Belle Center in U City Awarded $12,000 Grant

The Belle Center in University City has been awarded a $12,000 grant from the The Spirit of St. Louis Women's Fund (SOS).

The Belle Center provides a progressive, family-centered inclusive approach to education for children with delays and disabilities.

In all, the Spirit of St. Louis (SOS) Women’s Fund awarded nearly $210,000 dollars in grants this year, to 13 nonprofits across the metro St. Louis area.

Founded in 2006, the Spirit of St. Louis (SOS) Women’s Fund connects women across the St. Louis region to collectively strengthen the community through informed, focused grant-making.

Below are the other 2011 grant recipients, their mission and grant awards:

• Aim High St. Louis offers a tuition-free academic enrichment program to empower and motivate high-risk, low-income middle school students; $25,000.

•  Almost Home provides housing, life skills and training to previously homeless teenage mothers and their children seeking to break the cycle of poverty; $10,000.

• The Belle Center promotes a progressive, family-centered inclusive approach to education and community life that supports children with severe disabilities; $12,000.

• Gateway Greening promotes urban neighborhood vitality and stability, healthy living and quality of life through community food projects, education and wellness programs; $25,000.

• Gateway to Hope arranges breast cancer treatment for uninsured and underinsured individuals who are not eligible for publicly funded treatment programs; $7,500.

• Let’s Start assists women and the children and families of women transitioning from life in prison back into society; $15,000.

• The Little Bit Foundation builds partnerships with St. Louis schools to provide essential support to disadvantaged children; $20,000.

• Lydia’s House helps victims of domestic violence with transitional housing, community resources and long-term planning for education, employment, childcare and housing; $20,000. 

• Project Backpack provides backpacks filled with personal necessities and comfort items to children removed from their homes due to neglect and domestic violence; $15,000. 

• South Side Day Nursery offers year-round childcare, educational services and support to improve the health and development of economically disadvantaged children and their families; $20,000. 

• St. Louis HELP provides individuals with mobility problems and disabilities access to free assistive technology medical equipment; $10,000.

• Volunteers in Medicine provides free clinics to serve the uninsured and underinsured in St. Charles and Lincoln counties; $20,000.

• Walker Scottish Rite Clinic for Childhood Language Disorder teaches two- through six-year-old children with speech and language disorders communication skills needed to succeed in life; $10,000. 

To learn more or join SOS, visit www.soswomensfund.org or call (314) 880-4968.