For nearly 60 years, the Community Council has worked with the nonprofit community, government agencies and business leaders to strengthen the human service network in the Tri-County area of St. Charles, Lincoln and Warren Counties. The Community Council has worked to improve the quality of life for all citizens by:

 

• Assessing community needs
• Leading in community planning
• Securing resources to meet community needs
• Promoting volunteerism and civic engagement
• Bringing together community groups to address issues
• Educating the community about human service resources
• Advocating for solutions to issues important to the region
• Launching and spinning off new human service organizations

 

1954                 Launched Community Council in response to community concerns about juvenile delinquency.
1956                 Participated in starting a county historical society.
1956                 Helped establish a Student Loan Fund for college students.
1958                 Formed a Social Agencies Committee.
1958                 Helped establish the Association for Retarded Citizens.
1959                 Helped establish a traveling psychiatric clinic with the St. Louis State Mental Hospital.  The clinic later

                         became Crider Health Center.
1965                 Formed a Youth Committee to set up recreational activities for teens.
1966                 Began work to bring the YMCA to St. Charles.
1967                 Supported the opening of the Senior Citizens Center at St. Johns Church.
1968                 Opened the first Community Council offices.
1975                 Published the first Community Resources Directory.
1978                 Loaned funds to help form Bridgeway Counseling Services.
1984                 Coordinated the first Weatherization Program with Union Electric.
1985                 Supported the first annual Needs Assessment Survey in St. Charles County.
1986                 Established the Housing Task Force to address the lack of affordable housing.
1988                 Set up the Angel Fund to help families in crisis with basic needs.
1988                 Co-sponsored the Walk for Hunger.
1989                 Initiated the Holiday Assistance Program.
1990                 Co-sponsored a forum on the lack of affordable housing in the county.

1990                 Coordinated with Life Crisis and Four County Mental Health to establish 24-hour information and 

                         referral lines available to St. Charles County residents.
1991                 Advocated successfully for House Bill 399 as an amendment to Senate Bill 185 to assist in providing

                         consistent homeless funds for St. Charles County.
1992                 Designed and implemented the “Accessing St. Charles County Health & Human Services

                         Challenge,” a simulation for agency outreach and public education.
1993                 Initiated the development of the “St. Charles County Flood Plain Management Policy and Planning

                         Advisory Committee” that went on to develop the County’s Flood Plain Vision Committee.
1995                 Co-Sponsored Healthy Communities 2000 and its first annual summit, a 2-day conference

                         assessing the status of health in the communities and future health goals.
1996                 Helped form a coalition of service providers with the Division of Family Services that later

                         became CARE and CREW.
1996                 Formed the St. Charles Housing Corporation, a 501(c)3 that promotes affordable housing.
1996                 Awarded RSVP (Retired Senior Volunteer Program) grant to increase volunteerism among seniors.
1997                 Implemented a county-wide volunteer clearinghouse.
1997                 Established the PVMA (Professional Volunteer Management Alliance) for volunteer managers.
1999                 Helped plan the first Community Networking Forum.
2004                 Piloted the Non-Profit Development Center (NPDC) with the St. Charles City-County Library District.
2004                 Formed the Hunger Task Force and published the first Resource Food Guide.
2004                 Began leading the Continuum of Care for St. Charles, Lincoln & Warren Counties and gained federal

                         funding for homeless services.
2005                 Began sponsoring the Community Networking Forum (known today as the Community Services

                         Summit).
2006-2010        Served as fiscal agent for First Step Back Home, Shower of Love, Foundations of Love and ITN St.

                         Charles.
2008                 Convened municipal leaders to secure Neighborhood Stabilization Funding.
2009                 Built 6 affordable homes in Wentzville through the Housing Corporation.
2009                 Launched the metropolitan Saturday Jubilee food collection drive in partnership with Operation Food

                         Search
2009                 Launched the first Metro Cinderella Project dress collection to provide prom dresses to girls in need.
2010                 Published “Your Invitation to Serve” a comprehensive directory of volunteer opportunities.
2010                 Secured funding for and began implementation of the County’s Homeless Management Information

                         System (HMIS).
2010                 Convened nonprofit executives to address sector leadership changes.
2012                 Opened the Community Commons to provide meeting rooms for nonprofits at the new Spencer Road

                         Library.

 

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