Contacts

92 Bowery St., NY 10013

thepascal@mail.com

+1 800 123 456 789

Foster FamilyGive Back

Extending our reach

In addition to assisting our 12 families and older youth/young adults, we are helping four large, local foster families (24 children total) being cared for by single mothers who have been carefully screened and are in dire need of assistance. Please consider purchasing any of these items and dropping them off at the office. While we can’t have visitors, you can ring the bell, and we’ll get the items from your car to the garage. Here are the following items we are looking for:

You can use Target curbside pick up for home essentials such as sheets and detergent. This is a great alternative instead of shopping in store.

House hold essentials:

  • Twin bed sheets
  • Laundry detergent (name brand)
  • Toilet paper
Frozen foods:
  • Pizzas
  • Nuggets
  • Frozen meals
  • Eggo Waffles
  • Frozen meat (burger patties, chicken breast)

As we assist more families in the area, the need for groceries grows even more. Frozen foods and non-perishable items are a MUST in every home with multiple children.

Other food:

  • Eggs
  • Milk
  • Bread
  • Snacks
  • Cereal
  • Fresh fruit
  • Fresh vegetables 
Toys/Games:
  • Activity books
  • Water toys
  • Swim diapers
  • Yard games
  • Etc.
We are distributing these items to foster families in our community on THIS THURSDAY, JULY 2 at 12pm so please drop off your donated items anytime on the below dates and times: Tuesday, 6/30 from 9am-5pm, Wednesday, 7/1 from 9am-5pm and Thursday, 7/2 from 9am-12pm.
 
If you cannot donate any of the items and would prefer to make a cash donation, please visit angelsarms.kindful.com.
 
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Ashley at ashley@angelsarms.org  or call (314) 842-8400.
Foster Family

A Family Affair

Cathy Miller, another one of our new house parents.

Anne Fisher, Tonja and Cathy Miller have all dedicated their lives to helping children and youth in foster care. The dynamic mother-daughter(s) duo of Tonja and Anne have been a staple in Angels’ Arms’ history and mission. Now, Cathy will be moving into Anne’s Angels’ Arms home as Anne transitions out of fostering children.

Cathy has been fostering children for two years, but started out as a license respite provider. She has been around the fostering community for 14 years – ever since her mom, Anne, started fostering. Cathy currently has three girls living in her home. Although not an “official” Angels’ Arms house parent until recently, Cathy and the foster children she takes care of have already been part of the Angels’ Arms family for several years.

“Ever since I met Miss Bess, she opened her arms up to me and accepted me as already part of this family,” says Cathy.

Cathy has been involved in Angels’ Arms events, shopped for supplies in our garage and attended multiple family activities. 

“Angels’ Arms is exactly as the titles states,” says Cathy. “They open their arms to anyone and everyone to offer support. It’s been the biggest blessing.”

We’re so lucky to have an entire family of dedicated foster parents in our organization.

The Miller family with foster and bio children.

Anne with her farewell canvas from Angels’ Arms

 

Anne spent seven years with Angels’ Arms from 2012-2020, but has been fostering children in need for about 15 years. During her time at Angels’ Arms, Anne took in 25 children who she loved and treated as her own. “I’m so blessed and thankful…,” says Anne. “Thank you Angels’ Arms.”

Tonja with her farewell canvas from Angels’ Arms

Tonja fostered 19 youth during her two years with Angels’ Arms. Many of the children she helped, were involved in our Life Launch program. Tonja, along with Angels’ Arms, helped provide tutoring resources for those who needed an extra help in class among a myriad of other forms of support.

Foster Family

Introducing the Hall Family

There has been a whirlwind of changes here at Angels’ Arms over the past few months – as our friend Olaf from Frozen would say, “all good things, all good things!” We are in the process of transitioning three of our homes for new families. During this season of change, we have gotten to know several amazing families who are doing such wonderful things to improve the lives of foster children. There are two new families we have selected that will be joining the Angels’ Arms family. Introducing our newest house parents:

Lawreene and Will Hall will be the newest parents living in one of our South County homes. The Hall’s have fostered for over six years and have five foster children with them currently, four of whom are siblings. They take elevated needs children and are in the process of completing their therapeutic classes.

