A Transition for the ECH Transitional Living Program by Phil Garrett, Steppingstone TLP Case Manager

What do the following have in common? 

·         An old Nokia “Go” phone

·         $3.32 worth of pennies

·         Shop N Save receipts

Ok, this was a trick question.   These were all items I found in my desk as I prepared to move offices after seven years.

You see, we the staff in the St. Louis Transitional Living Program have undergone a transition ourselves.  After many years dispersed in various offices on the campus we have moved to our new “home”—the Baur Center.   I had loaded box after box of papers, books, and assorted oddities.  It’s amazing, well, even ridiculous, how much stuff had accumulated in those seven years.  Much of it could only be accurately called “junk.”  Hidden beneath some of this junk I found a folder I had labeled “memories.”  My packing process was halted as I was compelled to look through this folder.  I have a wonderful collection of thank you cards from former clients, some photos, and other mementos that remind me why I do what I do.  And sadly, I had covered it with a mess.

I interview many young people who wish to get into our program.  They too have accumulated lots of emotional “junk” that obscures the things in their lives that could inspire them and provide hope.  We know that sometimes we humans are reluctant to discard junk because it is familiar to the point where it has almost become a part of our identity.  We have a sense it is dragging us down, but it’s what we know.  It can bring tremendous discomfort to give up things in our lives that we know are not helping, but at least are safer than tackling the frightening unknown.  This is especially true when experience gives one little reason to have confidence that things can be better.  Our job is to help our young people clear away the emotional clutter and uncover their strengths and the things that ARE working in their lives.   As referred to in our agency’s name, we are in the business of inspiring Hope.

Life’s transitions, such as this move to the Baur Steppingstone Center, are stressful AND full of promise.  We are excited to have the opportunity to continue our important work in this wonderful new setting.  I urge you to contact our agency for more information about our program and our new Baur Center.  To our supporters and all those who strive to make a difference for young people, I say thank you. 

“Act as if what you do makes a difference.  It does.”-------William James    

Philip Garrett
Steppingstone TLP Care Manager

ECH Gets High Remarks after Accreditation Process by Michael P. Brennan, CEO

Recently, ECH was subject to a thorough inspection of everything we do through COA, Council on Accreditation. A group of peers visited our campus and looked at everything we do, from how we work with the kids in our care to how well we keep our human resources records. The last thing this group does after a three day visit is conduct a conference meeting with the senior management staff in which they gave general feedback about every program and department they evaluated.

 

I really wish we would have tape the feedback so that all ECH staff and supporters could witness some of the wonderful comments the surveyors made about the quality of services provided to clients in all of our programs on a daily basis. As I always say and we all know ECH is not perfect but the surveyors affirmed that each staff member is providing high quality and valuable services to children, youth and families that assist them to reach their goals and potential.

 

They gave examples of testimonials from kids, parents and adult clients about how caring our staff is when interacting with them and that ECH staff always have their best interest in mind.

 

Overall, it was a resounding stamp of approval, affirming that ECH is a high quality service organization that remains financially viable and provides services based on a set of principles and values that are quite evident in the everyday work of our dedicated staff.

 

My favorite comment was when one of the reviewers said “it was evident that ECH tries really hard and is always looking to do the right thing”.  This statement reaffirms my feeling that at ECH we have a group of dedicated staff that are always striving to go the extra mile for clients and do the right thing.

 

That more than anything makes me proud. I hope it makes you proud also.

We will receive our scores and report in a short period of time and will know what loose ends that might need to be tightened up. I will communicate more info as we receive it.

 

Every Child is Special by Sharon Fenoglio, Director of Development and Public Relations

“Our best moments are secrets, and sometimes we don’t even know them ourselves, so none of us can ever be honored appropriately.  Honor is private.  Our public reputations depend on the opinions of the uninformed.  Each one of us a book reviewed by critics who only read the chapter headings and the jacket flap.  We’re all a mystery.  We should all respect each other on that basis.”  – Garrison Keillor, “Life among the Lutherans”

This quote stuck with me after I read it.  We are all a mystery.  No two of us are alike.  If each child at Every Child’s Hope was a book and judged by chapter headings and jacket flaps, most would be deeply misunderstood. 

