ST. LOUIS — Dozens of people came to Sweetie Pie's Upper Crust on Delmar Monday afternoon for the first round of information sessions for the brand new Neighborhood Net program.
The program is a collaboration between Better Family Life and St. Louis Public Schools to create a safe space for students getting on and off of the bus for the first week of school.
Janice Dickerson said the program gives her peace of mind. Her 15-year-old daughter walks to her bus stop when it is still dark in morning.
"Sometimes I can drive her, but I have to get to work," Dickerson said. "My husband can't go with her because he works overnight."
Dickerson said her neighborhood is plagued with vacant lots, overgrown lawns and stories of violence.
"There have been many incidents in the neighborhood," Dickerson said.
Without another option for her daughter to get to school, she said having adults stand watch makes her feel better. Her daughter, Savannah Allen, said it feels good knowing people want to volunteer.
"It's good to know they care," Allen said. "They just need to know they care."
Allen described her walk to her bus stop as "scary" and "cautious", but she said she is used to it.
Mike Prather signed up to volunteer. He lives in Chesterfield but plans to participate.
"Kids shouldn't have an issue in the morning getting to the bus to go to school," Prather said.
SLPS identified 225 bus stops that sit at areas that are vulnerable, for reasons like high crime rates or sitting near vacant lots. Twenty of those stops are in South St. Louis, the others are in North St. Louis in Hayden's Rectangle.
SLPS and Better Family Life hope to have two volunteers for each of those spots, so they're aiming for 500.
Volunteers must undergo a background check, and they have the opportunity to select which neighborhoods they would prefer to work in. Volunteers are selecting time slots to serve in the morning and afternoons once the kids are dropped back off.
A second round of informational sessions will be held at Sweetie Pie's on Tuesday from 5 to 7 p.m.
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