“For us being welcomed into the Angels’ Arms family is such a blessing,” says Lawreene Hall. “The boys are so excited about the larger yard and the extra bedroom. We currently have two sets of siblings that will now be able to spread out some. The added support has already made such a huge difference in our lives.”
 

Hall children

Two Men and a Truck donated their time to help the Hall family move into their new home

Lawreene and Will Hall in their new home

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
“We’re simply blessed to be part of this organization,” says Will.
 
When we say “it takes a village,” we truly mean it. Thank you so much to the following people and companies who have helped get this home ready for a new family:
  •  Greentree Community Church for helping our Maintenance Manager, Tom, stain the deck, paint, install flooring and everything in between
  • Tim Mitchell for also helping Tom install new flooring
  • Judy Kriete and Joe Robideau for painting the master bedroom and inside of the closets
  • Two Men and a Truck for donating their services to help move everything from one home to another
  • Marnie Clawson, Chris Madison and Linda Marino Adair for donating to our Wish Wednesday fundraiser on Facebook so the Hall’s can get an outdoor play set for their children to enjoy
  • Even some of the youth in our Life Launch program stepped up to help Tom move heavy furniture from one home to another
Stay tuned for next month’s blog post where we will introduce you to the other wonderful family that will be moving into an Angels’ Arms home in St. Louis City.
Life Launch

Spreading her Wings

“Living at the Launch Pad has been nothing short of a blessing for me. Angels’ Arms has provided an abundant amount of resources and support to set me up for success. I will forever be grateful for my Angels’ Arms family. Now it is time for me to spread my wings!” – Hannah Lively

Hannah has been part of Angels’ Arms since she was 14 years old; she will be turning 21 this month and we are so excited for her to be moving out on her own! Everyone knows how scary it can be to move out and live independently for the first time. Hannah is a responsible and mature young woman, and we know she will do great things. We want her to be successful and help her furnish her new place. Since we’re all staying at home and the majority of us are cleaning our houses during this quarantine, we are hoping some of our supporters have found they not longer need that couch that’s taking up space in the basement or that old coffee table you forgot you had. 

Needed Furniture:

  • Couch(es) – L or sectional if possible (Donated by Jen Wallner)
  • Coffee table
  • End tables
  • Desk
  • Dresser set (Donated)
  • Small dining table and 4 chairs
  • Washer and Dryer

“While we will miss seeing her smiling face every day, we are so excited to see Hannah take on this next step in life,” says Cat, Life Launch Coordinator. “So many youth are not ready to live independently when they age out of the foster care system at 21, but Hannah is the perfect example of how resiliency and on-going support can get our young adults in foster care on to that next step.”

Besides furniture,  Hannah has created a house warming wishlist with a few household needs and appliances. If you would like to help further, click here to view her list!

Hannah is able to pick up furniture from your home between now and Monday, 4/20. The pick ups will be contactless (ie. leave furniture outside and Hannah will get it). Please contact cat@angelsarms.org to schedule pick ups if you would like to donate any of the above items. Thank you in advance for our continued support of our youth.


News

Milk, Bread & Eggs, oh my!

Foster parents are having an extra challenging time right now. They are doing their best to keep life “normal” for the the children in their care. Things like therapy, court visits, bio family visits, are all virtual. Family visits disappeared overnight. Foster parents are spending their days and data plans video conferencing with bio families and social workers, all the while trying to implement homeschooling activities, cooking many meals a day, and keeping the kids entertained and engaged.

Most of our homes have multiple children (on average 5 to 6), and some of these kids have medical needs. It’s difficult, if not impossible, for the parents to leave their homes to grocery shop. And when they do, they are presented with limits on the items they need the most such as milk, bread, and eggs.
Please consider signing up to shop for and deliver an essential grocery bundle to any of our foster families.

