Christmas came early to the residents and staff members at Kingdom House in St. Louis. Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri, GSEM, donated at least 12 Christmas baskets to the facility, located just south of downtown. Each basket had a theme, such Mexican or camping.
"It helps us bring hope to clients who live at an everyday stress level most of us don't understand," said Scott Walker, Kingdom House's executive director, of the brightly decorated baskets.
Staff members brought the baskets into the facility's gymnasium and arranged them on tables. Staff members put the baskets to immediate use as clients arrived. Community service is an integral part of Girl Scouting. Annually, GSEM provides one million hours of service, valued at $19 million.
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"This is another wonderful example of how the Girl Scout family always provides community service, this time with food baskets for Kingdom House day care moms who were delighted to receive them and couldn’t wait to take them home and start cooking!” said Donna K. Martin, chief executive officer of GSEM.
"It means a lot because you're helping out my family. I just love being at Kingdom House," said Beverly Moments.
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"We were so pleased to bring these baskets today," said Kathryn Kiefer, chief communications officer. "The amount of care, effort and love that our staff put in to assembling and decorating these baskets is overwhelming."
Kingdom House believes in transformation...from the inside out. Through a variety of services, childcare, food & clothing assistance, job training, youth and teen programs and Senior Companions, Kingdom House helps thousands yearly to achieve self-sufficiency and gain economic independence. Since 1902, Kingdom House has been transforming the lives of individuals in St. Louis.