Fall 2008 issue of Horizons

knowledge. commitment. value. CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS AND BUSINESS CONSULTANTS

Outside of these events, we receive a lot of general donations from individuals and families. We are continually surprised by the level of generosity that exists in the St. Louis community.

for conferences and seminars, as well as hosting in-house training sessions. Our new building project includes a work-out and wellness center for our staff to use, and we have initiated an office fitness challenge to encourage healthy living. We also offer incentives and recognition for good work, like our “You Made My Day” cards. Our staff members build relationships with the clients we serve, so it is always tough to see a loss. Each year, we hold a service to recognize those who have passed. All of these efforts contribute to great employee morale and commitment. We see 40 to 60 employees volunteering at every event we host because they believe in the mission they work for and in the clients they serve. What is your and your executive staff’s vision for the future of St. Patrick Center and its role in the St. Louis community? I was once asked, “If St. Patrick Center succeeds at ending homelessness in St. Louis, would it run itself out of business?” The question is not as outlandish as it seems. With 550 chronically homeless, St. Louis is poised more effectively than almost any city in the country to end the problem, for three reasons. One, its numbers are manageable. Two, the city has high philanthropic participation. And three, the city’s infrastructure of charitable organizations is solid. Should we witness an end to homelessness in this city, I would love to see St. Patrick Center serve as a nationally recognized education and empowerment center for job creation, training and business. We’re aiming to focus on housing, so there will come a time when anyone in need can be placed in a safe, clean space almost immediately upon becoming homeless. We plan to build strong partnerships with area developers to create more units of affordable housing for our community’s most vulnerable neighbors. Finally, I want our programs and the services of our Partnership Center to be so comprehensive and effective that anyone can walk up to a homeless person and say with confidence, “We’ve got a place for you.”

How does the Key Player Initiative cultivate leadership in the city’s youth?

Kids are amazing. They don’t complicate things with doubt and pessimism. They are naturally hopeful and optimistic. When they see something as unacceptable as homelessness in the wealthiest nation in the world, they just set out to end it, no questions asked. The Key Player Initiative was started to show the community, through the eyes of our youth, that we can end homelessness. This year, the Archdiocese of St. Louis Catholic Schools alone raised $203,000, effectively reinforcing our point. One school set out to collect 1 million pennies over the course of two years to raise money for the center. Within seven months, they had collected 900,000 pennies, putting them on track to meet their goal well before even the first year. Starting this initiative in schools was the best decision we could have made. Our goal is to make this a $1 million campaign to fund affordable housing-assist programs by the year 2012. Once the corporations, organizations and individuals in our community see what these kids were able to do as a collective, single voice, I think they will respond with incredible matching gifts to let those kids know that they’re right – “In America, Homelessness is Unacceptable!” St. Patrick Center relies heavily on volunteer support, but you also have a dedicated staff of employees. What efforts do you have in place to ensure a positive work environment? We rely on our employees to operate the center’s three major areas: housing, mental health and employment. In a business that can often be disheartening, we do a lot to let them know how much we appreciate the hard work they put in. As a fairly large organization, we encourage people to come out of their offices by taking turns hosting department coffee hours. We invest in our staff by paying

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