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Give STL Day Early giving starts April 5!

4/5/2022

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Help us meet our $20,000 Brown Sisters Foundation challenge match goal by donating early at www.givestlday.org/ASeatAtTheTable.
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NEWSLETTER - DECEMBER 2021

12/23/2021

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December

ASeatAtTheTable.org

2021

Merry Christmas
and Happy New Year!

 

To all of you who have contributed, prayed, volunteered…and stepped in to just be part of the A Seat at the Table story, we wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! 

 

Together, we’re making a way for promising young people to launch successfully into adulthood.  We’re collectively providing a safe family environment from which young men…and soon, young women, are provided the necessary resources, mentors and love to make their way in life!

(Above): A Seat at the Table (L to R): Chrissy Stergos, Dhu'Shawn Allen, Joe Lewis III,
Jamel Williams (aka Santa), Bob Stergos, Larry Hearn

2021 Was a Year of Great Growth


Thanks to the generosity and involvement of many of you, here were some of the highlights of our year:

  • Jamel Williams, Larry Hearn and Dhu’Shawn Allen all completed very successful semesters at Harris-Stowe State University, Missouri Baptist University and St. Louis Community College respectively!

    A special A Seat at the Table shoutout to volunteer math tutor Carla Griffith, whose weekly tutoring sessions helped our guys do well in math classes!
  • Resident Intern Joe Lewis III transitions at the start of 2nd semester from a part-time Ferguson-Florissant elementary school teacher aid to full-time employment at Bermuda Elementary!

  • Traveling in our donated Dodge Grand Caravan GX (again, many thanks to our special donors!), we were able to travel to Memphis and Chicago for exciting and informative vacations!
  • Jamel, Larry and Dhu’Shawn are all working part-time while being full-time students:
    • Jamel as LOVEtheLOU “Link” program coordinator
    • Larry as library assistant at MoBap
    • Dhu’Shawn as Journey Kidz store manager!

  • Volunteers helped us transition our backyard into an inviting gathering space

  • Extraordinary donations helped us secure our 1st women’s home (in Ferguson)!

  • Conducted a very well-attended Ferguson open house in November, so that many could meet our new women’s home host parents, Claude and Debbie Bennett

  • A Crossing church women’s small group donated Christmas decorations and numerous housewarming gifts for our new Ferguson home for young women

  • Talented handyman and ministry leader Mark Verslues and his assistant Brandon helped prepare our women’s home in Ferguson for occupancy in early 2022.
 
  • Celebrated birthdays and numerous family meals with friends and organizational supporters

  • Raised $40,000+ from Give STL Day (in the spring) and GivingTuesday (in the fall)

  • Secured a $20,000 grant from The Brown Sisters Foundation, pending our raising $40,000 by Oct. 31, 2022 from NEW donors or INCREASED donations (vs same period last year) from existing donors. You can donate HERE to help us meet our goal.

  • Attended the likes of The Garden Glow at Missouri Botanical Gardens and several events in nearby Tower Grove Park
 
  • Continued regular church attendance, book/bible studies and church volunteer efforts

  • Secured enough vehicles for each resident to get to and from school and work on his own

  • Joe, Jamel and Dhu’Shawn will be attending an upcoming CRU (Campus Crusade for Christ) conference in Indianapolis next week

  • All our guys continue to grow a healthy community of believers and mentors that will help them transition well into independent living!

Please share this email with individuals, churches and organizations whom you believe would support our mission of providing a family home and resources for promising young
18 to 25-year olds!
 

 

The mission of A Seat at the Table


The mission of Seat at the Table is to help at-risk 18 to 25-year olds better transition into adulthood by providing parental presence and community support via residential mentoring in a Christian family environment
.

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We'd love to hear from you!

 

Do you know of individuals, companies or foundations for whom serving the under-resourced would be a common passion?  Or, do you have an email address for someone whom you think would like to hear about A Seat at the Table? If so, please contact us HERE and let us know those names and/or email addresses! We are always looking to talk to those who have a similar heart to reach across racial and economic divides in our city and beyond.  Our goal is to have A Seat at the Table chapters in major cities around the country!

 

Also, if you have questions about A Seat at the Table, contact us HERE as well. We want to hear from you!

Donate Here

 

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GivingTuesday - Thank You!!!

