Programs & Services

Family Support and Economic Development Programs:

The Family Support and Development Program responds to immediate crises of families and provides additional services to assist clients in developing life skills to develop long term solutions to recurring problems. The program offers: crisis counseling, information and referral, survival assistance and follow-up. Phase II provides comprehensive casework, short-term counseling, individual and family social and economic development workshops and an annual family development retreat. The Program offers services and programs for Grandparents As Parents as well. Annual Holiday Giving Programs gifts, donates toys and $40,000 per year to needy families. The overall goal of the Family Support and Development Program is to ensure the well being of all family members and to promote family stability.

Economic Development: Carver successfully completed a half a million dollar two year federal job creation program. The Job Opportunities for Low Income Individuals (J.O.L.I.) created 85 jobs in building maintenance and janitorial service. The potential earnings for these new employees is $1,237,600. Funding for this program was made possible by the Department of Health and Human Services.

• Information and Referral
• Crisis Counseling
• Food Pantry
• Limited Financial Assistance
• Case Management
• Grandparent As Parents
• Family Camp
• 100 Neediest Cases Holiday Program disburses over $40,000 impacting 400 families
• Holiday Programs (Christmas Party, Toy Drive and Distribution)
• Family Day Activities
• National Council of Jewish Women Back to School Program: coats, clothing, shoes, supplies for 50 elementary school children (annual event)

Youth Development Programs:

• After School (recreation, art, homework club*)
• Summer Session (formerly a joint program with Carver ECEC)
• Teen Night 7:00 p.m. – 12:00 p.m. depending on the activity
• WCH Radio
  • WCH Radio Station responds in a creative and effective way to the digital divide that exists in our community. This program teaches; broadcast journalism as well as computer skills, literacy and communication skills, encourages community involvement, teaches basic leadership skills which include decision-making and problem solving. The use of computers will allow the youth to share broadcast news and experiences on an international basis, and it will further the agency’s efforts to demystify technology for youth with limited exposure to technology. The youngest participant is 11 years old. The Station operates an internet radio program. Visit wchradio.com to learn more about the program. Local radio personality John O’Day is a volunteer and the project coordinator. This activity impacts approximately 40 youth directly and through special projects impacts and additional 150 youth annually.
    WCH launched a new project called Next Steps Promotions. Youth who are interested in the music business and/or hip hop learn how to produce and market their CD’s. Next Step Promotions youth participated in local music youth development conferences. WCH and Next Step Promotions staff was invited to present at 3 local conferences. In addition, they have been involved in reviewing the work of independent music artist from the United States, Africa, Canada and Europe. These artists represent various styles of music such as Jazz, gospel, rock n’ roll and hip hop. Participants gained a better understanding of other cultures through music.
• AAATA (African American Anti Tobacco Alliance
  • In the early 1990's, tobacco use among African-American rose sharply, after nearly twenty years of steady decline. There is some evidence to indicate that tobacco products advertisements aimed at youth and minorities helped create the climate for increased tobacco use among African-Americans. Smoking and other tobacco use are now major contributors to the leading causes of death in African Americans: heart disease, cancer and stroke.
    The African-American Anti-Tobacco Alliance is a coalition of youth, parents and community partners that are interested in education and developing solutions to tobacco usage among minorities. They efforts are focused on the 63106 and 63107 zip codes of the St. Louis Metropolitan area.
    It is a youth driven anti-tobacco and marijuana coalition aimed at African American middle school and high school students served by Carver House. Youth involved in this project educate their peers on the harmful effects of tobacco and marijuana use. They are also involved in developing policies that will help keep their environment smoke free. All members participate in training and leadership development that includes: Tobacco 101, conflict resolution, recruiting members, conducting meetings, effective communication skills, consensus decision making and using Technology to get your point across (developing a website, power point presentations etc.)
• Carver-Harris Stow Youth Entrepreneur Program
  • The Carver Harris-Stowe Youth Entrepreneur Program is a comprehensive program addressing the needs of youth between the ages of 11-18. This program teaches business development and management to assist youth in developing and managing their own for profit business and life skills (personal money management, decision making, communications skills, and health education). In addition, the program offers academic enhancement in core subjects such as math, English and social studies and cultural enrichment. The project also teaches job readiness and job retention skills and supports economic advancement through the development of a teen operated business.

Special Projects:

Projects vary in nature and include service learning, cultural and educational activities. The duration of the project may be one day to 2 year or more. Here are examples of our Special Projects:

• Links Educational Projects which include literacy, computer science and science etc.
• Mural art project on seeking safety with the Amy Biehl Foundation
• Cultural exchange program with South African youth includes workshops, recreation, discussion groups and the Together Festival
• Service Learning: Week with a Senior
• National Council of Jewish Women Back to School
  • For the past three years the National Counsel of Jewish Women have ensured that the children in our service area are prepared for school. There program is important to families with a limited income. The "Back To School Program” provides clothing, shoes, coats and book bags etc. for 50+ students
• Foundation for Success-gender specific program now part of after school
• Food Drives Students volunteer at the Post Office to sort and pack boxes
• Delta Sigma Theta-Youth Development – Character Development, Holiday Party
• Neighborhood Projects such as Hook Up the Hood or Mid Town Alliance Family Fair - Annual
• Ghandi Day Volunteers perform meaningful and needed task ( beautification, marking, fundraising, technology assistance)
• Make A Difference Day Fall Festival with SLU
• United Way Days of Caring - Yearly
• Community workshops
• Other: SLU Bio Terrorism, Flu Vaccine and Prostate Cancer Studies
• New Bikes for kids, Site for 2000 Census Project etc
• Links Back To School Project for 50 Middle and High School Students
  • The Links have been responsible for a number of activities and programs to enrich and strengthen Carver Youth academically as well as help them to plan for the future. Some of the activites include: A Reading Room, Literacy, Computer Lab, Science Education, Carrer Exploration in the Sciences, Career Exporation, Resume Writing, Cultural Events and Field Trips, Voter Registration and Back To School Supplies for Middle School and High School Youth.

*Tutorials are offered by St. Louis Public Schools through their extended day programs.
Their tutoring programs are linked to the Missouri MAP testing.

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Last Updated: Sunday October 30, 2005