Sign up here: https://bit.ly/BasicBundleDropOff
*Drop-offs will be safe, with no interaction with any family members.*

News

Putting a Smile on our Faces

Drs. Aaron Cregger and James Schneider have been caring for multiple children and parents living in our 13 homes for several years. It’s difficult to find a dentist who accepts Medicaid, and when you do, you typically have to schedule 8 or more months out. They treat the foster children’s teeth on both an emergency basis and a preventative basis, in addition to providing ongoing care. They call in favors from specialists to perform work on their teeth, ranging from periodontal work to oral surgery to orthodontics. They not only tend to our families’ teeth, but they also take part in our annual Secret Santa exchange as well as attending fundraising events and donating to Wish Wednesday Facebook fundraisers. They make it a point to be involved in the lives of our kids beyond their dental hygiene.

“Dr. Cregger has been a blessing to my family! He treats all of my teens and myself,” says Barb Bocklage, one of our foster parents. “I cannot say enough about how much I appreciate him, as there are no words. Prior to using Dr. Cregger my foster children struggled just to get a cavity filled. Thank you Dr. Cregger for being a blessing in our lives!”

“They have always gone above and beyond for our family. Even getting colleague specialists to see a few of our boys,” says Phyllis Hackman, another 

one of our foster parents. “They continue to see us parents with insurance and they forgive any portion of the balance that our insurance doesn’t cover. They are a BLESSING.”

 

Finally, another one of our foster parents, Jennifer Tripp, tells a story of the difference Dr. Cregger makes in the lives of her kids:

Let me tell you what it was like before, myself and our foster children started visiting with Dr. Schnider and Dr. Creggers office. 

It wasn’t a pleasant experience for my kiddos. Dental clinics that take Medicaid are far a few between and not the most friendly or organized places to visit for dental needs. 

Scheduling, well let’s just say, once I scheduled my kids for an appointment, the waiting period is at least a month or longer to get them in. If an emergency happens, you take your kids into the clinic. While there, we wait most of the day to see a dentist for the emergency unless we’re really lucky. It’s exhausting for everyone! 

Once, the child is called back it’s more like an assembly line without private rooms or feeling of privacy for talking privately with the doctor. 

It’s a long drawn out experience of which I do not miss!

Now let me tell you about Dr. Schnider’s and Dr. Cregger’s office

I have been taking my kids to their office for years. There are many reasons why. 

We’re always greeted with smiles and kindness. We are always called back within 10 minutes. All of us, the entire family called back together. 

Once we get called back, we are informed of what is to take place and put into a clean private room. 

Both Doctor’s and staff are informative and answers any questions we may have. 

Everyone is so good about working with our children. They have a way of making our kids feel safe and comfortable. 

When finished up, after being treated with gentle care our kids get prizes and of course a new toothbrush and paste. How fun! 

And scheduling, never an issue. Never having to wait long especially, for follow ups. And emergency’s well, my kids are seen that day or the next morning. How great is that!! 

The fact that Dr. Schnider and Dr. Cregger and staff open up their hearts, their talents and their time to give our foster children healthy and beautiful smiles is a godsend to me and our foster children. They walk out of the office with million-dollar smiles and it’s not just because they got their teeth cleaned it because of the whole experience.

 

Also, many of our board members as well as our founder and executive director, Bess, go to these dentists. “I never thought I’d look forward to going to the dentist, but I actually do now,” says Bess. “This practice is a family, and I receive the best care possible.”

They are currently accepting new patients at their new and beautiful office located at 1000 Des Peres Rd. Suite. 130, St Louis, MO 63131.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hours:

Monday-Wednesday 4:30am to 5:00pm

Thursday 4:30am-12pm (noon)

 

Contact:

https://www.toothfixer.net/

(314) 567-7737

Facebook page

Foster Family

A Farewell to the Browns

Katie and Josh Brown have been an integral part of the Angels’ Arms family since 2011. They have treated every single child who has entered their home with love and compassion. The Browns are known for their love of the outdoors. During their time at Angels’ Arms, they have given children the opportunity to enjoy fun outdoor activities they normally would have never had.

“It’s so exciting to show kids who come to our home a whole world of experiences that they haven’t seen before,” says Katie. “Whether it’s going for a nature hike, running in their first 5k, or even just playing at a local

 park. One of my favorite memories was taking a young man on his first hike, he told me afterwards he had ‘no idea there was so much space out there to just walk around.’”

