Marygrove Expands Crisis Services,

Opens New Center this Week

Friday, Oct. 16, an official dedication and blessing was pronounced on the recently renovated building housing Marygrove’s 24-hour shelter. Florissant Mayor, Thomas P. Schneider joined the celebration and toured the new center, which was blessed by the Rev. Edward M. Rice.

The Crisis Services program has moved into the three-story, 22,000 square foot building that formerly housed sisters from the founding order of Marygrove. Now called the Martha E. Jones Center, the building is located on the Marygrove campus in Florissant. A bequest from Jones, the daughter of Edward Jones, founder of the financial services firm, helped to pay for the renovation.

Sister Helen Negri is the chief executive officer of the complex and has searched for a way to provide a better facility for 3 years. When the few nuns remaining moved to the Sisters of the Good Shepherd location on Natural Bridge Road over a year ago, Marygrove was able to begin the expansion.

Negri said the building was right in front of their noses. She appreciated the willingness of the sisters to share their home with the children and teens served by the Crisis Services programs. The director of Crisis Services, Sedrick Williams, pointed out that with the larger shelter, it would be possible to help more kids in need and provide additional opportunities for them.

The new building has large rooms that resemble college dormitories, housing up to three beds each. A large kitchen, a community room and a fireplace make the place seem more like home. With the larger space, those staying at Marygrove can attend classes in parenting and job preparation or meet privately with therapists and case managers.

The new facility is licensed to provide 20 beds, an increase from the 14 in the previous facility. Currently just one floor is being used, with the top two floors allowing for future expansion.

Marygrove’s 24-hour shelter is designed to house those who have no place else to go. Crisis Services provides short-term emergency shelter for children, teens and families, ages birth through 20 years. This is one of the broadest age ranges served by shelter programs in the community. The goal is to keep children safe from abuse or neglect and to help protect homeless and runaway teens from victimization on the streets.

Crisis Services also provides medical care, psychiatric assessments and other services to ensure a safe environment for children and help adolescents, young adults and families stabilize their situation and transition to a longer-term housing solution, connect with community resources and move toward a safe and sustainable life plan.

In addition to support from private funders, Marygrove has contracts with St. Louis County Children’s Service Fund, Basic Center Program funding from the Family and Youth Services Bureau, Missouri Children’s Division, Missouri Alliance, and the Department of Mental Health. Through its comprehensive continuum of residential and community-based programs, Marygrove serves over 1,500 children, teens and families each year.

For more information abut Marygrove, visit its website at Marygrovechildren.org

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