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Everything you need to know about

Halfway To Picnic tomorrow night:

When: Saturday, February 8th at 6pm

Where: Gerstle's Place, 3801 Frankfort Ave, Louisville, KY 40207

$5 minimum donation at the door.

Music begins at 6pm in the Main Bar.

6pm - LittleBand
9pm - This That & The Other
Acoustic set by Lexy Dunn in the Patio Bar.

Two wheel games featuring everyone's favorite, St. Patrick's Cake Booth.

Three blackjack tables.

Live radio coverage by 106.9 PLAY featuring their own roulette table.

Raffles will be $1/chance. Some examples include:

A handmade quilt by the Ladies of St. Joe's Sewing Society, autograph UofL football by Scott Satterfield, tickets to UofL vs. Virginia Tech basketball game, and more!

Raffle drawings will be held at 10pm and 50/50 drawings will be held hourly.

Winners for the raffles and the 50/50 drawings will be announced from the Patio Bar stage.

Food & Drink specials brought to you by Gerstle's and 2020 Picnic Pub sponsors, Tito's Handmade Vodka, Old Forester, and Bud Light.

Limited parking available in Gerstle's parking lot and on-street parking spaces available.

For a sneak preview of the LittleBand, click here to check out their performance on John Ramsey's Listens Live.

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Check out our upcoming February events!

Learn about the process of becoming a certified foster parent or respite provider by joining us for tonight's informational meeting located at St. Joseph Children's Home. Info meetings are held the first Tuesday of every month at 5:45pm. No commitments necessary, but open hearts and minds are encouraged!

RSVP is required! For questions and/or registration, please email info@sjkids.org or call (502)-893-0241.

Click here to learn more about foster care and adoption.

Ever wondered what Picnic would be like if it were for adults only? Come to Gerstle's this Saturday evening to find out! Grab your party pants and let's have fun #ForTheKids!

Also, be sure to tune in to Wave 3's Listens Live! this Thursday at 12:30pm where St. Joe's very own, Christina Miller, will be talking Halfway To Picnic excitement with John Ramsey.

#sjkids #gerstles #HalfwayToPicnic #HTP2020

FACEBOOK EVENT PAGE

Located at Gerstle's Place

3801 Frankfort Avenue, 40207

Will you be our Valentine, Elijah?

Valentine's Day is for celebrating all forms of love so why not let St. Joe's treat you to a free lunch and tour of our home?! Not only will you get to learn more about the great work we do, but guests will partake in a delicious lunch prepared by our on-site Chef.

This event is from 11:30a-12:30p. Please RSVP to attend by contacting info@sjkids.org or call (502)-893-0241, ext 237.

Click here for a full list of 2020 Eat & Greet dates.

Have you tried Heine Brothers' coffee?

We are pleased to announce that our fellow neighbor and friends at Heine Brothers' coffee chose St. Joe's to be one of their impact partners for this quarter. For every bag of Mountain Dream sold, St. Joseph Children's Home will receive $1 from the purchase.

Look up your local Heine Brothers' locations here.

Stay tuned for more ways to show love to #sjkids this February!

GET INVOLVED

SCHEDULE A TOUR

REPORT ABUSE

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How will you spread #sjlove this month?

At St. Joe's, we have seen firsthand how unconditional love can transform a child's life for the better. This February, we encourage you to spread a little love to the community through acts of kindness.

One way to do this is by printing off a random acts of kindness calendar like our youngest girls (ages 5-10) in the Residential Treatment program have done. By participating in a month long crusade of kindness towards themselves and others, our children learn the importance of showing kindness and love in healthy ways.

Another simple way to spread #sjlove this week is by sharing a St. Joe's Valentine's Day card!

For desktop, simply right click on the image and click "save as picture."
For mobile, click on the image(s) you want and follow your browser's directions to copy and paste, save, or download your digital card.

Please feel free to share these on your Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter with the hashtag #sjlove!

We definitely feel the love of our supporters every day and hope you have a wonderful Valentine's Day!

SHOP WITH LOVE

GIVE WITH LOVE

FOSTER WITH LOVE

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Need to get rid of some gently-used items during your spring cleaning? Starting March 9th at 3pm, you can bring your items to St. Joe's to be donated to the Boutique Thrift Sale. All proceeds from this event will be donated back to St. Joe's kids and families!

LEARN MORE

Volunteers are needed for collection, sorting, and sales! This is a great opportunity for youth to gain service hours for school as well as corporate and faith groups to help St. Joseph Children's Home.

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Give For Good Louisville has officially started!

Elijah, you have until 11:59pm (EST) tonight to give to your favorite nonprofits in Louisville at giveforgoodlouisville.org.

By participating in Louisville''s biggest day of local giving, St. Joe''s will have the opportunity to earn bonus cash prizes as well as share our impactful mission of Giving Children A Home. The great news is that if St. Joe''s is able to raise $40k today, our total will double to $80k thanks to the $40k challenge gift we received from a generous donor!

The pandemic has hit the most vulnerable members of our community the hardest. So today, let''s be a force for good and make sure that St. Joe''s children and families have everything they need to continue thriving! Stay tuned for more email updates throughout the day and thank you for believing in St. Joe''s!

See how your support in 2019 made a real difference in the life of a child by checking out St. Joe''s Impact Report.

SHARE OUR GIVE FOR GOOD LINK & BECOME A FUNDRAISER:

giveforgoodlouisville.org/organizations/st-joseph-children-s-home

Already gave but still want to help?

Share the flyer below with at least three friends, colleagues, or family members as well as on your social media platforms.

Download the flyer here!

For questions or comments, please contact info@sjkids.org.

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Happy Friday, Elijah!