12/1/2021

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Thank you ALL who donated to A Seat at the Table in yesterday’s GivingTuesday! Your more than $20,000 in donations will help equip our new family home in Ferguson for promising young women. Please also consider becoming a MONTHLY SPONSOR as well at www.aseatatthetable.org/donate.
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Newsletter - November 2021

11/17/2021

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November

ASeatAtTheTable.org

2021

A Seat at the Table family home
in Ferguson for young women

 

October 19 was a BIG day for A Seat at the Table!  Thanks to generous donors, we purchased our 2nd St. Louis-area home, a 7-bedroom, 5 1/2-bath gem in Ferguson, complete with a finished basement and large sunroom.

Into that spacious home, our new host parents, Claude and Debbie Bennett, will begin to gradually welcome in nominated and selected young women who have demonstrated outstanding character and determination to do well in life despite a previous lack of resources or stable housing.

 

Claude is a highly sought-after ministry leader (Heaven on Earth ministries), as well as a real estate broker and investor.  Debbie has an extensive career in the healthcare field that includes 27 years in respiratory care.  She holds a Masters of Education Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and is a Licensed Professional Counselor at Crossroads Counseling. 

 

They have three adult children and four grandchildren. Please join us in welcoming Claude and Debbie...and the young women soon join them!

Challenge-Match Grant & GivingTuesday Nov. 30

 

This year's GivingTuesday (Nov. 30) is so important for A Seat at the Table, as our operating costs will almost double with the establishment of young women's family home in Ferguson. So even your early donations can help address those increased expenditures.

Even more significantly, if we can raise $40,000 by Oct. 31, 2022, we will earn an ADDITIONAL $20,000 via a challenge-match grant from The Brown Sisters Foundation! Grant funds will be specifically used to address the mental, physical, emotional and spiritual health of our participants.

So, please share this email with individuals, churches and organizations whom you believe would support our mission of providing a “family” and resources for promising young 18 to 25-year olds!  

 

Please invite others to learn more about A Seat at the Table and GivingTuesday by directing them to www.ASeatAtTheTable.org and www.givingtuesday.org.

 

Early donations are accepted:  you (and others) can even donate now (ahead of actual GivingTuesday of Nov. 30) by visiting www.aseatatthetable.org/donate.html and selecting “GivingTuesday 2021” from the drop down menu of giving choices.

Donate Here for GivingTuesday 2021

The mission of A Seat at the Table


The mission of Seat at the Table is to help at-risk 18 to 25-year olds better transition into adulthood by providing parental presence and community support via residential mentoring in a Christian family environment
.

Image

We'd love to hear from you!

 

Do you know of individuals, companies or foundations for whom serving the under-resourced would be a common passion?  Or, do you have an email address for someone whom you think would like to hear about A Seat at the Table? If so, please contact us HERE and let us know those names and/or email addresses! We are always looking to talk to those who have a similar heart to reach across racial and economic divides in our city and beyond.  Our goal is to have A Seat at the Table chapters in major cities around the country!

 

Also, if you have questions about A Seat at the Table, contact us HERE as well. We want to hear from you!

Donate Here

 

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2nd STL-area home for A Seat at the Table

10/20/2021

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Oct. 19, 2021 was a BIG day for A Seat at the Table! Thanks to generous donors, we purchased our 2nd STL-area home: a 7-bdrm, 4 full & 1 half bath 2-story in the north county community of Ferguson.  Highlights include: a finished-basement with a second kitchen, spacious family room and a large sunroom. We’re excited to soon welcome in 4 young WOMEN to live with a phenomenal set of host parents!  Check back soon for more details on our host parents and in-coming young women!
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NEWSLETTER - MAY 2021

5/4/2021

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May

ASeatAtTheTable.org

2021

In This Issue

  • Give STL Day needs
  • Landscaping team effort
  • Resident Interviews 
  • Benefit Concerts coming soon!

May 6 Give STL Day priorities:
a used van or SUV,
and a second home!

 

Don’t forget, this Thursday, May 6, is Give STL Day, an annual date when you can donate to the participating St. Louis nonprofit of your choice.  We hope you remember A Seat at the Table this week, as early giving is now open! 

You can donate here: www.givestlday.org/ASeatAtTheTable.

 

===================================

With our 4th resident moving in by early June, we have an immediate need to secure a used van or larger SUV, as we just won’t be able to fit our 4 guys plus our host parents into our small Kia Soul.