Below, we asked them a few questions about their time at Angels’ Arms:

  1. How long have you been with Angels’ Arms? How many years have you been fostering total?

We have been with Angels’ Arms for 9 years and fostering for 12 years total.

  1. What made you want to become a foster parent?

We both grew up understanding the need for kids to have a stable home due to our own life experiences.  It was, and still is, important to us to be a safe, stable support for kids in need.

  1. How many kids have you fostered through Angels’ Arms? 

We fostered around 50 different kids during our time with Angels’ Arms.  Kids as young as 2 weeks to young adults and just about every age in between!

  1. What has being a part of Angels’ Arms meant to you?

Being a part of Angels’ Arms, meant being a part of a family.  Without having many of our own family members close to us in St Louis, Angels’ Arms became like family and a strong support for us.  The love and generosity of the community not only helped the foster children we served but we also made some invaluable friendships along the way.

  1. What is your fondest memory of being with Angels’ Arms? 

We have so many special memories from our time at Angels’ Arms.  One of my first memories was when we took an infant girl shortly after moving into the Angels’ Arms home.  Within less than 24 hours of asking for clothes for the girl, we had an entire porch full of clothes for her!  We hadn’t felt that kind of love and support before with fostering!  Another fond memory we have were of the monthly family activities.  The volunteers who ran those activities had such a way of making each child feel special and appreciated!  We truly looked forward to each one because it brought such joy to the kids!  

  1. What’s next for you and your family?

We will miss being such an integral part of the Angels’ Arms family but with our 2 children growing up and needing more from us, we need to take a step back from taking the larger number of foster kids.  We will continue to serve children in the St. Louis area so keep an eye out, the Browns will still be around!  We want to thank each person who has been a part of our Angels’ Arms journey, you’ve made such a difference not just in our lives but in the lives of all the children we were able to foster with your support.  Thank you!

[ngg src=”galleries” ids=”13″ display=”basic_thumbnail” thumbnail_crop=”0″]As their chapter with Angels’ Arms comes to a close, we will not forget how essential they have been to Angels’ Arms’ entire story. The following is a message from our Founder and Executive Director, Bess, about how the Brown family has impacted Angels’ Arms’ mission:

Many of you have been fortunate to get to know some pretty special foster parents who have lived in our home in Winghaven for 9 years. Josh and Katie Brown have been family to many children in need over the years. But these two individuals go way beyond what foster parents are expected to do.
 
While taking kids who’ve been physically abused, sexually molested and severely neglected, they make sure that each of these children receives every available resource out there. They ensure that each child is included in all aspects of family life. In short, they truly love each and every child and teen who walks through their door.
 
I recall Josh, who’s a pilot, taking the kids on a tour of a plane. 
I recall Katie visiting incarcerated biological parents on multiple occasions and trying to keep the lines of communication open with their children. 
I recall Josh and Katie visiting the homes of the biological families to try and make the transition back home from their foster home a bit smoother.
I recall them taking children to the emergency room at all hours of the night.
I recall them ensuring the children in their care ate healthy and became physically active. They even enrolled some of them in walks and marathons.
I recall them going to church every week and ensuring the kids felt comfortable in their classes.
I recall Katie being in the delivery room with one of their teens who came to them pregnant. She was a mom to this young girl and still remains a part of her life. 
I recall Josh teaching a teen how to drive and trying to guide him in the right direction through all of his challenges. They still are in touch to this day.
And finally, I recall the day when this beautiful family adopted Zeke, a young boy full of life and tons of potential. And I recall the day they adopted sweet Olivia, a caring and lovely little girl. 
 
Please join me in sending off Josh, Katie, Zeke and Olivia Brown as they transition into their next chapter of life. They will be sorely missed by all of us, but they will always continue to do God’s work. Their journey is rooted in faith, and that’s where they get their extreme dedication and strength.
News

Working Remotely

Out of an abundance of caution for our team members, foster families, volunteers and supporters, we are following CDC recommended guidelines surrounding COVID-19 and will be working remotely through April 3. Although our physical office will be closed, we will continue to be available to support our foster families on a daily basis and will provide them with resources they need to care for the children in their homes.

