick throughout the City in 2010–especially with a focus on building a more sustainable and affordable built environment?MA: I wish there were more brick buildings. Brick was
“People don’t always realize that 99% of preservation advocacy happens outside of public meetings.”
-Michael Allen
the architecture of
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the earliest affordable modular building material, and there is enough clay left in St. Louis to supply bricks for generations to come. I wish that we could keep our reclaimed brick in town and use it here in new construction. Of course, not every building should be brick. The fi reproofi ng concerns of the 19th and early 20th centuries are past, and we can safely build buildings in other materials. We can affordably build in other materials, and should. There ought to be no material constraints on today’s architects, who may dazzle us by deftly employing some unexpected material as well as architects manipulated brick. I hope that future local historic district codes are more sensitive to modern materials, and rather than categorically prohibit their use strategically allow for innovation. Insistence on use of phony brick fronts stifl es originality and often produces designs unworthy of standing next to great buildings of years past.WU: Development in the City of St. Louis can be very disorganized and poorly coordinated. In your opinion, what are the best strategies for attracting investment to join and support plan’s like the NorthSide Regeneration and how can we encourage better communication between proposed residential, commercial and retail projects moving forward? MA: We need an independent authority in city government to reconcile community and private interests. Without such a force, we have a political shell game with developer, elected official and concerned citizen all mutually distrustful and working at odds. A strong planning agency could keep all three working together by enforcing ground rules and ensuring ample public discussion takes place–that existing land use and redevelopment plans are followed. The best way to attract investment and encourage fair play is to have the city planning agency do the planning, not private developers. Then citizens and developers both expect the same constraints and possibilities.WU: Few would deny that St. Louis has a rich cultural and architectural history. In what ways can we improve dialogue, understanding, exposure of all our
region has to offer and what paramount lessons from the past would you make sure were not lost?MA: Some of the city’s foremost preservationists are active neighborhood residents who fi ght the good fi ght right where it matters: at home. There needs to be more networking among these citizen-activists, who are the vanguard of current preservation efforts. There needs to be sharing of information, skills and strategies. The mainstream preservation movement once was made up of these people, and now it has become institutionalized. there’s a gap between the preservation movement and the practitioners. We need to build a movement based on their good work that empowers everyday preservationists through mutual cooperation and communication. That’s the key to promoting dialogue and understanding – breaking down the rarefied aura of historic architecture and embracing the fact that it’s a part of everyone’s daily life.
It’s diffi cult to live in this region without passing through or by a historic building in an average day. So many people live in historic homes. Preservation in St. Louis is inherently democratic and universal because of the commonality of historic architecture here. How we treat the amazing architecture of the region is not something that comes down from on high, and it’s not something arcane or archaic. The historic built environment is our environment in St. Louis, and we are all occupants, its users, its appreciators and its stewards. The best lesson from the past is that our ancestors were wise enough to gift us this amazing architectural legacy. We should cherish it.
Michael Al len works as an architectural historian in St. Louis. He is the director of the Preservation Research Offi ce, as well as a board memer of the St. Louis Building Arts Foundation, the North Newstead Association and Preservation Action. He is also the author of the blog Ecology of Absence @ ecoabsence.blogspot.com.
