ProgramFocus
Our Programmatic Thrust: Empowering Women in Leadership and Community Service
The Metropolitan Saint Louis Chapter of NCBW focuses on four major programmatic thrusts:
- 1) Economic Develop-ment;
- 2) Education;
- 3) Health and Wellness; and
- 4) Political Action.
Economic Development
The Economic Development committee organizes and develops workshops to educate women regarding financial and economic responsibilities. The committees goals are to help women be successful in managing personal finances; identifying and utilizing community resources; nurturing interorganizational partnerships; and encouraging individual growth and development.
Education
The Metropolitan Saint Louis Chapter of NCBW has established a scholarship program for academically promising Black women, ages 30 and above, who reside in the metropolitan area. The scholarship programs purpose is to: identify, honor and encourage promising Black women who are striving to upgrade or change careers; en-courage Black women who exhibit evidence of ability to achieve an continue their formal education; and equip underskilled or under employed Black women with the resources needed to enter the work force and seek profes-sional employment.
Health and Wellness Initiative
The primary goal of the committee is to promote awareness and education regarding the prevention , symptoms and treatment of strokes, hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, cancer and mental illness.
Political Action
The goal of the committee is to enlighten the membership on current issues that affect them as a whole and the community at large. The committee participates in rallies, key events for citizens and discussions on women’s issues.
Volunteerism
The Metropolitan Saint Louis Chapter has a spirit of volunteerism. Members are very sup-portive of the Crisis Nursery of St. Louis.
In the mid 1980’s members of the Junior League of St. Louis and the NCBW Metropolitan Saint Louis Chapter joined forces to establish a charity nursery as a refuge for endangered children. The Crisis Nursery is a setting surrounded by warm murals filled with caring people, who take care of children who are at serious risk of being abused or abandoned. The nursery is a safety valve for women who are far beyond their wits end. The idea is to give children a place to stay while their frazzled parents re-group.
Currently the Crisis Nursery operates a total of 29 beds at three locations. Its staff and volunteers work day and night caring for children as young as a few weeks up to 10 years old. The Coalition has two members who serve on the Executive Board and other members help by rock-ing the babies and interacting with the other children.
Annual Events
The Mother’s Day Brunch is an annual event held in the month of May to recognize young ladies in the Parent/Infant Interaction Program (PIIP) located at Vashon High School. The brunch also recognizes outstanding leaders in the community who work with young people.
The Annual Tower Village Christmas Party is held every December to bring holiday-cheer to the senior citizens who reside in the Tower Vil-lage Apartments. A complete Christmas dinner with all the trimmings is provided and Coalition members do-nate gifts for every resident. Each person in attendance receives a personal gift and a Christmas bag of fruit and candy. A full program of entertainment and caroling is also provided.