 

So, if you know of anyone or a dealer willing to either donate or offer a good buy on a used van or SUV, please email Bob Stergos,
Executive Director: bstergos@ASeatAtTheTable.org.

 

===================================

 

As we mentioned in our last newsletter, we’re also hoping for sizeable donations towards our 2nd A Seat at the Table home, as we had a generous couple recently step forward with a donation of 50% towards that 2nd home (which will house 3 to 4 young women with our second host set of parents).  So, whether you can donate $50 or $5,000 (or more), any and all giving to A Seat at the Table as part of this Thursday’s Give STL Day will be very much appreciated and put to good use!!! 

 

Donate Here

Landscaping volunteers transform our first home!

 

A team of Crossing church Outreach volunteers and others worked tirelessly Saturday morning, May 1 on landscaping ‘round our Shaw neighborhood A Seat at the Table home.  Working with our 3 current residents, Joe Lewis III, Jamel Williams and Larry Hearn as well as host parents Bob & Chrissy Stergos, the group brought to life the landscaping plan from designer Alice Tucker of True Garden and our Shaw neighborhood. 

 

First, they did the hard work of removing overgrown honeysuckle trees and thorny bushes.  Then, they planted azalea and “heavenly bamboo” bushes in the front and side yards.

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In the backyard, they alternated plantings of arborvitaes and Rose of Sharon bushes along the interior our new fence, while also planting a lilac bush, sugar maple and flowering dogwood tree to provide much-needed shade.  A special plaque honoring Oliver Bacott, the late father of co-founder Chrissy Stergos, was subsequently placed at the base of the new flowering dogwood (as the dogwood was his favorite tree).  A similar plaque will likewise be placed by the new sugar maple tree to honor our house donor’s deceased son.

We are honored by all the hard work from the volunteers and grateful to The Crossing for organizing the effort.  We can’t wait to (safely) host backyard gatherings with our hard-working volunteers to celebrate their beautiful landscaping effort.  What a great environment they created for our A Seat at the Table residents!  We are blessed!

Interviews reveal the impact
of A Seat at the Table

Recently, with the help of interviewer Henry Wynd and videographer Brian Mongoven (both Youth Crossing standouts in their younger days!), we recorded thoughts from our current three A Seat at the Table residents, Jamel Williams, Larry Hearn and Resident Intern Joe Lewis III, as well as from co-founders and host parents Bob & Chrissy Stergos. 

 

These excerpts will give you an idea of the impact A Seat at the Table is having on all their lives…and a preview of what, with your help, we can also do for the 3 to 4 girls who will move into our second A Seat at the Table home:  

 

Watch the interviews via the links below:

  • Jamel Williams: https://youtu.be/4E9A6TA1Ccc

    Larry Hearn: https://youtu.be/pSOw_s6vqtY

    Joe Lewis III, Resident Intern: https://youtu.be/NkzLgBqoCqA

    Chrissy Stergos, Co-founder & Board member: https://youtu.be/ZFlmiVkyLkk

    Bob Stergos, Co-founder & Executive Director: https://youtu.be/AAlBJ25ToI4

Benefit Concerts Coming Soon!

As COVID-protocols allow, we’re hoping to resume hosting small-gathering outdoor benefit concerts with some of our favorite musicians.  Among the musicians offering to perform is our Sean Coray, for whom the mission of A Seat at the Table is especially relevant. You see, at a time in his later teen years, Sean became part of the Stergos family, one of the “adopted” sons of A Seat at the Table co-founders Bob & Chrissy Stergos…and brother to the four Stergos sons. 

 

To hear Sean’s music will be an especially poignant reinforcement of our mission.  Look for more details to come over the next few weeks, but for now, watch and listen to what magnificent musical talents emerged as Sean was able to become a valued part of a family that loved and championed him during those crucial young adult years:

  • “Who’s Gonna Love You: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCzTIW3NKjs
  • “Vivid Memories”  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jiyk7EBzWCM
  • “Cool Breeze” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XpYrdFmbaP0
  • “Lose My Cool”  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtzCvbubCko

The mission of A Seat at the Table


The mission of Seat at the Table is to help at-risk 18 to 25-year olds better transition into adulthood by providing parental presence and community support via residential mentoring in a Christian family environment.

Image

We'd love to hear from you!

