Update: What happened at the Center in 2021?

The realization of the St. Louis Guanella Village has been the innovation carried out at St. Louis Center. The year of grace 2021 became the year of the full implementation of this vision; the minor program was closed in June and the Center implemented the strategic plan of serving only adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, especially those who are aging. Even with this direction the Center and its services are still a lighthouse of HOPE for many people and for the whole society, continuing to proclaim the great dignity of any human person.

The Good Lord has called to Himself our beloved Dawn Dietrich, who is now with her mother, Judi, and her aunt, Karen. During the latest part of her life with us, we engaged hospice and nursing services to take care of her needs.

A New Strategic Approach

The buildings used by minors are now housing adults offering them opportunities for greater independence. This approach is also in line with the trend of having fewer people under the same roof.

A good group of residents have found work with Chelsea businesses and have engaged the W.A.V.E. door-to-door public transportation to go to work and return to the Center, enabling them to have more personal independence and greater integration with the larger community.

Planning for the St. Louis Guanella Village, we envisioned having families living next to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in an integrated fashion. After a lot of work, several meetings with people familiar with the rental process, and other organizations which offer similar services, SLC welcomed families into the single-family home and one duplex. The vision has become a reality!

The pandemic still ruled society in 2021! We have been able, with great caution, to hold some fund-raising activities in-person during the summer and early fall. Others were canceled because of the new wave of the pandemic. All the residents got the vaccine shots and the booster thus receiving more protection against the virus.

Thank you!

I want to thank all of you for responding to our request for help with the financial needs of the Center’s benevolent care program. Many outstanding benefactors and organizations came to help us in this effort. One organization I would like to mention is the Michigan Knights of Columbus State Council, which put forward a matching fund donation.

Thank you again for your great help, love, and support and I wish all of you many graces and blessings from God for joining the Center in its services of love and hope.

 

Fr. Enzo Addari, SdC
CEO, St. Louis Center


This post is on page 3 of St. Louis Center’s 2021 Annual Report 2021.

Read St. Louis Center 2021 Annual Report


If this article or any of the stories of inspiration shared in St. Louis Center’s Annual Report move you, please consider a donation of any amount in support of the Center’s Benevolent Care fund.

St. Louis Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization
Federal Tax ID: 38-6038121.

79% of donations received go to the care of the Center’s residents.

According to the 2020 audit, St. Louis Center administrative and overhead expenses were only 21%, in line with well-managed nonprofit best practices. You can be confident that your donation to the Center is going to good use.