Also, in an effort to keep our families and supporters safe, we are limiting visitors to our homes and suspending all meal drop-offs, birthday pal sign ups and volunteer work days. These are uncertain times, but there are still things you can do to help the families living in our homes:

  1. If you wish to continue to support our families with a meal, we ask that you consider making a donation on our website instead so that we can purchase grocery gift cards for the homes.
  2. For those who wish to ensure our March and April birthday kids still have a birthday celebration, we encourage you to send a birthday card and include a gift card if you wish. For a list of birthdays, email Ashley@angelsarms.org.
  3. Visit our Amazon wishlist and have supplies delivered directly to our families.

As far as our May 15th Sip and Savor Fundraising Event , we have not made any decision to cancel or reschedule the event but we are monitoring the situation closely and will make any future updates relating to the event via our website and facebook page.

Sending you lots of healthy and positive energy!
 
Team Angels’ Arms
News

Get to know the new Junior Board President

In November of last year, the Junior Board elected a new President – Jordan Shelton! She previously served as the Vice President of the Junior Board and was the recipient of the 2017 Angel of the Year Award. Jordan got involved with Angels’ Arms since she joined the Junior Board in 2015. Her decision to join stemmed from her teaching; one of the students in her class was in the foster care system and separated from his sibling. Upon learning this information about her student, Jordan recalled hearing about a nonprofit whose mission was to keep siblings in the foster care system together – Enter Angels’ Arms and the Junior Board! Jordan says she hasn’t looked back since filling out the Junior Board application.

Below, we asked Jordan a couple quick questions about her newly-elected role and what Angels’ Arms means to her:

 

What’s your favorite part about being on the Junior Board?

I can’t pick just one favorite part of being on the Junior Board, it is so much fun for such a great cause! A few of my favorite parts of being on the Junior Board are getting to plan and execute fun events with the rest of the Junior Board that raise money to help the kids in the Angels’ Arms homes and getting to plan and attend events with the kids in the Angels’ Arms homes. Events like Trivia Night, Sip & Savor, and Bar Bounce are so fun to plan and a blast to attend, but getting the opportunity to meet the kids and young adults in the Angels’ Arms homes at those events really warms my heart and reminds me why we do those other events.

 

Describe what it means to be elected President of the Junior Board.

It is such an honor to be the new President of the Junior Board! I have had a lot of great examples to follow from the past presidents and I am so excited to get to help lead such an involved and passionate group of young professionals. The members of the Angels’ Arms Junior Board really help make my job fun because they are so involved, bring lots of great ideas, and have a heart for these kids.

 

“From the moment Jordan joined the Junior Board she jumped right in and took leadership roles by serving on committees, becoming the chair of events, and going above and beyond in many other ways,” says our Event Coordinator, Maria. “She was dedicated since day one and that passion for the organization has only grown. She is a terrific advocate for Angels’ Arms and is constantly finding ways to make the Junior Board more organized and effective. Two things I love! Those qualities, along with her ability to encourage others on the Junior Board to also be more dedicated and involved, have helped to create a wonderful environment and camaraderie between all of the members. We just love Jordan!”
 
We are so lucky to have someone who is so passionate about the work we do as our Junior Board President. People who have the drive and determination, such as Jordan, are the reason our Junior Board has raised over one million dollars for Angels’ Arms! We cannot wait to see all of the amazing things Jordan does as President.

Jordan at our annual Skating with Santa event.

Jordan at our annual Sip and Savor event.

Jordan receiving the and 2017 Angel of the Year Award.

News

The Angel Shop

The wait is over – we have brand new merchandise! Visit The Angel Shop to get all of your Angels’ Arms gear. Sport your favorite charity organization while golfing with our stylish new quarter-zip. Or get the kids involved with our first-ever toddler and youth graphic t-shirt. You can have your ordered shipped to you for a small shipping fee, or pick it up from our office. 100% of the proceeds go directly to the foster families living in all of the Angels’ Arms homes.