Isaac, a young man living out our St. Charles Rock Road Campus, recently wrote a song about his secrets and his mystery.  Though I heard him recite it for the first time in January, I am still struck by his courage and honesty.  These are his words: 

There’s a story inside of me
A story untold.
I ain’t always been this happy
I used to take the lonely road.

And now I know my secrets are about to unfold.
So here we go, behold the things you may have never seen.

All the hurt, all the people who abuse me
and not a friend in the world.
I turn straight to the music.

Tried to show them I wasn’t weak,
All they did was make me prove it.
And now, look at where I am,
A soul many may call lost.

All the bad things I did to prove to the world I wasn’t soft.
And now look at me, I am softer than I’ve ever been.
Knowing there’s no hope for me, A person who forever sins.
I’m just here forever going in, trying to purify my heart.

I’m the furthest thing from innocent
And in this song there are some things I don’t mention
Because they are between me, myself and I.

Have you ever heard a young man’s cries?
All I do is minimize the things I feel inside.
I have a corrupt mind, my whole life has been criminalized,
And I’ve been penalized from the get go, from the start.

How can I pray to a God who I think heart in my heart,
Lost touch with reality
me and the world so far apart.

How come I feel so dumb, they always tell me I’m so smart.
Cause I ain’t feeling so smart
But I did used to be so intelligent
But the things I did in my past makes that so irrelevant.

But how can I make for a better future?
I need to encourage myself
I need a couple self boosters
a change of routine
a change from what I’m used to.

If I can’t be honest with myself,
who in this world can I be truthful?
Nobody.

Because I’m just here all on my own.
Always writing love songs and thug songs
and I’m just here and I’m trying to stay strong.

Trying to reverse all of my bad,
Trying to reverse all of the wrong.
Sitting here crying at night, wishing all my faith wasn’t gone.
Cause now I have no one to call.

They say life is like a ladder.
What do you do if you fall?
well, I gave it a try,
But I didn’t give it my all.

Why didn’t I give it my all?

Cause maybe things would be better,
Maybe I just need to write myself a letter.
A letter only to myself so I will always remember
it’s okay to ask for help.

Even when you’re feeling really down
Just know, It’s okay to get on your knees and cry out.
That it’s okay for us to make mistakes
Cause there’s a new chance with each and every day.

So every morning when you awake,
promise yourself that you will never give up.
And just say enough is never enough.
And promise you will always show yourself love
before you show love to another.
Cause we as a people die but our legacies last forever.

 

ECH Every Child’s Hope Annual Golf Tournament by Michael P. Brennan, CEO

I want to invite everyone to Every Child’s Hope Annual Golf Classic held at Old Hickory Golf Club in St. Peter’s, Missouri. This is our 14 annual golf tournament that raises funds to support the work we do every day on behalf of children and families in need in our community.

The tournament takes place this year on Monday, September 22, 2014 and is a scramble with a shotgun start at noon. Registration begins at 10:00 a.m. and we begin serving a wonderful lunch at 10:30 a.m.

This year again Mr. Randy Karraker from ESPN 101.1 and the Fast Lane is serving as our honorary chair. The Fast Lane radio show will broadcast live from Old Hickory that day. It is a lot of fun to watch the show in action.

There will be plenty of silent auction items, a live auction conducted by Randy and a delicious dinner provided by Old Hickory after your day of golf is completed.

If you have never played at Old Hickory it is an outstanding championship course that I know you and your foursome would really enjoy.

There are many opportunities to provide support in addition to purchasing a foursome such as hole sponsors, birdie sponsors and if you do not play golf you can still support by coming out for lunch and/or dinner.

