JUNE 2024 - HOPE LIVES HERE | |
Pride Month
June is LGBTQIA+ pride month. The month is a time for celebration and commemoration of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual, and all other identities pride. DOORWAYS' has had a strong connection to the LGBTQIA+ community from its very inception.
As many may know, from the onset of the AIDS epidemic, the LGBTQIA+ community was disproportionately affected by the disease. During the call to action to address the HIV/AIDS crisis in the St. Louis region, during the late 1980s, many of those who stepped up to answer were members of the LGBTQIA+ community. DOORWAYS is proud to celebrate our founders who came together to create housing opportunities for a marginalized community that struggled with the basic human right of housing to meet basic healthcare needs.
DOORWAYS has been lucky throughout its 36-year history to be both supportive of and supported by the LGBTQIA+ community. Staff, clients, board members, and many of our volunteers, many of whom come with corporate resource groups, identify as members of those communities and are welcomed as part of the organization without bias or discrimination. One of the DOORWAYS stated maxims, which directs many of its principles of behavior within the organization, is that we honor and embrace individual differences in clients, staff, and volunteers. During this Pride month and throughout the year, we embrace and celebrate the many different communities and cultures that make up DOORWAYS' past, present, and future.
Happy Pride!
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Keystone Society Appreciation Event
The DOORWAYS Keystone Society annual appreciation event was held last week at the Grand Center home of Ron Jagels and Tim Bahr. Ron and Tim co-chaired the RED Gala last year; Ron is a former board member. Thank you for your generous hospitality!
The event, which was attended by more than 70 guests, provided an opportunity to acknowledge and thank those individuals who are a vital part of the DOORWAYS family. Attendees enjoyed delicious hors d'oeuvres from Orlando's Catering while mixing and mingling with others who believe in our mission. Opal M. Jones, President and CEO, spoke during the event and provided an update on the closing fiscal year 2024, which ends June 30.
Several Keystone Legacy Society members were in attendance as well. Keystone Legacy Society members are donors who have designated DOORWAYS in their estate planning. Making a planned gift provides the agency with confidence and a sense of security for the future. A copy of the Keystone Society Legacy brochure can be found here.
Keystone Society members generously provide, more than $300,000 annually, to ensure that resources are available for those who desperately need them. Keystone Society memberships begin with an annual gift of $1,200 or more. If you would like to join the Keystone Society or are interested in learning more about becoming a Keystone Society Legacy member please contact Development Director Jim Timmerberg at jtimmerberg@doorwayshousing.org or 314-328-2705.
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Guests of the Keystone Appreciation event were invited to the new home of Ron Jagels and Tim Bahr in the Grand Center Arts District. | |
More than 70 Keystone Members shared time and community during the annual appreciation event. | |
Ron and Tim thanked those who attended. | |
Juneteenth Inspiration
DOORWAYS is thrilled that a major sculpture by Kehinde Wiley, one of the nation’s leading artists, is permanently sited on the Jefferson Avenue Campus. This significant work, titled Rumors of War, is a generous long-term loan from the St. Louis Gateway Foundation, making the campus a landmark in public art and social consciousness.
Rumors of War reimagines traditional heroic equestrian monuments. It features a man on a horse, with a pose and posture modeled after the statue of Confederate Gen. J.E.B. Stuart that stood on Monument Avenue in Richmond, VA. There are, however, several significant differences: The man on this horse is Black, wears a hoodie, jeans, and high-top sneakers, and has his hair in dreadlocks.
The plaza surrounding the sculpture was a second-phase project that has been in process since the opening of the campus in 2022. This spring was the first opportunity for landscaping to be installed in the completed plaza. Local landscape design studio DTLS Landscape Architecture worked on creating a design that was both appealing to the eye as well as significant to the piece of historical sculpture that it surrounded.
The landscape plantings were inspired by this month's Juneteeth holiday and the Pan-African flag. Traditional colors, like red, yellow, green, and dark purple provided a color scheme to incorporate as part of the design plan. Stella d'Oro Daylilies, Burning Hearts Sunflower, and Little Devil Ninebark were planted as the foundation of the flower beds and have created a beautiful and meaningful moment for those who view them.
The DOORWAYS clients and staff represent many diverse and inclusive communities and we are proud to include representation of those cultures throughout our facilities.
