Dear Jorge ,

I hope you had an enjoyable Labor Day weekend!

If you are an ongoing reader of The INterface, you've seen how much Delmar DivINe has accomplished in a fairly short period of time. From programming to infrastructure to community engagement, we've gotten a lot done.

There's so much to point at that we sometimes forget the extent to which we have made good on one of our bread-and-butter objectives: to be a place where nonprofits and stakeholders convene to improve the lives of people in our region.

Some recently compiled statistics shine a light on this. The property went from a derelict set of buildings to a campus where, through August of 2024, over 800 people work, some 200 people live, more than 25,000 people have visited, and in excess of 10,000 hours have been utilized in gatherings and conferences with the purpose of creating a better future (just keep reading this edition of The INterface to see the latest examples).

Whether it is the Obama Foundation finding ways to address opportunity gaps faced by boys and young men of color, or Washington University helping refugees obtain employment, or the daily connections that our 33 nonprofits make to serve the thousands of people who are their clients and constituents, Delmar DivINe provides the environment and support to facilitate the work. It is an exciting time for Delmar DivINe and I encourage you to be part of it by volunteering or donating. In the end, we are all responsible for working together to make St. Louis a wonderful place to live and work.

Sincerely,

Jorge Riopedre

Executive Director, Delmar DivINe

Aug. 9, 2024, marked the 10th anniversary of the death of Michael Brown, Jr. in Ferguson, Missouri. While his family has been honoring him every year and created Chosen For Change to help parents who have lost a child, this year was a special commemoration entitled, “All Roads Lead to Ferguson,” and Delmar DivINe was honored to be part of it.

The remembrance at Delmar DivINe, which took place on Aug. 8, centered on Paintings For Peace, a collection of murals painted on plywood boards that originally covered damaged building or lined the streets of Ferguson and South Grand Boulevard in St. Louis in the wake of Michael Brown’s death. The works were donated to Delmar DivINe by Carol Swartout Klein, who grew up in Ferguson and rescued the art when the buildings began reconstruction.

The day’s event was part of a larger commemoration which started at the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis. It formed part of a series of week-long events that included a unity walk, a concert, and a documentary screening. Families came from all over the country to join in the memorial, including other parents who lost children in incidents involving law enforcement. Other events were held throughout the weekend.

Maxine Clark, founder of Delmar DivINe, was grateful to be part of the commemorations. “I realized after Michael Brown Jr. was killed that there was a need for a place for more agencies of change to collaborate.  That’s what animates Delmar DivINe today, and I hope the project will continue to play a role in lasting change for our region.”

Navigate STL Schools, an agency that helps families learn about the local school system and the school options available to them, held its third annual “Fall into School” event to mark the beginning of the school year. It brought together a diverse group of nearly 25 vendors, including local businesses, educational institutions, nonprofit organizations, and community service providers. The festive atmosphere, filled with excitement and anticipation, welcomed hundreds of guests, including families, educators, and community leaders. 

Throughout the day, attendees had the opportunity to explore a wide range of resources tailored to meet the needs of students and their families as they prepared for the upcoming school year. The vendors offered a comprehensive support services, from school supplies and educational materials to health services and extracurricular activity sign-ups. The event also featured engaging activities, live entertainment, and interactive workshops that entertained and educated the community on various topics related to education and family well-being.

One of the event's most notable features was its emphasis on building ties within the community, according to Anna-Stacia Allen, executive director of Navigate STL Schools.

“The event was an outstanding demonstration of community collaboration and support. By bringing together various organizations and resources in one place, the event allowed families and service providers to establish meaningful connections. This effort emphasized the value of community support in ensuring that all children have access to the resources they require to flourish academically and personally,” Allen said.

The STL Pre-K Cooperative, in collaboration with AppleTree Institute, provided training over two days to personnel from St. Louis Language Immersion School, Gateway Science Academy, Premier Charter Academy, Atlas Public School, Momentum Academy, and Northside Community School.

The first day of the seminar was for new teachers. Seasoned teachers came in for the second day of instruction. Everyone learned about lesson planning, curriculum implementation, and keys to delivering high-quality instruction.

The sessions will help everyone connected with the participating schools achieve the goal of having at least 85% of the students ready for kindergarten the following year.

Delmar DivINe recently hosted a celebration of a unique book bringing St. Louis women of all backgrounds together. The event included a panel discussion moderated by veteran broadcaster Carol Daniel.

The book, In HER Power In HER Wisdom: A Woman's Guide to Overcoming Challenges and Growing into Your Power, is an anthology about bridging the racial divide, and represents a collaboration between Dr. Marty K. Casey and Rebecca Now, two prominent figures in St. Louis. 