 

Do you know of individuals, companies or foundations for whom serving the under-resourced would be a common passion?  Or, do you have an email address for someone whom you think would like to hear about A Seat at the Table? If so, please contact us HERE and let us know those names and/or email addresses! We are always looking to talk to those who have a similar heart to reach across racial and economic divides in our city and beyond.  Our goal is to have A Seat at the Table chapters in major cities around the country!

 

Also, if you have questions about A Seat at the Table, contact us HERE as well. We want to hear from you!

Donate Here

 

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View it in your browser

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Interviews reveal the impact of A Seat at the Table

5/4/2021

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Recently, with the help of interviewer Henry Wynd and videographer Brian Mongoven (both Youth Crossing standouts in their younger days!), we recorded thoughts from our current three A Seat at the Table residents, Jamel Williams, Larry Hearn and Resident Intern Joe Lewis III, as well as from co-founders and host parents Bob & Chrissy Stergos. 

These excerpts will give you an idea of the impact A Seat at the Table is having on all their lives… and a preview of what, with your help, we can also do for the 3 to 4 girls who will move into our second A Seat at the Table home: 
Watch the interviews via the links below:

  • Jamel Williams: https://youtu.be/4E9A6TA1Ccc
  • Larry Hearn: https://youtu.be/pSOw_s6vqtY
  • Joe Lewis III, Resident Intern: https://youtu.be/NkzLgBqoCqA
  • Chrissy Stergos, Co-founder & Board member: https://youtu.be/ZFlmiVkyLkk
  • Bob Stergos, Co-founder & Executive Director: https://youtu.be/AAlBJ25ToI4
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Interview ON Mentoring @ The Crossing

3/22/2021

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Included in Crossing Pastor Angela Beise's insightful "Paul-Timothy mentoring" weekend messages was an interview with our resident Larry Hearn and Executive Director Bob Stergos.

We're so thankful to Angela and The Crossing for raising awareness of A Seat at the Table and to our supporters for making this ministry possible.

And if you missed Angela's weekend message, you should check it out here: https://thecrossing.online/message/timothy.
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NEWSLETTER - FEBRUARY 2021

2/21/2021

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February

ASeatAtTheTable.org

2021

A Spectacular Donation
and May 6 Give STL Day

Building on the initial successes with our first three male A Seat at the Table residents in our Shaw neighborhood home, a donor couple has stepped forward to make a spectacular donation.  They're contributing up to 50% of our next A Seat at the Table home into which we'll then move up to 4 young women to live with our second host couple.

 

With pending A Seat at the Table nominations of several young women, this year's May 6 Give STL Day then becomes all the more important for us. Give STL Day, operated by the St. Louis Community Foundation, makes a way for generous people to support their local STL-area nonprofit organizations.  

 

With your help, we could secure our next A Seat at the Table home, as we already have a second set of house parents for young women waiting in the wings!  Early Give STL Day donations start as of April 5.  Look for more details in the coming weeks.

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Welcome to our 3rd Resident,
Larry Hearn

In late January, A Seat at the Table welcomed in our 3rd resident, Larry Hearn.  Nominated by his Midtown Church Pastor Aaron Turner, Larry will be transferring to Missouri Baptist University in the fall after completing his first year at Webster University.  Following a ministerial calling evident to many, Larry will major in Ministry and Leadership.

 

Midtown Pastor Mark Tucker reinforced that calling:  "As soon as I met Larry, I could see that he had a genuine passion for God.  Since then, he has become like a theological sponge.  He thirsts for deeper knowledge of biblical truth to accent his love for Jesus.  This is helped by his teachable spirit and desire to serve others.  He will certainly flourish at A Seat at the Table." 

 

Fellow Midtown Pastor Aaron Turner reflected on Larry's participation:  "I am so glad that Larry is now living with host parents Bob & Chrissy Stergos and residents Joe Lewis (Resident Intern) and Jamel Williams at A Seat at the Table.  After talking with Larry, he is so excited, and I share his enthusiasm, for I have no doubt that this program will be a blessing to Larry and that Larry will be a blessing to the program.  'Thank you' A Seat at the Table for being the hands and feet of Jesus, loving His people so well both physically and spiritually."

