In 2010, QOPC applied for a grant through a women’s giving circle, Women on Mission, to provide community-based interventions, outreach and education to address and decrease the prevalence of substance abuse in College Hill.
QOPC has a residential facility for pregnant and parenting women in the College Hill neighborhood of North St. Louis City. Upon receiving a grant from Women on Mission, QOPC has been able to develop the capacity to cultivate health, wellness and recovery of women, families and the community. Since then, QOPC and Women on Mission have maintained a collaborative relationship and partnered with residents and organizations in College Hill to strengthen families and neighborhood sustainability. In May 2012, members of Women on Mission who attend St. John’s Lutheran Church of Ellisville, initiated a project within their church called “Mothers Blessing Mothers”. This group wanted to honor all mothers and women at QOPC. On Mother’s Day, the leadership team at St. John’s highlighted a success story at QOPC and asked their congregation to give a specific offering to support the “Mothers Blessing Mothers” project.
As a result, St. John’s Church has shown extraordinary/remarkable generosity to the women and families of QOPC. Their Mother’s Day offering purchased 85 Bath and Body Works gift boxes for all residential QOPC clients. Additionally, their offering extended to bless all of QOPC staff (91 people) with a $25 gift card to Target. If that is not enough, the congregation of St. John’s Church purchased a beautiful playground to be installed at Pope, a QOPC permanent housing sight in the O’Fallon neighborhood.
QOPC is greatly humbled and deeply moved by the kindness and generosity of St. John’s Church and their congregation.
