I know many of you have charities that call on occasion and offer to pick up used clothing/small household goods. For years, my family has donated to Children’s Home Society of Missouri. I would have to write CHS on the bags/boxes that we put on the porch for pickup, and I always imagined that this was some type of a home for disadvantaged children.
Well, I’ve learned CHS is so much more than that, and recently I was selected to be a member of their board. During my orientation, I was blown away at the breadth of services they offer families and children with disabilities. No one in the St. Louis area is doing more exciting and innovative work in this field. I had a new appreciation for where my clothing was going, and how it was benefitting the organization.
CHS was founded in 1891 providing children with a permanent, safe and loving home. The founders Herman Bollman and Reverend C.W. Williams were pioneers in the emerging field of child welfare and envisioned a society that would provide homes for neglected and abused children. Since its founding, the organization has grown and has recently moved to a new location to house their expanding clientele and services.
In addition to offering residential and respite care for children with developmental disabilities, CHS offers education/counseling services for adoptive parents and children, foster parents and children as well as pregnancy counseling and parenting skills education for teen moms who have a child diagnosed with a developmental disability.
They do AWESOME work. And they need our support. So back to the clothing thing! Please get on the list for charity clothing pickups. Make sure to designate CHS as your Charity Preference. Or you can call 314.416.1300 and let the telephone operator know that you want to schedule a pickup for Children’s Home Society. You will receive notification when they are in your neighborhood.
CHS has their annual dinner auction coming up and the theme is Big Hopes, Big Dreams…Big Easy Dinner Auction. It’s on Saturday, August 23, and it will be my first time attending. The event provides critical resources that help support the over 1,000 children and families who received services at CHS. If you want to join me, here’s more information. Hope to see you there.