My daughter’s 5th birthday is coming up and we’ve been planning her celebration for a few weeks. She’s invited friends from school and outside activities. We’re all excited to celebrate this special age with her. 

But as we continue to plan and prepare, I can’t help but think about the Angels’ Arms foster parents who have four or more kids in their homes. Believe it or not, many children in our homes have never experienced a birthday party before. While the foster parents do their best to help make it as special as possible, it becomes expensive very quickly. But this is where you come in.

As a birthday pal, you and your family can make our children feel loved on their special day. Along with the foster parents, you can provide a birthday celebration for a deserving child in our community. Parties can range from a trip to the child’s favorite restaurant or activity, to a party at the foster home with the family. 

If you are interested in becoming an Angels’ Arms Birthday Pal, please contact Amber Odom at 314.842.8400 or email amber@angelsarms.org.

Amber Odom
Angels’ Arms Administrative Assistant

Did you know that foster kids in MO have an average high school graduation rate of $50%…BUT did you know that every single teen that’s been in one of our homes has graduated from high school. We have a 100% high school graduation rate and 4 teens graduating this month alone! 

It has been just over 3 years since Jake joined our Angels’ Arms family at the age of 17. He arrived with little to his name but hope and the few clothes he had with him. We have had the privilege of watching that unsure teenager grow into a strong, compassionate, and giving young man. His road to graduation has seen many bumps and unexpected turns which have served to strengthen his resolve to achieve his goals.

Jake will start his journey to a degree in engineering here in St. Louis, with plans to transfer to Rolla S&T. He is looking forward to a summer internship at Panera Bread and continuing to benefit from the wisdom and support of his Life Launch Mentor. We wish him all the best on the road ahead.

Would you like to congratulate Jake on graduating from high school, or share words of encouragement as he embarks on his journey to college? Contact Amber Odom for more details at (314) 842-8400.

We have been privileged to have Chris in our Angels’ Arms family since 2011. He has faced personal challenges with a drive to graduate high school and find his place in the automotive field. He has worked hard to maintain his grades while also winning scholarships toward his post-secondary education. We are so proud of this young man’s drive and accomplishment!

Chris is preparing to further his automotive training and credentials at the highly esteemed Lincoln College of Technology. His planning and savings will pay off, as he enters the program he has been dreaming about for the last two years.

Would you like to help us celebrate our graduate? Let him know you are cheering him on by sharing a card and words of encouragement. Email amber@angelsarms.org for details.

In February 2012, Nathan made his home in Angels’ Arms. With his siblings by his side, he became the youngest son of Ed and Margie Hopper through adoption. Facing challenges throughout his teen years, Nathan overcame the biggest of these just two weeks ago….graduating from high school. We are so proud of Nathan’s hard work and perseverance over the last year!

Looking ahead, Nathan plans to move into the field of carpentry. With the support of his Life Launch mentor, his family, and Angels’ Arms to back him up, Nathan is forging ahead in his life journey.

Would you like to help us celebrate our graduate? Let him know you are cheering him on by sharing a card and words of encouragement! Email amber@angelsarms.org for Nathan’s contact info.

 “On any given day there are more than 400,000 children in foster care.  If you were able to bring together all these children into one city, this city would be the 43rd or 44th biggest city in the United States.  This city made up of foster children would be bigger than cities like Miami, Pittsburg, St Louis, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Minneapolis, New Orleans and Honolulu. Over the course of a year nearly 700,000 children spend at least some time in foster care and that makes this population of children and youth bigger than all but 18 U.S. cities.” ~ www.nationalfostercare.org

We urge you to get involved in the lives of foster children right here in our community. Volunteer your time by becoming a mentor, sponsor a child’s birthday party, grant a wish, donate funds to send a child to camp, make a meal for a foster family. These are just a few examples that will help foster children feel loved and wanted.

If you are ready to impact the life of a foster child, click HERE for ways to get involved.

Did you know that you can double your donation to Angels’ Arms by searching to see if your employer offers matching gifts. Many companies offer matching gift programs to encourage employees to contribute to charitable organizations. Most of these programs match contributions dollar for dollar, and some will even double or triple the amount of your gift!

To find out if your company will match gifts to Angels’ Arms, along with their matching gift form, please enter your employer’s name below:

Matching Gift and Volunteer Grant information provided by