preservation: michael allen
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The other side of ‘Aunt Tiwo’The controversial story sent many minds in Malawi into a quandary, failing to figure out what two Blantyre-based men were up to when they went through the traditional Malawian engagement ceremony. Steven Monjeza Soko, 26, and his partner Tiwonge Chimbalanga, 20, were reported to have become engaged on Saturday December 26, 2009 at a place called Mankhoma Lodge in Chileka. Gay marriage is illegal in the conservative southern African country, and, as the first gay couple to declare their love in Malawi, the two men were later arrested and charged with “gross indecency”. (Courtesy of The Big Issue Malawi)
Legal Issues of HomelessnessThe recent increase of homelessness urged by the faltering economy should spark sympathy and outreach from the community and lawmakers alike. However, in several major US cities homelessness is not just frowned upon, but illegal. Not only has it been deemed illegal to be homeless, but police actually have a right to confiscate the possessions of those found illegally camping. Rules such as the Boulder, CO Revised City Code 5-6-10, have continually hurt the homeless as police can arrest, jail, and use physical force against the 1,050 homeless people that reside in Boulder. Laws such as this can be found around the country as homelessness increases without an increase in programs or housing for those in need. Essentially these laws make it illegal for one to sit or lay in public and private areas; actions impossible to avoid for a person living on the streets. (Courtesy of NASNA)
Early Diagnosis of HIV Still ElusiveMany parents in Uganda are still reluctant to test their children for HIV because of the fear and stigma that surrounds HIV/AIDS. This reluctance to test for HIV is a trend that is slowing down paediatric AIDS prevention, treatment and care efforts in the East African country, according to health organisations. Approximately 1.5 million people in Uganda are living with HIV including 88,919 children aged 0 to 14 years, according to the ministry of health
(MOH). However, only 43 percent of the adults and 40 percent of children who require anti-retroviral treatment (ART) were actively on treatment by the end of September 2008, ministry records show. Each year, more than 20,000 mothers in Uganda pass on HIV to their babies, according to the MOH. One such reluctant parent is Justine Kirumira (not her real name). Speaking to IPS, she said “Yes, there is a possibility that my daughters may also be HIV-positive. But I rather not know. It’s only when they fall sick that I really get worried (that they may be infected after all).” (Courtesy of Inter Press Service)
Hope for crack addicts?Vancouver is going to get its first safe smoking site for crack cocaine users since 2003. The Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users (VANDU) is planning to convert its office in the city’s Downtown Eastside into a place where crack cocaine users can smoke in a supervised space. The facility would be modelled on legal drug consumption rooms in Switzerland, Germany and the Netherlands. Plans for the space come as a study in the Canadian Medical Association Journal suggested that safe-inhalation sites could mitigate the risk of AIDS. The study found that daily crack cocaine users in Vancouver increased 29 per cent, among the sample, between 1996 and 2005. The study also found that approximately 87 per cent of users are homeless or live in transient housing, which has left alleys and streets as some of the few places available to smoke. (Courtesy of Megaphone)
By Street News Service SNS Exclusive© Street News Service: www.street-papers.org
Street papers like Whats Up Magazine are produced all over the world to provide editorial voices missing from the mainstream media. The International Network of Street Papers brings together their content through the Street News Service. This Service provides exclusive content to street paper readers worldwide.
WüRLD NEWSA collection of news from street papers around the world.
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Guest photographer Macy Meyer shares images from The Barista Guild of America's premiere St. Louis Latte Art Competition. The Event was hosted by FOAM Coffee & Beer Feb. 11.
Baristas Sculpt a New Foam of Art
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“The key is that the city must find an inspirational vision for itself rooted in what it is and its own essential character. A great city, like a great wine, has to express its terroir. “ --Aaron Renn, The Urbanophile
the great RECONNECTION
WORDS / CONCEPTS BY NATE FORST
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It is a tired story most of us would prefer not to hear again: Over the past half-century plus, the city of St. Louis has literally lost significantly
more population than currently resides within city limits. From a peak of nearly 860,000 residents in 1950, the city shrunk to a low of roughly 350,000 in 2000. During this period the city systematically attempted to destroy its past. Through large scale demolition of historic structures, construction of roads and highways specifically engineered to divide communities, and damaging urban renewal policies, the region was nearly successful in doing so.
Fast-forward to 2010 and much has changed. As many of the remaining commercial buildings from St. Louis’ gilded age were converted into lofts, a once-dead downtown core has been revitalized, drawing many back to the city. As of last summer, downtown now has an excellent grocery and world-class public art. And, for the first time in 60 years, St. Louis saw its first growth, estimated in 2008.
There is now significant energy being devoted towards reconnecting downtown to our region’s most impressive natural amenity, via out area’s most iconic monument. The City+Arch+River 2015 design competition comes at a pivotal time. If the reconnection between downtown and the riverfront is properly completed, there is every reason to believe the positive results could be even more
profound than the project’s most ardent supporters realize. Currently, a group of concerned citizens, calling themselves City to River, is committed to realizing that the dream of a reconnected St. Louis be achieved to the highest capacity. Their main goal is to see the disruptive section of highway 70 that severs our community from its original settlement be removed. When citizens’ initiatives engage the public process in a focused way like this, great things happen. City to River deserves your most ardent support to achieve this Great Reconnection.
