35 YEARS STRONG - The Building Years (1997-2004)

As part of celebrating our 35th anniversary, for the next several months through the end of the year, the DOORWAYS DISPATCH will be highlighting historical and noteworthy milestones and accomplishments beginning with our founding in 1988.

• Construction on a 21-unit building in the Soulard neighborhood began in 1996 and was completed and opened to its first residents in 1997.

• Renovation began during 1997 on what was originally built as the Southern Methodist Orphan's Home in the 1890s and later became the Bernard Nursing Home before sitting empty for more than a decade. The building, which would offer 24-hour support to AIDS patients too ill to care for themselves, would become the DOORWAYS Supportive Housing Facility (DSHF) after a $3.2 million rehab of the 26,000 square-foot, 100 year old, building. The building was renamed Cooper House in 2012 in honor of late President & CEO Lynne M. Cooper, D. Min.

• During the late 1990's, it became clear that the number of women affected by AIDS was doubling at an alarming rate, In 2000, DOORWAYS opened Mama Nyumba (Swahili for "my mother's house"). Mama provided a home for 14 mothers and their 34 children with safe housing.

• In 2003, Kaya Malaika, (Swahili for "village of little angels") opened on an adjoining property to Mama and provided an additional 15 units of family housing.

• In 2004, DOORWAYS, in conjunction with Places for People, developed C.J.'s Place, an 18 unit housing complex to meet the needs of individuals who were dually or triply diagnosed with HIV, mental illness and substance abuse. After construction, the building was turned over to Places for People for ownership and operation.

DOORWAYS 2023 Annual Meeting

The DOORWAYS Annual Meeting was held Wednesday, September 13 in the Community Room at the Jefferson Avenue Campus. The event, which has been part of DOORWAYS history for the last 30 years, provides an opportunity to honor and thank those many volunteers who support DOORWAYS throughout the year and to announce the new board slate of officers, welcome new board members and acknowledge those members whose terms are completed. 

Honorees for 2023 are Ed Giganti, who received the Michael Edlin Award in recognition of his time on the Board of Directors, serving on multiple committees, including the RED Dinner and Governance. Ed served as Board Chairman during the Beyond Tonight Campaign and Jefferson Avenue Campus construction and continues on as a volunteer in the Finance Department.

The Generosity Award was presented to Don Foster and Keith Thompson for their past and ongoing thoughtfulness and generosity. Foster and Thompson find unique ways to encourage others to get involved with DOORWAYS, whether it be hosting pool parties at their home, receptions for the Friends in Deed, or supporting the RED Gala with a Patron Table. The couple were donors to the Beyond Tonight Capital Campaign and maintain membership in the Keystone and the Legacy Society.

The Volunteer Award was presented to Tracy Stone. As a donor, she is a member of the Keystone Society. As a volunteer, she serves as a member of the Friends In Deed Core Leadership Team attending events and helping with service projects. For several years she has served on the RED Dinner Committee, and has helped in various roles, often bringing her friends along. Through her leadership in Bank of America’s Pride Employee Resource group she has been instrumental in keeping the LGBTQ+ EN involved in service projects at the agency. Whenever there is a need or a job needing to be done, Tracy is the first to step forward and help. 

DOORWAYS in its mission to provide safe and affordable housing to people affected by HIV, has partnered with the City of Saint Louis in many capacities over the years. 

In recognition of our 35^th Anniversary, Nick Dunne, Public Information Officer and Spokesperson for Mayor Jones, presented DOORWAYS President & CEO, Opal Jones, and Board Chair, Gene Pulliam, a Mayoral Proclamation from Mayor Tishaura Jones designating Wednesday, September 13 as “DOORWAYS – 35 Years Strong – Day” in the City of St. Louis.

Thank you to all these and all the wonderful volunteers who give of their time to help further our mission!

Employment Alliance

Earlier this year, DOORWAYS welcomed a new Director of Career Services and Job Placement, Tricia O’Brien. O’Brien quickly recognized the need to offer clients a broader array of services, such as high-school equivalency classes, skill development sessions, job training, certification testing services, union membership, transportation, etc. Historically, there has been minimal leadership committed to help disadvantaged people in the City of St. Louis find and retain meaningful employment.

