Empowering Families in St. Louis for 100 Years: Neighborhood Houses Celebrates Its Centennial

ST. LOUIS - April 5, 2013 - PRLog -- Neighborhood Houses, the nonprofit organization that supports low-income children and families in the inner core of St. Louis City, is celebrating its 100th anniversary. What started in 1913 as a settlement house on Hickory Street near Lafayette Park for children, families and individuals, the majority of whom were German immigrants living in or on the edge of poverty, has grown into a full-fledged social services agency.

Neighborhood Houses now offers early childhood education and care, a parent support and education program for adolescent and young mothers, and afterschool programming for up to 900 elementary school children each day, making it the largest provider of afterschool programs at no cost in the St. Louis Public Schools. In its 100 years of operation, the organization has assisted tens of thousands of children and families in St. Louis while maintaining its mission of partnering with and strengthening families in order for them to thrive.

To commemorate Neighborhood Houses’ centennial and highlight its mission and history, the organization is hosting a series of events throughout the year, including a social justice empowerment series, alumni camp reunion at Camp TAMBO, service days and a fundraising gala. A collection of archival photos, press clipping and publications will also be on display at the gala, reflecting Neighborhood Houses’ rich history and major milestones. Proceeds from the yearlong festivities benefit Neighborhood Houses’ programs.

“Our mission hasn’t changed in 100 years, we just do it differently,” says Neighborhood Houses President and CEO Darlene Sowell. “It’s wonderful to acknowledge that Neighborhood Houses is still proudly and actively serving the St. Louis community after 100 years, but it’s also important to recognize that our services are still needed and relied upon by thousands of children and families each year. A great deal has changed over the past century, but our impact on families remains the same.”

Neighborhood Houses Then
Before Neighborhood Houses developed into a full social services agency, it started as Caroline Mission, a settlement house born out of the American settlement house movement of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. When the United Church of Christ founded Caroline Mission in 1913 near Lafayette Park, St. Louis was growing and those that could afford to move from the inner city did, leaving behind mainly low-income immigrant children and families. Caroline Mission provided housing, emergency services and early childhood and youth programs to these families.

Statistics published in 1936 showed 2,000 people per week were using Caroline Mission. The south side neighborhood was described as “one of the most densely populated areas in America” and over 90% of the organization’s clients were children, 38% from homes with divorced or separated parents. More than 34% lived in rooming houses often with an entire family to a room.

By 1947, Caroline Mission was renamed Neighborhood Houses and in addition to serving a more racially diverse population of St. Louis City residents, which included a large percentage of African Americans, the organization also became involved in advocating for racial equality, integration and social justice for those with few resources. Neighborhood Houses’ leaders were involved in the Cochran Rent Strikes of the 1960s.

Neighborhood Houses Now
Today, Neighborhood Houses’ scope of services includes an early childhood education program, an afterschool program with the St. Louis Public Schools and a support program for young mothers. By focusing on these three programs, the organization maintains the ability to be involved in a young person’s life and their family for up to 12 to 13 years.

The Early Childhood Education Program at Caroline Mission, located on Caroline Street northeast of Lafayette Park, provides care for children beginning at six weeks and continuing to five years of age. The goal is to prepare the children to be successful in kindergarten and beyond. The program partners with parents to help them achieve their desired goals for their children.

Neighborhood Houses is also the largest provider of afterschool programs at no cost in the St. Louis Public Schools. Its afterschool program is held in 13 greater St. Louis area public elementary schools and works with up to 900 students on a daily basis. The program creates a safe environment where a caring staff focuses on the whole child, including educational enrichment, social development, life skills and health and nutrition.

Another Neighborhood Houses program is Girls’ Night Out. The weekly program supports pregnant and parenting young mothers aged 13 to 22. Girls’ Night Out allows Neighborhood Houses to enter into a young family’s life at the early stages of development, providing critical education, information and fellowship for young mothers and their child.

Neighborhood Houses remains a ministry of the United Church of Christ and the Disciples of Christ.

Centennial Events
In celebration of its centennial, Neighborhood Houses has planned a series of events throughout 2013. These events are:

Alumni Reunion at Camp TAMBO
Friday-Sunday, April 19-21, 2013
Camp TAMBO, 2659 Camp MoVal Road, Union, Missouri 63084
Cost:  Starting at $10 per person

Lecture at Eden Seminary
Friday, November 1 at 7:30-9:30 a.m.
475 E. Lockwood Avenue, St. Louis, Missouri 63119
Free and open to the public

Celebration Gala at Four Seasons Hotel St. Louis
999 North 2nd Street, St. Louis, Missouri 63102
Saturday, November 2, 2013 at 6-11 p.m.
Tickets: Starting at $175 per person

Centennial Worship Service at Eden Seminary
Sunday, November 3, 2013 at 3 p.m.
475 E. Lockwood Avenue, St. Louis, Missouri 63119
Free and open to the public

Neighborhood Houses’ administrative office is located at 5621 Delmar Boulevard, Suite 104, St. Louis, Missouri 63112. Caroline Mission is located at 2828 Caroline Street, St. Louis, Missouri 63104. For more information on Neighborhood Houses’ centennial, please visit http://www.NH100.org. For more information on Neighborhood Houses, please visit http://www.neighborhoodhouses.org or call 314.383.1733. Neighborhood Houses is a proud member of United Way of Greater St. Louis.