With the larger machinations heading in a positive direction, what else can we do to aid the momentum and foster the Great Reconnection?
One thing is clear: after years of removal, neglect and whitewashing, downtown currently lacks an identity. And as the city will be reconnected to the river, the city must also be reconnected to its origins as a confluence of ideas, culture and civilization.
Simply put, we must spotlight the heritage of the this grand old Mississippi River Town while moving downtown forward as a unique, walkable, city village –a place with a distinct character like nowhere else in the area. Of course, we can be content to leave it to the region’s elites and entrenched developers. They will be more than happy to create a stale collage of chain restaurants and soulless redevelopment characteristic of Anytown, USA.
Perhaps the hardest part has been accomplished.
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Detail: Imagine a small-scale museum full of R&B relics and information blended with a throwback saloon built on the scholarship of Devil at the Confluence by Kevin Belford and the notion that the cradle of blues music may have actually been the levee at St. Louis.
Vision: Two levels featuring a small interactive museum detailing local contributions/bluesmen, art and old school photography/video footage highlighting STL blues influentials/history and STL’s primacy in the development of Blues/Rock history. A saloon with small venue (basement) featuring traditional acts like Big George Brock, and Bluesmen of the future like Marquise Knox. Museum will build on current exhibit @ the Sheldon that a needs permanent home and additional artifacts.
Potential Offshoots: Blues Heritage Trail -- a short tour that provides info markers connected by trails to famous sites in blues history (example: 11th/Morgan – location of the incident that inspired one of the most famous songs in blues history “Stagger Lee”). The trail would be a great way to pick up additional funding partners.
The past is not dead. In fact, it’s not even past. – William Faulkner
HERITAGE DESTINATIONS:
St. Louis, because of its rich history and dense, old world-esque street grid, deserves much more. We believe this can be accomplished by developing a mix of Heritage Destinations
supported by Urban Village Amenities. Here are some ideas to get the ball rolling:
Confluence Blues Museum & Peetie Wheatstraw’s Saloon
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Detail: A small, pedestrian-friendly store-front museum/interactive/retail operation on Washington devoted to the builders of the earthen mounds that gave the city an early nickname (Mound City) and the largest pre-historical city in North America (Cahokia). We have a World Heritage Site in our backyard, let’s capitalize on it!
Vision: Work with National Parks or UNESCO to create this small “satellite museum” in downtown that will be both a draw in St. Louis and a primer for Cahokia Mounds. Create visuals that show the mounds on the Missouri side of the river prior to destruction. Track sustainability with what caused decline of Cahokia (most experts agree resource depletion). Map out routes to current and former mounds on the St. Louis side of river.
Future Potential: Restore marker at Big Mound and partner with the Osage Tribe, owners of the mound off of Interstate 55. Include maps and images of what area looked like before settlement up through current period. This may be another good prospect for the arch grounds project or a possible tie-in at least.
Mound City Memorial
Detail: A small retail venture that sells locally made biking gear (708 Cycling), green gadgets, perhaps even local bio-fuel (Kelley Green).
Vision: Imagine a store similar to Brookstone or Sharper Image but with an emphasis on sustainability gadgets and local products. It would make sense to team up with Bike Loft to achieve this.
Future Potential: An excellent possible branding/franchising opportunity for other parts of the region and beyond.
Sustainability Substation
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Locavore Crossing & Peer-to-Peer Farmer’s MarketDetail: A reliable accessible drop-off station where local farms would deliver fresh products directly
to the consumer. This venture is built on the premise that there is a significant market desire for opportunities that allow individuals to personalize their relationship to food – a place where you can meet and interact with the people who produce your food.
Vision: Work with Fair Shares CSA and nearby healthy farming operations such as Patchwork Farms, Greenwood Farms, and Earthdance Farm to create this urban “food hub.”
Future Potential: Consumers could utilize a web based Peer-to-Peer network that links directly to local farmers. Better choice for the consumer plus the Farmer can better anticipate demand via requests on the interface. Think online Farmers Market, but you meet the actual farmers on drop off/pick-up day. Also the market could offer pre-made packages for those who don’t have time to pick up during the market hours (this could be seasonal).
Urban Village Amenities
“Moving forward sustainable cities and successful commerce will be interdependent.”