Through a grant from the Norman J. Stupp Foundation – Commerce Bank Trustee, DOORWAYS was able to address this gap by forming the Employment Alliance, which each month gathers professionals involved in any aspect of services assisting clients residing in the City of St. Louis with their journey to independence through income. We were delighted to welcome Cynthia Crim, Foundation Manager in Charitable Contributions at Commerce Bank, who manages giving through the Stupp Foundation, as a special guest to the September 6, 2023, Alliance meeting.

With an average attendance of 30, in the first six months, the Employment Alliance attracted 70 participants. This success demonstrates that these specialized employment professionals indeed desire a collaborative employment effort to better serve clients, rather than each individually blazing trails for client resources, training programs, and job opportunities.

The first Job Fair sponsored by the Employment Alliance will be held October 11^th with a goal of 18-20 employers. This collaboration will benefit clients and the agencies serving them, but also employers whose community priority includes hiring people battling inequities and dis-equality. According to O’Brien, it is more efficient and effective for employers when they have access to a larger pool of candidates. Gathering multiple clients is difficult for a single agency, but possible when working collectively. Additionally, employers experiencing successful hiring through Alliance members are more likely to seek candidates from this pool.

For information on participating in the Employment Alliance or reserving a recruiting table at the job fair, please contact Tricia O’Brien, director of the DOORWAYS career services and job placement activities: tobrien@doorwayshousing.org or 314-328-2715.

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.

Here are current open positions available agency-wide:

COOPER HOUSE:

Activities Coordinator

Building and Grounds Specialist

Charge Nurse - LPN or RN

CNA

Resident Advocates - Both Cooper House and Jefferson Avenue Campus

JEFFERSON AVENUE CAMPUS:

Comprehensive Flex Housing Care Coordinator

Housing Navigator

Housing Resource Specialist

Maintenance Technician

Resident Advocates - Both Cooper House and Jefferson Avenue Campus

SURE Case Manager

A full list of job opportunities and their descriptions can be found here.

Tower Grove Pride

DOORWAYS Friends In Deed will be staffing and hosting a booth at the Tower Grove Pride Festival the weekend of September 23. The festival is open Saturday, September 23 from 11am-6pm and Sunday, September 24 from 11am-5pm. Please mark your calendars and plan to attend this family-friendly event.

Please come visit our booth (HBC-44) located in Humbolt Circle on the South-West side of Main Drive) at Tower Grove Park on Saturday and Sunday.

VOLUNTEERS STILL NEEDED:

We are still looking for a few more volunteers for a couple of afternoon shifts. If you would like to volunteer at our booth, play some games and help share our mission on Saturday and/or Sunday. Click here to sign up.  

BYOBoo Trivia - Saturday, October 21

GET YOUR TICKETS NOW AND RESERVE YOUR TABLES NOW!

Friends In Deed ByoBOO! Trivia Night is Saturday, October 21 at the Glazier’s Union Hall. Join us for a fast-paced evening of trivia, DEAD or ALIVE, Heads or Tails, and a 50/50. The event includes a bewitching Basket Raffle, a decadent Wine Pull, complimentary beer from our friends at Urban Chestnut, and fresh-popped popcorn. 

Wear a costume – win a prize!! Prizes given for best Individual Costume and Best Table Decor or Group Costume.

Visit www.doorwaysevents.org for more information, sponsorship opportunities or to purchase tickets!

We are also looking for a few volunteers to help during trivia. If interested please contact Michael Mullins at mmullins@doorwayshousing.org.

Saturday, October 21, 2023           

Glazier's Union Hall

5916 Wilson Ave., 63110

I-44 and Hampton  



Doors open at 6:00pm.               

Trivia begins at 7:00pm.              

Fun happens all night!   



Queen of Hearts Raffle...Continues

The Famous Bar, tucked away just a few blocks from the intersection of Chippewa and S. Kingshighway, has designated DOORWAYS as the recipient of 25% of the final jackpot from their Queen of Hearts Raffle*. Raffle tickets are sold every Tuesday from 5:00 – 7:00 PM for $1.00 each, there is no limit to the number of tickets that may be purchased. You must be present to win. The current jackpot is almost $5,000.

Please visit and support those who support us! 

The Famous Bar

5213 Chippewa Street

St. Louis, MO 63109