| The state of Missouri is host to thousands of | | | | established in 1980 as a means to assist low-income |
| charitable foundations allowing those who want to | | | | families in gaining economic independence. According |
| assist someone in need ample opportunity to do so. | | | | to its website, this is accomplished by "providing |
| In the city of St. Louis alone, there are hundreds of | | | | affordable housing, helping families achieve and |
| ways to give back to the community. In this article I | | | | sustain homeownership, fostering the well-being of |
| will focus on two distinct organizations in the St. Louis | | | | families, and identifying and addressing neighborhood |
| area that find ways to give back to the community | | | | needs." |
| while putting service first. | | | | Just a handful of the benefits of its programming |
| The first charitable organization I will feature is Food | | | | include repairing, landscaping and painting homes, |
| Outreach, headquartered near downtown St. Louis. | | | | implementing after-school programs, distributing |
| Founded in 1988, Food Outreach was created to | | | | school supplies, and having individuals and companies |
| serve the local cancer and HIV/AIDS community by | | | | purchase new items for families in its program for a |
| providing them with extensive nutritional support. This | | | | yearly holiday giving project. Beyond Housing's |
| support comes in the form of dietetic education from | | | | assistance has been beneficial to the community as it |
| a certified dietician, free groceries of high nutritional | | | | tells that in the past 10 years, it has helped over 550 |
| value given to recipients when needed, and Hot | | | | families achieve home ownership. |
| Lunch Mondays, a free, gourmet chef-prepared lunch, | | | | Like Food Outreach, Beyond Housing is heavily reliant |
| and served restaurant-style to recipients and their | | | | on charity dollars to help fund its programming. In |
| families. | | | | addition to its regular donation requests, and |
| Over the years, Food Outreach has taken great | | | | company sponsorships, Beyond Housing holds public |
| strides to put its stamp on the community, | | | | functions, such as awards dinners to raise money in |
| sponsoring both youthful and adult-geared events for | | | | support of its ongoing cause. |
| fundraising purposes and to bring awareness to the | | | | Both organizations have made a difference, not only |
| St. Louis community of its ongoing need to support | | | | in the lives of those individuals reaping the benefits of |
| those cancer and HIV/AIDS victims who are | | | | their programming, but also the St. Louis community |
| unemployed or underemployed. It's presence in the | | | | as a whole. With the thousands of other charities |
| community is dually noted and has resulted in many | | | | finding their way into Missouri, citizens of the state |
| successful fundraisers that have helped in its | | | | can rest assured that their needs will be well taken |
| continued success. | | | | care of. |
| The second organization, Beyond Housing, was | | | | |