--Realdania
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Taken as whole, these proposed developments work together to continue to establish a new urban tone for Downtown St.
Louis. Rather than a generalist approach to development, we see the proposed endeavors as part of a unified thread that can tie together the uniqueness of St. Louis’ historical narrative while
establishing a new, authentic, and smart growth-oriented “Front Porch” for the region.
Detail: Initially 3-4 “Portland Style” semi-permanent cart options serving well-priced “street food.” High quality food in a pedestrian friendly cart tradition.
Vision: Located in a highly visible, public gathering place such as Old Post
Office Plaza, City Garden) diners would enjoy a diverse food experience that helps establish a foodie scene downtown drawing on local favorites.
Future Potential: More carts/options could be opened if the first round is successful.
Street Vendor Food Carts
Transitional Housing Resident Success On February 17, 2009, James Polk moved into a Horizon Club transitional housing unit, funded by the St. Louis Office for Developmental Disability Resources (DD Resources). It is also funded through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the City of St. Louis Department of Human Services. Mr. Polk who has a developmental disability, was homeless for over a year. During November of 2008, he began accessing services at Horizon Club. Through the Horizon Club he was connected to several services. DD Resources assisted Mr. Polk through the agency’s Project Casefind service. Through the Project Casefind service, he was found to be eligible for case management with the St. Louis Regional Office due to his developmental disability. He was then found eligible for a transitional housing unit. Since then, he has worked with the Vocational Rehabilitation program and MERS/Goodwill to find employment. He has also acquired disability benefits with the help of the Access Disability firm. He is a model participant in the transitional housing program and is making plans to move into his own apartment in the next few months. James Polk says, “Due to all the agencies that assisted me in the journey to no longer be homeless, I finally feel successful.”
Since 2008, the Horizon Club has connected individuals in need to a transitional housing unit. This program was designed for individuals who are chronically homeless with either a developmental disability and/or a dual diagnosis of mental illness and substance abuse. There is a limited amount of transitional housing units available. Before an individual enters transitional housing, he/she must commit to working towards developing a plan to end his/her homelessness by addressing the barriers the person has encountered in the past. Individuals are able to reside in transitional housing units for one to two years.
The Horizon Club is an initiative of DD Resources. It is a 24-hour drop-in center for people without homes. It is not a shelter. Services provided include access to internet, phone, showers, laundry room, locker room for storage, and the transitional housing program. There is a high demand of needs amongst members/guest of the Horizon Club therefore donations of socks and underwear are always welcome.
DD Resources was created through the passage of Senate Bill 40 by Missouri legislature in 1969 and was incorporated in 1980. This legislation, known as the County Sheltered Workshop and Developmental Disability Services Law, allows local taxing districts to ask voters to approve a real estate tax to provide services to persons with a developmental disability. Services are provided to individuals of all ages with the following developmental disabilities: autism, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, and mental retardation. Individuals must have acquired their developmental disability before the age of 18. Individuals are also eligible if they meet the functional definition of a developmental disability as determined by the St. Louis Regional Office.
For more information regarding DD Resources you may contact Michelle Darden at (314) 421-0090, [email protected] may also visit our website at http://www.stldd.org.
St. Louis Office for Developmental Disability Resources2334 Olive StreetSt. Louis, MO 63103
Phone: (314) 421-0090 Fax: (314) 421-2525
E-Mail: [email protected]
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ROBIN DRENNEN-BROWN is an activevendor for WHATS UP
ROBIN DRENNEN-BROWN VENDOR
St. Louis needs new jobs
St. Louis City and County needs to create more jobs for the people. There are too many people out of work and fewer places to go get jobs.
More and more people are unable to work of even fi nd work. We also need more buses on the street for those who do not drive so that people will be able to get to work. Jobs need to pay well. Companies also need to offer on the job training to those who need it–and to pay new employings while they are be ing trained. That will help families be able to pay bills, rent and buy food, clothes and whatever else they might need. I n re turn , th i s would help other businesses make money and help stop the recession that the country now faces. And, reduce crimes!
