As a life-long advocate for equal opportunity and access, Betty Sims will be sorely missed, and most especially, as a Champion for Girls and their education. Her unparalleled dedication to Girls Inc. included being a dynamic Board Chair, supporter and very wise counselor. We could count on Betty to push us to think boldly and give generously just as she always did.

Betty’s brilliance in building relationships and in leading change for good assured the dramatic resurgence of Girls Inc. of Greater St. Louis. Under her chairmanship, Girls Inc. retained a top tier CEO and, together with the Board, assured high impact programming, the beautiful renovation of the center for girls, and year in year out double, and sometimes triple, digit growth.

When Girls Inc. National considered which city to host our Network-wide conference, Betty was a major reason we selected St. Louis. We knew we could count on her to help set an example of first rate experiences for our leaders. And, she gladly opened doors for Girls Inc. among the country’s most important public policy leaders in Washington D.C.

I am among the many inspired by the energetic way Betty enacted her deep values, voiced her views, and gave fully to the people and organizations she cared about.

Thank you, Betty Sims, May you rest in peace.

Judy Vredenburgh

National President & CEO

Girls Incorporated

Girls Inc. would like to take the time to thank our volunteers from the Veiled Prophet who came out this past Saturday and helped us beautify our building inside and out for the start of our Afterschool program. You guys did an awesome job, very helpful with everything we asked you to do we couldn't have done it with out you. Thank You, Thank You !!!!

Girls Incorporated of St. Louis had an exciting opportunity to partner with the Magic House once again. Our girls along with several other organizations participated in the St. Louis Riverfront Mural Mosaic Project. The mural project involved the girls building sections of the Mural with Crayons only. The finalized mural of the St. Louis Riverfront Skyline is on display now at the St. Louis Magic House if you would like to go see this beautiful work or art. Click on the link below to see more on this project.

Video Link:

St. Louis Riverfront Mural Mosaic Project

Girls Incorporated of St. Louis sends a big Happy Birthday to First Lady Obama. 

Girls Incorporated of St. Louis was featured in last weeks addition of Town & Style magazine. Check out our Cover Page and our featured article at the links provided below. 

Cover Page:

http://www.townandstyle.net/aug12/files/11.html.

Featured Story:

http://www.townandstyle.net/aug12/files/13.html

On April 28, 2015, Girls Incorporated of St. Louis  hosted the National Convention for 270  affiliates of the national network of Girls Incorporated. Together these non-profit  organizations serve more than 138,000 girls across the U.S. and Canada. “We were delighted to host this year’s convention and what was even more thrilling was that our St. Louis organization was recognized as the 2015 Outstanding  Affiliate of the Year. This award is based on ten criteria points including: growth in the number of girls served with impact, growth/sustained  increase in  revenues (for two consecutive years), age range, service hours, number of delivered programs, number of core content areas of programs, percentage of trustees who make personal/annual  contribution, growth plan submitted/approved by Regional Director,  data base  utilization to track girls, fund development plan including accountability of goals, and board and staff participation in regional, national/biennial conference.

Delivering the Girls Inc. Experience

The Girls Inc. 2015 Annual Conference will bring together the Girls Inc. Network and our partners to explore the issues girls face; understand how the Girls Inc. Experience addresses those issues and results in the outcomes we have agreed we want for our girls; adopt consistent language to describe the experience; and improve our ability to deliver an exceptional Girls Inc. Experience. The Girls Inc. Experience is the essence of everything we do and everyone in each organization is responsible for creating, measuring and funding it.

Date: Sunday, April 19 - Tuesday, April 21

Place: Hilton at Ballpark Hotel , St. Louis, MO

After a brief strategic session with staff, President and CEO Cheryl Jones declared, “We can and must do this.”  And with that, the doors of Girls Inc. opened to all girls 5-17 who were attending Ferguson Florissant schools closed by civic emergency. 

For three days of magic, seventy-five girls arrived at the Nelson Center and found a safe and healthy place to be with all their needs covered. From 8:00AM to 6:00PM, laughter rang through normally quiet halls until the afterschool program began at 3:30.

For three days of magic, Ferguson parents returned to work worry-free knowing their girls were safe.   Instant and generous community support provided breakfasts, lunches and snacks. Girls in the afterschool program made new friends.  And Girls Inc. learned anything is possible when they come together to do the right thing.Click the links below to view more.

Dellwood Rec. Pictures or News Channel 5 interview with President & CEO Cheryl Jones