ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. — St. Louis County Children’s Service Fund (CSF) has awarded The SoulFisher Ministries (TSM) a $150,000 grant to support health and wellness for youth.
Over the past 11 years, CSF has invested over $400 million into local non-profits and government agencies.
While the COVID-19 pandemic has taken a toll on millions of people, globally, children and youth are particularly vulnerable to its effects. Laptop and tablet computers became vital to virtual classroom success, leaving thousands of students in low-income school districts behind. Students also lost access to school meals, which is a key source of nutrition for many.
TSM’s Educate Now to Achieve Later (ENAL) After-School Program targets negative effects of the pandemic on youth in the community. Its goal is to help break the school-to-prison pipeline.
Shawntelle L. Fisher, TSM founder and CEO, said ENAL “is committed to ensuring that we remain innovative and relevant in our approach to meeting the needs of our students and families. We refuse to shrink back and will continue to walk side by side with our students, their parents, and the Riverview Gardens School District as we heal together," Fisher said.
Fisher became a mother at 15 and was convicted on a felony charge two years later. After her seventh incarceration, she transformed her life, attended college and founded SoulFisher Ministries.
She graduated with respective Master of Social Work and Master of Divinity degrees from Washington University Brown School and Eden Theological Seminary in 2018.
TSM also serves justice-involved women through its Adult General Academic Program of Education (AGAPE) Reentry program. The program promotes restorative justice and breaks down barriers for currently and formerly incarcerated women.
The ministry also partners with youth organizations, including Girls on the Run and Circus Harmony. Girls on the Run empowers girls to build confidence and improve social, emotional, and physical health. Circus Harmony uses circus art education to build character, teach valuable life skills, and inspire social change.
To learn more about TSM programs or explore valuable resources for mental health services, please visit https://www.thesoulfisherministries.com.
Over the past 11 years, CSF has invested over 400 million dollars into local non-profits and government agencies.