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ABOVE LEFT: Larry reciting one of his poems, "Crippled Society." 
Check it out at: www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Kt4Cqvxu40

ABOVE RIGHT:  Larry with friend of the organization, "Butters" 

 

BELOW (L to R): Joe, Jamel & Larry at Boardwalk Waffles & Ice Cream listening to
Nick Stergos play guitar

A Look at A Seat at the Table
Life Skills & Spiritual Development

In addition to college or work responsibilities, most days for A Seat at the Table residents include a myriad of job/life skills and spiritual/personal development discussions led by house parents Bob and Chrissy Stergos, as well as with other mentors and pastors in the lives of our residents.  Here’s a sampling of learning activities and discussions to-date:

Job & Life Skills

  • Weekly music or foreign language lessons
        - Joe Lewis: piano
        - Jamel Williams: guitar
        - Larry Hearn: speaking French
  • Car driving lessons

  • How to build a network of mentors
  • How to use LinkedIn
  • How to be a good conversationalist
  • Effective communications
  • Job search and interviewing tips
  • Personal finance/budgeting
  • Credit Scores & How to Establish Credit, Your Paystub, W-4 forms, Taxes
  • Common Home & Auto Repairs

Spiritual/Personal Development

  • Weekly counseling sessions
  • Weekly church attendance
  • Weekly bible studies
  • Book study: Purpose-Driven Life
  • Participation of The Crossing church’s Exploration and Body Life classes
  • Watching and discussing sermons from several churches (Midtown Church, One Family Church and The Crossing, thus far)
  • Studying the authenticity of the Bible
  • Watching thought-provoking & uplifting movies together as a family
  • Learning effective Conflict Resolution techniques

Structured study sessions aside, perhaps some of our most meaningful moments come with Chrissy's cooking lessons and family meals around the dinner table...often followed by some fun games of Uno, Exploding Kittens and Pictionary!  In short, we’re having a ball doing life together!

LEFT (L to R): Jamel Williams, Joe Lewis, Larry Hearn, Chelsea Boon and Chrissy Stergos

Recent House Improvements

Thanks to our donors' generosity with last fall's GivingTuesday, we were able to secure our backyard with a new red cedar fence installed by Affordable Fencing. As you can see in the photo below, owner Stephen McAllister and foreman Casey Arnold do excellent work!

And thanks to a volunteer's skilled electrician's work, we now have numerous electrical outlets and improved overhead lighting in our basement.  That improved lighting has made ping pong matches on the recently-donated new table all the more competitive!  

Get Involved by Becoming
a Monthly Sponsor

Many thanks to those of you who have now signed up to be a Monthly Sponsor!  Your consistent support helps us build a stable, ongoing operating budget from which we can meet the educational/vocational, life & jobs skill, transportation, counseling, healthcare and developmental needs of our program participants.

 

If you haven’t already, please consider becoming involved with A Seat at the Table by donating on a monthly basis...even if it’s just $10, $25, $50 or $75 a month.  Here’s an example of how that could help us build that consistent operating budget:

Your monthly contribution communicates to our participants that they are supported by an army of people who believe in them and want to make a difference in their lives!  Simply click on the "Become a Monthly Sponsor" button below to set up your monthly donation amount.   On behalf of all A Seat at the Table participants who will benefit, thank you for your monthly donation! 

Become a Monthly Sponsor

The mission of A Seat at the Table


The mission of Seat at the Table is to help at-risk 18 to 25-year olds better transition into adulthood by providing parental presence and community support via residential mentoring in a Christian family environment.

Image

We'd love to hear from you!

 

Do you know of individuals, companies or foundations for whom serving the under-resourced would be a common passion?  Or, do you have an email address for someone whom you think would like to hear about A Seat at the Table? If so, please contact us HERE and let us know those names and/or email addresses! We are always looking to talk to those who have a similar heart to reach across racial and economic divides in our city and beyond.  Our goal is to have A Seat at the Table chapters in major cities around the country!

 

Also, if you have questions about A Seat at the Table, contact us HERE as well. We want to hear from you!

Donate Here

 

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Welcome our newest resident, Larry Hearn!

1/30/2021

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Please join us in welcoming our newest (and 3rd) A Seat at the Table resident, Larry Hearn. Previously a Webster University student, Larry will be transferring next school year to Missouri Baptist University, majoring in Ministry & Leadership. After undergrad work, Larry plans to get his Master’s to become a Family Counselor. Like our other residents, Larry attends nearby Midtown Church, and was nominated to us by his Pastor, Aaron Turner.

Larry is also quite the poet, as you can hear with his poem written 5 years ago: “Crippled Society!”

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