What Really Matters
In this world today there are a lot of people competing with each other and always trying to be better than the next person. It’s OK for a person
to between themselves and have knowledge about things–and there is nothing wrote with a person wanting to have things. However, we all need to remember that there is not any one human being better than another. We need to remember that if God didn’t breathe life into our soul, we wouldn’t even be here. Not one of us. God sees no color, race or sex. Yes, we were created male and female–but that is not why we live. We should never just anyone by the color of their skin, sex, nationality or what they did in their past. Because, what really matters is what they are doing now and, most importantly, God.
A prayer to GodIn the name of God, the most compassionate,the most merciful,God you are the creator of day and night,Dawn and afternoon, and all the seasons,creator of all things and mankind.Master and ruler over the seven heavens,the worlds and all between.You are the master of the day of judgement.You are the all-seeing, all-knowing andyet the most forgiving.
Most merciful, for you know all and everything,
even what we do not. But yet you are most merciful, oft forgiving and still we have favor with you.
You are the one and only. You are eternal, absolute and the
only one we worship when we bow our heads to pray.
Give thanks to the Lord for all that he has done in our lives.
Give thanks to the Lord for all the blessings he has given us.
Give thanks to the Lord for not giving us more than we can bear.
Give thanks to the Lord for giving us good to eat and water to drink.
But most of all, give thanks to the Lord each and every day.
Whats Up vendor Robin Drennen-Brown follows up her collection of short essays with a new installment. This issue, Drennen-Brown offers her own stimulus ideas, discusses the need for humility and offers her own words of prayer.
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Downtown appears vacant as we drive to the church. I assume the reason for this emptiness is that most people have locked
themselves inside to avoid the three inches of a “wintery mix” forecasters have summoned. But as I look through the window, through the blowing snow, the stray individual does emerge. They are singular and quiet against the backdrop of hollow parking garages and neon storefronts. They shuffle between the valleys of cold office space; face covered, chin pressed to chest, hands buried into pockets. As we pass I am hoping their destination is a warm, familiar place just a bit farther up the road where they will be shielded from the unforgiving weather. My hopes are possibly naive.
We pull up to the Centenary Church of St. Louis. It presents itself as most churches do; permanent and old, a solid stone structure rising to a crucifix, oversized mahogany doors, arching windows framing stained glass. There is an addition to the church–noticeably modern compared to its holy counterpart. We enter this half of the building and follow voices through a hallway that leads to the cafeteria which is filled with close to 100 people. The room is nothing less than bustling. Some are alone but most are
collected in groups, talking and passing time. There is silence for a brief prayer and then we are introduced to Debra Crowe and Andre Cole, head coordinators at the The Bridge.
Cole explains that The Bridge is a place where an individual can get grounded and if need be, they can get a hot meal during breakfast, lunch or dinner hours. He seems excited to fill me in on this place.
“A guest can re-establish their identity here,” says Cole. “We have a mailing service here where anybody can get mail.”
Crowe mentions more benefits of The Bridge’s mailing service.
“If a person has a mailing address they can receive a copy of their birth certificate, or a state ID,” she adds. “Soon we will have voice mailboxes available for our guests. If someone here wants to apply for a job somewhere, they will have proof of their existence and residence, so the stigma attached to being homeless is taken away because the issue never has to enter the conversation. We’re trying to remove as many obstacles as possible so people can stand on their merits and not have to worry.”
Cole guides us towards the kitchen and introduces us to the head cook, Jeff.
Building
STORY BY MAX BOUVATTEPHOTOS BY THEO WELLING
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Bridges
A VOLUNTEER OFFERS SUPPORT DURING DINNER.
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“I cook more than just heads though” says Jeff with a chuckle.
As we are talking a man in a swollen parka approaches the counter, he looks tired.
“Are you Judy?” He points accusingly at Debra.“No,” she replies, giving him an unsure glance.“Where’s Judy?”A woman appears from the kitchen. She is wearing
an apron and is wringing her hands with a rag.“I’m Judy,” says the woman.I am expecting the man to throw something or yell.“You cook this chicken?”“Yes,” she replies. The man pauses for a moment and smiles.“It was really good.”The mood in the shelter is unexpectedly warm
and upbeat, and for a while it seems people have forgotten how frigid it is outside. It feels as if there is a community here, honest connections are made and the compassion put out through the staff is what holds it all together. We say our good-byes and return to the quiet downtown streets. It is strange, but only a moment ago the people out the window seemed isolated, but now as we pass by I know there is a place they can go.