The anthology includes 23 authors sharing their personal stories. Maxine Clark, founder of Delmar DivINe, wrote the foreword to the book, saying, “You will experience stories of tragic loss of loved ones, overcoming a less-than-ideal upbringing, surviving being bullied and shunned, and many more stories that create a connection to our rich tapestry of human experiences. Each story in this book contains pearls of wisdom forged in a difficult time in each woman’s life.”



Dr. Casey is an award-winning community leader, connector and volunteer coordinator passionate about community engagement. She is the founder of the UnGun Institute, which includes a team of professionals to help communities of all races and colors heal from collective and individual trauma. With a background in theater, Dr. Casey is a self-described “actrivist” with a global reach.

Rebecca Now is an award-winning author of the recent book Borrowed Courage and is the founder and director of Voices of American HERstory, bringing women’s history to life in performance and video. She is also a recently elected alderwoman for Crestwood, Missouri.

A digital edition of the book is on sale for $1.99. Printed books will be available in mid-September.

With summer heat keeping things warm outside, the Wisdom Café has been keeping things cool inside our Ameren Community Convening Room and conference rooms for activities like the inception of the Chess Club. The game is taught by Wisdom Cafe member and nationally competitive player Michael Abron. The Chess Club meets every Tuesday from 11:30-12:30 p.m. and will run until Dec. 17, 2024. All levels and skill of chess are welcome, and members are exploring a Wisdom Cafe chess tournament.

Later in the month Molly Rater, a nurse practitioner and chair of Delmar DivINe’s Community Collaborative Board, shared her knowledge of hypertension with Wisdom Cafe members via a “Lunch 'n' Learn” event. She shared recommendations for managing hypertension through lifestyle changes, discussed available medication types, and offered blood pressure screenings, all of which the attendees said were "very useful" and "much needed.”

HOSCO provided a cooking demonstration near the end of August and shared two recipes. Their commitment to diabetic-friendly and delicious meals is a favorite with Wisdom Cafe members. HOSCO’s chefs also engaged audience members with 20 minutes of food trivia as they sampled shrimp and grits. Participants left with a take home meal and recipe cards.

The month closed with Ann Mohr of Project Present STL. Ann uses her love of theater to connect people, and for the Wisdom Café she had the members sit in a circle and unleash their silly selves during an hour of improvisational acting that included storytelling, movement, and laughter. Ann will return in September to lead an improv session, emphasizing dialogues about Alzheimer’s and dementia. The cafe will also host a quarterly celebration, have an attorney discuss estate planning, and bring back chair aerobics, and “Sex After 60."

In the latest edition of The Dialogue at Delmar DivINe podcast, Southern Region Executive Director for IFF Stephen Westbrooks discusses the organization's mission and how it champions nonprofits across the Midwest to shape more equitable and vibrant regions through community-centered lending, development, and real estate solutions.

Stephen Westbrooks

Self-Care Is the Best Care

TSM Getting the Most and the Best From the Team

The SoulFisher Ministries (TSM) held a team training at Delmar DivINe on Aug. 14 and 16 expertly facilitated by Marnee Morgan of Morgan Graves Consultants.

The first day staff had profound discussions on the difference between investment and commitment, highlighting the importance of effective communication for organizational success. The second day shifted focus to self-care, self-value, and the establishment of healthy boundaries essential for presenting one's best self in the workplace.

"This training not only reflects TSM's commitment to professional development and employee wellness, but also reinforces our goal to create a supportive environment that uplifts youth and formerly incarcerated individuals," Shawntelle Fisher, founder and chief executive of TSM, said,

(Clockwise from top left): Illumine Solutions Group owner Jana Haywood (right) presents the "Women in Leadership Award" to Delmar DivINe's Founder Maxine Clark.

* The staff of Mary Margaret Daycare & Learning Center holds their training session in the Ameren Community Convening Room as part of their preparation to become a Missouri Accredited Childcare Center.

* Suzanne Sierra and Betsy Cohen (foreground, left to right) of the St. Louis Mosaic Project hold the first of a series of job search workshops for the students of WashU's Empower program.

* The Opportunity Trust convenes stakeholders for lunch in the Schnuck Collaboration Cafe.

* Delmar DivINe's Community Engagement Manager Candess Cotton (second from left) welcomes the team from BJC Home Care.

* WashU first-year students tour Delmar DivINe to learn about the history of the area and find engagement opportunities across the 33 nonprofits housed on the campus.