Optimist Club of St. Louis sponsoring annual Christmas
Basket program to help benefit the community.
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ST. LOUIS, MO – The Optimist Club of St. Louis MO, is sponsoring community efforts through funds and volunteers, along with Wesley House Association & Youth and Family Center to help benefit the children of St. Louis MO.
The 240 Christmas food baskets will consist of enough fixings needed to provide full course meals for families this holiday season. The Christmas Food Basket comes complete with bread, potatoes, fruit (apples & oranges), gravy, canned goods (peas, green beans, and either canned yams or corn), plus a $15 Schnucks gift card.
The Optimist Club of St. Louis invites the community to come volunteer in support of this effort on December 11, 2021, at Wesley House Association, Location: 4507 Lee Ave St. Louis, MO 63115. There are two shifts available from 9:00 am – 11:00am and 11:00am – 1:00 pm to volunteer. This is a great opportunity for any youth in need of community service hours to graduate. Club Members will be on hand to fill out and sign any volunteer forms. You can sign up through the online page or by visiting our Facebook Page.
Jennifer Bagwell, President of the Optimist Club of St. Louis, and Director of Digital Marketing and Media for Optimist International states, “Being able to help the youth and community of St. Louis is why we do what we do each year and have been doing for over 100 years.”
John Saunders, Jr., Executive Director of WHA, states that “In cooperation with our valued community partner the Optimist Club of St. Louis, Wesley House is committed to providing access to a complete and nourishing Christmas meal to deserving families that reside in the 63115-zip code and surrounding neighborhoods. “
LaChrisa Crenshaw, Ed.D., MSW Executive Director states, “Partnership, collaboration and service is such a gift in our community. These three ingredients together provide hope and inspiration during the holidays. We recognize at the Youth and Family Center we cannot do this work effectively alone. The Optimist Club of St. Louis is an amazing partner who assists us serving the community of youth, families, and seniors in a compassionate and nurturing way during the holidays. We are truly grateful to have their support as a beacon of light during this season of giving. “
Amy Keller, Senior Director of International Programs for Optimist International states, “Community residents need to be fully aware of the opportunity that the Christmas Food Basket event will provide, and it is imperative that organizations like Wesley House and Optimist Club form partnerships to do everything within our current scope of services and beyond to ensure that no family goes without a hot meal on Christmas Day. “
The Optimist Club of St. Louis has been supporting local youth since 1916. Other programs and service projects that the Club is involved in include over $100,000 in community grants to local St. Louis organizations, volunteer support for many community programs, and educational funding for community Oratorical scholarship and essays.
Wesley House Association is an organization that, for 100 years, has continued as one of St. Louis metropolitan area’s longest standing social service agencies. Youth and Family Center is a United Way agency whose mission is to stabilize the lives of youth, seniors and families in St. Louis through support services.
Youth and Family Center is a United Way agency whose mission is to stabilize the lives of youth, seniors and families in St. Louis through support services. Youth & Family Center was founded in 1888 to support residents of St. Louis to achieve their full potential. Our vision was then, and is still, for every youth, senior, and family to have the necessary resources to live healthy, stable, and independent lives in a safe and vibrant community.
Optimist International is one of the world’s largest service club organizations with over 80,000 adult and youth members in almost 3,000 clubs in the United States, Canada, the Caribbean and Mexico and throughout the world. Carrying the motto “Bringing Out the Best in Youth, in our Communities, and in Ourselves,” Optimists conduct positive service projects that reach more than six million young people each year. To learn more about Optimist International, please call (314) 371-6000 or visit the organization’s website at www.optimist.org.
CLUB OPTIMIST CLUB OF ST. LOUIS
CONTACT
JENNIFER BAGWELL 314.881.1336
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 12/07/2021