If you are in need of a place to stay during daytime hours, or in search of a meal, you can visit The Bridge at 1610 Olive street, St. Louis, Mo. 63103. Hours are 6:15 a.m.- 5:30 p.m. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served five nights a week. For more information please call The Bridge at 314-421-3136. To offer a helping hand, dial extention 107 and ask for Debra.
HEAD COOK JEFF (R) LAUGHS WITH BRIDGE COORDINATOR ANDRE COLE.“I COOK MORE THAN JUST HEADS,” LAUGHS JEFF.
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The Bridge by numbers...8,756 persons were served 12,668 meals in December2009+550 guests visit The Bridge daily.+3000 meals per week served by The Bridge's kitchen726 people have a mailing address through The Bridge314-231-3136 the telephone number to call and volunteer
The Bridge is located at 1610 Olive Street St. Louis, MO 63103.
for more information please go to http://centenarystl.org/
The Bridge Drop-in Center is open 6:15am - 6pm on Monday - Thursday,
6:15am - 2pm on Friday, and 4:30 - 6:00pm on Sunday.
ANDRE COLE, A COORDINATOR AT THE BRIDGE, DISPLAYS THE COMPUTER LABTHAT WILL SOON BE AVAILABLE TO ALL GUESTS.
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Almost Home, Inc. 3200 Vincent St. Louis, MO 63104 314/771-4663 Almost Home is a transitional living home for homeless young women who are primarily teenage. The young women may or may not be pregnant, or may have one or two children. The program is nine months and may be extended. Clients must be homeless, drug- and alcohol-free, and willing to participate in structured, goal-oriented programs. They must be willing to utilize counseling; seeking to live a functional, independent life in appropriate or permanent housing; and willing to change unsatisfactory living patterns. Clients will attend classes in budgeting, parenting, and child development.
Gateway Homeless Services 1000 N. 19th Street St. Louis, MO 63106 314/231-1515 The Christian Service Center is a 90-day, 24-hour shelter for 135 single women, single women with dependent children, married couples with or without dependent children, and single fathers with dependent childeren. Services provided include basic shelter services, individual case management, life skills program, medical and psychological services, educational assistance, permanant and transitional housing placement, self-esteem, emergency assistance, tutoring, employment referrals and activities for homeless youth.
Centenary Methodist55 Plaza SquareSt. Louis, MO 63103 314/421-3136This downtown faith community reaches out to the downtown homeless with compassion and a whole list of community resources from 7-9 AM for breakfast and 12 - 12:30 PM for lunch Tuesday-Saturday.
Good Samaritan Center 2108 Russell St. Louis, MO 63104 314/772-7720 The Good Samaritan Center offers stabilization and resettlement services for homeless families coming out of the shelter system. Services include transitional housing, case work training, support groups, life skills, follow-up, and referrals. Clients must be at least 18 years of age, have a family or children living with them, employable, and willing to work at their resettlement.
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Grace Hill Neighborhood Services: MORE Transitional Housing Program 3815 North 20th St. St. Louis, MO 63107 314/539-9659 Grace Hill provides transitional housing and emergency assistance (when funds are available) for single women and mothers. Clients must meet several criteria, including 1.) being homeless or in imminent danger of becoming homeless; 2.) having no more than two small children; 3.) having income or being eligible to receive income assistance; and 4.) being willing to participate in self-help activities (i.e., employment, training or GED classes).
Haven of Grace 1133 Benton St. St. Louis, MO 63106 314/621-6507 Haven of Grace assists homeless, pregnant women ages 16-21 with shelter, goal-setting, education, employment, parenting, household management, and permanent residence.
Hope House 1611 Hodiamont Ave. St. Louis, MO 63112 314/382-3801 Hope House offers 50 transitional housing apartments for homeless families, comprehensive social services, family development, vocational and educational counseling, housing placement assistance, on-site living skills classes, and day care center. Clients must be prior St. Louis City residents and in a shelter for 15-30 days or referred by Housing Resource Center. After completing a comprehensive screening, the average stay is 12 months.
