ST. LOUIS — "All our services are free to the families that we care for," said Dr. Carla Monroe-Posey, the Executive Director of St. Vincent Home For Children on Florissant Road in North St. Louis County.
For nearly two centuries, staff members and volunteers at St. Vincent Home For Children have provided a variety of services to at-risk youth and their struggling with emotional and behavioral issues.
The organization started in 1850 as an orphanage in response to a cholera epidemic.
"Our focus has always been on taking care of kids," said Dr. Carla Monroe-Posey.
These days, St. Vincent's Executive Director, Dr. Carla Monroe-Posey, and her team are "taking care of kids" in the midst of a coronavirus pandemic.
About two dozen teenagers between the ages of 10 and 19 currently live at St. Vincent.
"It's a scary time for everybody including our staff," said Dr. Monroe-Posey.
In an effort to keep everyone safe, the non-profit agency is not allowing any visitors inside the building at this time.
"Any person who enters the building because we have staff, of course, coming in as well as certain kinds of officials who absolutely can come in, they all get their temperatures taken," added Dr. Monroe-Posey.
The 103-year-old building in North St. Louis County has undergone extensive cleaning.
All staff members are constantly washing their hands.
"And receive hand sanitizer. We've been doing that now for a couple of weeks and so all of our children and staff are healthy, " said the non-profit's Executive Director.
And as a stay-at-home order remains in effect throughout the city and county, St. Vincent's staff is serving families on-line.
"We are utilizing technology to be in contact with each family that we serve, so it's either providing them with a tablet if they need it for us to come into their home or we are communicating by telephone," said Dr. Courtney Graves, St. Vincent's Clinical Director.
Indefinite changes they say won't stop them from serving the kids.
"When you get one of those turnaround experiences, it makes everything worthwhile," said Dr. Monroe-Posey.
St. Vincent could still use more disinfectants, hand wipes and hand sanitizer, if you'd like to help them out, they'd love to receive your donation. Find more information on their website.