This has been a very successful event for us and our guests have always really enjoyed the day. Most importantly all of the funds raised that day go directly to support the work we do to help hurting children, youth and their families.

Please come join us to have a great time and support our kids and families.

For more information please go to our website at www.ech1858.org or contact our Associate Development Director Ms. Laura Kilkullin at lkilcullin@echmail.org.

Look forward to seeing you on Monday, September 22, 2014 at the Old Hickory Golf Club.

The Best of ECH by Laura Kilcullin, Associate Director of Development

I have worked at ECH for over ten years and in that short amount of time, I have seen the programs evolve and help more children, youth and families. I have seen staff worry about the kids in their care like they are their own and I have seen kids reunite with families. I have seen young people get ready for dances and I have seen staff support kids in their events at school. I have come to work, feeling good about what I do on a daily basis and I have left feeling even better.

As the summer wears on, I see the kids participating in summer program. The whole program is wrapped around the theme, Ready or Not. The kids are learning the importance of relying on themselves and others to move past the things that have happened to them and look forward to a future of hope. To kick off the summer, the Ladies Aid hosted a birthday luncheon for all the kids, complete with a water bottle to use throughout the summer activities and a gift card to McDonalds to help celebrate the end of the summer. The ever popular ropes course will happen soon, showing the kids that they can do more than they think, that they are stronger and can accomplish things they never thought possible.

I am excited about the opening of the new Robert A. Baur Steppingstone Center. The renovation of one of the buildings on campus will help more at risk and homeless youth. Now, all staff for our Steppingstone program will be housed together in one location. The young people will have access to computers for applying for jobs and schools; they will have a central location to go for life skills training; and they will always have someone there to answer their questions and help them move towards independence.

It’d truly a wonderful time at ECH and for over 156, ECH has been providing children, youth and families with opportunities for a future full of hope. I like that I am a part of that hope. I like that my children know that my job is to help others who are in need find hope in their lives. But most of all, I am hopeful for the future of all the children, youth and families. I know if anyone can help them, it is the staff of ECH Every Child’s Hope.

SOAR Awards Bring Joy to ECH Staff and Students by Michael P. Brennan, CEO

 

I recently attended Every Child’s Hope On Grounds School end of year awards ceremony called SOAR which stands for Student Outstanding Achievement Recognition. There are several different types of awards given out at the ceremony but the SOAR Award is the High Honor Award. 

A student receiving a SOAR award had to meet the following criteria:

•            95% or higher average for the entire quarter
•          No detention for the entire quarter
•          No need for stabilization time for the entire quarter
•          No in-school or out of school suspension for the entire quarter

This day 17 students received a SOAR Award. I am told it is the highest number of students ever in one quarter.

In these times of schools struggling to meet the needs of their students, this was an uplifting and gratifying experience for me. Attendees at the event included all of our students, many parents, school staff, other agency staff and even community leaders, including the Mayor of Vinita Park. 
 

What we witnessed were children, many of whom have only known severe challenges and failure in their short academic careers, beaming with pride as they received awards for their achievements in academics and citizenship. It was obvious that the students were hooked and engaged in learning and that the school staff was invested in the students.

It was obvious that the ECH School has an atmosphere and culture of support and encouragement, which these children desperately need to find their way to success.
 

Mr. James McGee, the Mayor of Vinita Park, gave an inspirational speech that encouraged students to continue to strive to be the very best they can be.  Mayor McGee stressed the absolute vital importance of getting a good education. He even gave cash awards to the two top performing students in the school during the last quarter. His presence was a great reminder that these children are important to our community and need to be valued.

 

In today's world, working with children who have dealt with things at such a young age that most adults will never deal with, I was very moved by the SOAR Awards. When people get discouraged with reports on the news and with the bad things happening all around them, remember these 17 students at ECH who overcame tremendous barriers to achieve so much in such a short time.