Housing Resource Center 800 N. Tucker Blvd St. Louis, MO 63101Hotline for Services 314/802-5444The Housing Resource Center provides centralized, comprehensive housing assistance for families who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. The focus is on prevention, but when prevention is not possible, emergency shelter placement and post-shelter placement is provided. Services include intake, assessment, and screening. Clients must be city or county residents (based on last permanent address).
New Life Evangelistic Center (NLEC) 1411 Locust St. Louis, MO 63103 314/421-3020 NLEC provides Christian outreach ministry to meet mental, physical, and spiritual needs of the City’s endangered residents. Among its services are: 24-hour hotlines, counseling, overnight emergency shelters at three locations (singles, men only, women only and families), rental/mortgage assistance, women’s services, utility assistance, transitional housing programs and shelters.
Olive Branch 5029 Vernon Ave. St. Louis, MO 63113 314.367-7676 Olive Branch provides 24-hour maternity shelter care for homeless/pregnant adolescents. Mother and baby may stay for up to three months after birth.
Our Lady’s Inn 4223 S. Compton St. Louis, MO 63111Phone: (314)351-4590 The Inn is an emergency shelter for homeless pregnant women. Clients must be pregnant, 18 years old or older, and City or County residents.
Peter & Paul Community Services, Inc. Emergency Shelter/Transitional Housing 711 AllenSt. Louis, MO 63104 314/621-5520 Peter & Paul Community Services assists homeless and near-homeless single men in several ways: a 50-bed year-round emergency shelter, a 20-bed year-round transitional program, meals, showers, lockers, medical referrals, living skills classes, and case management. Federal poverty guidelines apply and clients must be 18 years or older. Candidates for the transitional program must be sober and drug-free for a minimum of 30 days and have a willingness to continue treatment.
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IT IS A REQUIREMENT OF ALL SHELTERS THAT CONTRACT WITH THE CITY OF ST. LOUIS OR St. LOUIS
COUNTY THAT INDIVIDUALS ACCESS SHELTER VIA THE HOUSING RESOURCE CENTER’S (HRC) HOUSING
HOTLINE.
LOOK FOR THE LOGO IN THE SERVICE DIRECTORY. HRC
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Grace Chapel Ministries 1230 California St. Louis, MO 63104 314/995-5013 Grace Chapel Ministries provides emergency and transitional housing for men, food pantry, clothing for homeless, permanent housing assistance, job placement, and transportation assistance for health services. The services are for adult male homeless clients with no serious chemical dependency problems.
INFORMATION FOR THE DISADVANTAGED AND HOMELESS OF ST. LOUIS AND THOSE WILLING TO HELP, AID AND ASSIST THEM
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SHELTER AND SERVICES FOR MEN
SHELTER AND SERVICES FOR VETERANS
SHELTER AND SERVICES FOR FAMILIES
SERVICES FOR THE HOMELESS OF ST. LOUIS
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CALL THE HOUSING HOTLINE
314-802-5444MSunshine Mission
1520 N. 13th St. St. Louis, MO 63106 314/231-8209 Sunshine Mission offers a men’s emergency shelter, men’s long term rehabilitation program, women’s emergency services, food pantry, and youth programming. The men’s shelter is first-come, first-served.
The Salvation Army 10704 Page St. Louis, MO 63132 314/423-7770 This Salvation Army program is a year-round 50-bed shelter for County families who are homeless. Life skills training, legal assistance, child care, GED, and assistance into permanent housing are available for homeless families and abused women and children.
United Methodist Metro Ministry Shalom House 1040 S. Taylor St. Louis, MO 63110 314/534-1010 Shalom House is a 90-day shelter, which provides medical and dental services through Grace Hill Neighborhood Services, mental health services through St. Louis Mental Health Center, and a drug/alcohol day program through BASIC, D.A.R.T., or C-STAR programs. Clients are females (predominately mentally ill) aged 18 and older only.
Veterans Affairs Homeless Veterans Program Healthcare for the Homeless 915 N. Grand Blvd. St. Louis, MO 63106 314/289-6547 The veterans’ program provides intake, assessment, referral, counseling, consultation for rehabilitative services, and residential placement through the program contract. The program serves honorably discharged veterans homeless for at least 30 days.