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Ladue News Charity Award 2024 Received
DOORWAYS is deeply grateful for the unwavering and ongoing support of our followers and supporters in all the ways they support our mission, staff, and clients.
In April, DOORWAYS was honored to be named one of the top thirty non-profit organizations nominated for a 2024 Ladue News Charity award. The final selection was determined by a reader-driven voting process, where the top five charities were chosen from the pool of nominees. As a result, the top five charities, including DOORWAYS, were featured in Ladue News magazine and granted a "takeover" of the Ladue News Instagram page for a day, offering their followers a behind-the-scenes look at the agency’s valuable work and mission.
DOORWAYS is delighted to announce that we have been recognized as a recipient of the 2024 Ladue News Charity Award, marking the second time in ten years that our organization has received this honor. A recent online article on the Ladue News Community Page shines a light on our current initiatives, as well as an inspiring profile on SLU Volunteer Rushil Jain and his dedication to serving the residents at Cooper House. The "take-over" of the Instagram page was posted on Monday, June 24.
Thank you to everyone who supported our nomination with your votes. Recognition like this not only honors our work but is an opportunity to share our mission with a larger community.
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Annual Staff Picnic - "We Are Family" | |
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DOORWAYS staff from all programs and both campuses, Jefferson Avenue and Cooper House, came together this month for the DOORWAYS Staff Picnic. The picnic is planned and executed by the Party Planning Committee which is comprised of staff from several departments within the organization. The committee is charged with creating an interactive and fun event for the staff to enjoy.
This year's theme was "We Are Family". The culture of DOORWAYS prides itself on the sense of family and belonging to something more than ourselves, a family who works together to fulfill our mission. Hosted in a large pavilion in Forest Park, staff mixed and mingled as they were served a lunch of grilled hamburgers, brats, hot dogs (including vegetarian options), pasta, baked beans, and other traditional picnic sides. Several board members were on hand to help serve including Michael Brave, Chris Lintz, and Rev. Kathleen Wilder.
To foster a sense of camaraderie, our staff gathered for an icebreaker game after lunch, allowing them to connect on topics beyond their professional roles. Following this, they divided into four teams to compete in a spirited game of "Family Feud". The afternoon was filled with fun and relaxation as staff enjoyed open gameplay of cornhole, ladder toss, and kickball.
Our annual staff picnic has become an essential tradition, serving as a way to bring our team together as we continue to grow and expand. It's a special opportunity to express gratitude to our dedicated staff for their tireless efforts on behalf of our clients and recognize the compassion and commitment they demonstrate throughout the year.
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Staff teams gathered to compete against each other in a "Family Feud" inspired game. | |
Staff cheering on the final two teams competed for the winning team title. | |
UPCOMING EVENT INFORMATION | |
DOORWAYS Annual Meeting
The DOORWAYS Annual Meeting is an opportunity to honor and thank those who support DOORWAYS throughout the year. More information about the Tuesday, September 10th event will be coming soon.
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ByoBOO Trivia - Saturday, October 19
MARK YOUR CALENDAR: Friends In Deed ByoBOO! Trivia Night returns on Saturday, October 19 at the Glazier’s Union Hall on Hampton Ave. near I-44.
Watch this space as more details about this popular Fall/Halloween-inspired trivia night are posted.
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Current Job Opportunities
DOORWAYS is always on the lookout for compassionate and dedicated people to join us in serving the community. Our services and programs continue to expand and so do our staffing needs. Below is a list of current open positions available agency-wide:
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COOPER HOUSE:
Activities Coordinator
LPN*
Resident Advocate (RA)
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JEFFERSON AVENUE CAMPUS:
Client Service Coordinator
Maintenance Technician*
Out State Housing Specialist
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*These positions include a $2,500 sign-on bonus after
successfully completing 90 days of employment.
A full list of current job opportunities and their descriptions can be found on our website here.
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DOORWAYS is an interfaith non-profit organization which provides housing and related supportive services to improve quality of life and health outcomes for people affected by HIV/AIDS.
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DOORWAYS, an IRC 501(c)3 tax-exempt Missouri nonprofit corporation, is registered to solicit funds for charitable purposes in Missouri and Illinois. DOORWAYS only solicits such charitable contributions in MO and IL.
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