C.A.L.L.-4-Life, Inc. 4144 Lindell, Suite 136St. Louis, MO 63108 314/652-0003 C.A.L.L.-4-Life outreaches St. Louis City residents who are homeless and were in special education while in school, and/or have a developmental disability. Services include connection to benefits, healthcare, housing/shelter, and long-term case management.
Women’s Safe House P.O. Box 63010 St. Louis, MO 63163 314/772-4535 The Women’s Safe House is a shelter for battered women and their children. Services include legal advocacy, community speaking and education, housing referrals, support groups, children’s programs, and limited transportation.
YWCA-Phyllis Wheatley 3820 West Pine Blvd. St. Louis, MO 63108 314/533-9400 The facility provides housing for single women (up to two years). Personal and career development services include: Case Management Services, GED Certification, Educational and Vocational Assessment, Counseling, Job Readiness Training, Job Search and Referrals, Life Skills. Clients are single women, homeless or about to become homeless, 18 and older, and employed a minimum of 20 hours per week or with current written verification of income.
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Salvation Army CIP: Transitional Housing Program 4100 Snow St. Louis, MO 63120 314/389-9293 CIP offers 30 transitional housing apartments for homeless families in recovery. The center also accept homeless families that are not in drug recovery program and willing to work in our program. Families must have been in a shelter for 30 days prior to a referral being made.
Covenant House Missouri 2256 S. 39th St.St. Louis, MO 63110(314) 772-6530Covenant House Missouri provides emergency and long-term (12-24 months) transitional housing to prepare single women and men ages 17 to 21 for independent living. Services include individual counseling, family therapy and group counseling. Clients are homeless, single men and women 16 to 21 years old who need residential care and skill training to live independently, and who are willing to comply with program activities and structure.
Redevelopment Opportunities for Women, Inc. 2229 Pine StreetSt. Louis, MO 63103314/588-8300ROW effects positive change on behalf of homeless, abused and/or indigent women and families through programs and services that help individuals pursue economic self-sufficiency. Services include adult basic education and literacy, economic education, personal and life skills development, parenting education and support, domestic violence support and advocacy, and an early childhood program.
Someone Cares Mission 2718 N. 13th Street St. Louis, MO 63107 314-621-6703 Someone Cares Mission, a subsidiary of Christian Service Center, Inc., provides fresh and nutritious brown-bag lunches, personal hygiene products, and blankets for homeless and impoverished individuals and families five days a week. The Mission also distributes approximately 20,000 pounds of food daily to benefit bi-state regional homeless shelters and food pantries.
St. Martha’s Hall P. O. Box 4950 St. Louis, MO 63108 314/533-1313 St. Martha’s Hall is a confidential shelter for abused women and their children. Services include individual and group counseling, legal advocacy, information, referral, and follow up. Clients must be female victims of domestic violence, 18 years old and up. The Hall does not admit males older than 13 years of age.
St. Patrick Partnership Center 800 N. Tucker St. Louis, MO 63101314/802-0700 The Partnership Center provides home living skills training and open market housing for individuals referred by agencies within the Homeless Services Network. Casework, employment training, child care, GED, and vocational referrals are available. The Center provides furniture and supplies to graduates of homeless and at-risk people referred by a member of the Homeless Network Board.
St. Phillipine Emergency Shelter 1015 Goodfellow Blvd. St. Louis, MO 63112 314/454-1012 St. Phillipine offers families with children 60-day shelter, providing hot meals, laundry and bathing facilities, referrals to transitional housing to women and children, medical referral, and access to City of St. Louis Homeless Services classes.
St. Vincent de Paul Society 4141 Forest Park Blvd. St. Louis, MO 63108 314/531-2183 St. Vincent de Paul assists with transportation for the homeless. Service needs to an out-of-town location would be referred to Mullanphy Travelers Aid, and local needs would be provided by the Society via bus and MetroLink passes when available. Serves families and individuals facing homelessness in St. Louis City, St. Louis County, Jefferson County, and St. Charles.
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City Sound
A music festival that gives you the power to ride public transit between stages conveniently located near train stations. A music festival that gives you the chance to see St. Louis, hear St. Louis and ride St. Louis public transit.
If you need more info, want to help us out, or perform, call us @ 314.225.7104 or 314.241.7744.
Or, check us out at trackingprogress.org
tracksTHE MUSIC FESTIVAL THAT MOVES YOU