We are 13 days away from Picnic weekend on August 7th and 8th and already, the community is coming together to support St. Joe''s kids and families. As of this morning, our #SJPicnic online fundraisers have raised nearly $36k! Our #SJPicnic fundraising campaign goal is to raise $100k and we''re over a quarter of the way there!

Special shout out to #SJPicnic fundraiser, long-time Picnic volunteer and current board member, Cheryl Fischer (see pictured below), who is in first place! Well done, Cheryl!

The Hillebrand Family & Friends Cotton Candy Booth are following close behind in second place, with the Kroger Booth in third place. Great job!

Click here to donate to your favorite booths and/or register to become a fundraiser!

Keep scrolling to see what to expect on August 7th & 8th!

Karaoke LIVE! Contest

August 7th, 7-8pm (EST)

Hosted By NoraeBar.

St. Joe''s and Fund for the Arts are teaming up to bring you our version of American Idol via live stream on St. Joe''s Facebook page!

Our featured singers are local celebrities and their identities will be revealed in the coming weeks leading up to Picnic weekend on August 7th and 8th (Hint: One prefers crowns over hats.). Viewers can vote for their favorite singer at $1/vote with all proceeds benefiting St. Joseph Children''s Home and Fund for the Arts.

Special shout out to our charity partner, Fund for the Arts, who have supported our Residential Treatment program by funding arts-related initiatives such as dramatic performances, dancing, music, photography, and more!

Learn more about Fund for the Arts

Cash/Coin Drop Off

August 8th, noon - 5pm (EST)

Sponsored By Byerly Ford

Keep the giving spirit of St. Joe’s Picnic alive by dropping off your dimes, quarters, and cash donations on Picnic Day, August 8th. Drive through only. For your safety as well as ours, please be sure to wear your mask.

Online Picnic Raffle

Winners announced August 8th at 9pm (EST)

via live stream on St. Joe''s Facebook page.

The picture above is only a taste of what you can find on our online raffle page. From private distillery packages to VIP sports experiences, there is something for everyone to enjoy!

PURCHASE TICKETS

HOW TO PAY BY CREDIT CARD

Pictured left to right: Sister Annette Rutledge, Sister Julia Davis, Sister Alodia Thomas and Sister Loretta Guenther (1984)

Did you know that 160 Ursuline Sisters of Louisville served at St. Joseph Children''s Home for over a century from 1897-2010? The last Sister to serve at St. Joe''s, Sister Loretta Guenther, was a houseparent at St. Joseph''s Orphanage for 36 years, from 1974 to 2010.

Now retired, Sister Loretta, loves remembering "her kids," as she calls them. One in particular, Larry Miller, calls her "Mom." The two are very close—he has even visited her via window at Nazareth Home-Clifton during the pandemic and his family and friends all write to Sister Loretta. Prior to the pandemic, Larry would bring her treats, including a chicken dinner from St. Joe''s picnic one year when she was ill and could not attend! Sister Loretta says, "I love God, I love children. God has been so good to me and Larry has been so kind to me."

Do you have a special memory about St. Joe''s or the Picnic? We want to hear your story! Please send your experiences to info@sjkids.org.

“At Arby’s, we aim to make a difference in the communities where we live and serve. Through the Arby’s Foundation, we’re honored to support St. Joseph Children’s Home in providing safe and loving homes for children in Kentucky.”

- Tye Pollak, Sr. Director, Operations, Arby’s Louisville⠀

Thank you to our 2020 Picnic Sponsors for

Giving Children A Home

PREMIER SPONSORS:

Arby''s Foundation & Air Hydro Power

T-Mobile

Kelley Construction

In Memory of Ursuline Sister Annette

Altruis

Atlas Brown

IBEW Local 369

LG&E

Kosair Charities

Zoeller Pump Company

Byerly Ford

Kentucky Select Properties

Ohio Valley Wresting

Pepsi Co

Friends of St. Joe''s

Summit Media including

107.1 The Eagle, 103.9 The Groove, 106.9 PLAY, Q103.1

Delta Electric

Bud Light

A Another Room Self Storage #9

Abel Construction

Woodford Reserve

Old Forester

Barefoot Wine

Tito''s Vodka

Enter the virtual 171st St. Joe’s Picnic For The Kids by visiting www.sjkids.org. For questions, please contact info@sjkids.org.

Schedule of #SJPicnic Events & Contests

Download the Picnic Social Media Kit & Graphics

Download the 2019 Impact Report

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At St. Joe’s, it is our mission to help children not only heal from their trauma but prepare them to succeed in life. The reality is that our children of color who have endured unspeakable traumas already will continue to be at risk because they will be perceived as different and a target for further violence. These are the realities for our children and the heartbreaks that we endure every day.

During this time of injustice and racial divide, St. Joe’s recognizes the need to be part of the healing for the Louisville community. The sign below reads "Your Life Matters." Having a diverse staff that serves our St. Joe’s kids, many of whom are African American boys and girls, we want to be very clear in unequivocally stating that #BlackLivesMatter.

As we are committed to these messages that Black Lives Matter and Your Life Matters, we emphatically encourage any business, nonprofit organization, and individual to make a positive difference in your circles of influence.

As parents and caregivers, we can create a more compassionate world by talking to children about racial bias. 🌎💕

Click here to learn how racial bias works in children, as well as strategies to help children deal with and react to racial differences.

Click here for more helpful resources.

COVID-19 resources & links

Download the 2019 Impact Report

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Elijah, May''s Foster Care Month may be coming to a close but we will never stop celebrating the courage of our foster parents for taking a chance on St. Joe''s kids.

At St. Joe''s, we believe that fostering is one of the most selfless acts a person can do. Time and time again, foster parents invest their energy and love into a child, only to later say "good bye" as their child reunites with their family once more. While letting go is bittersweet, the opportunity to give a child some semblance of stability and care for a brief moment in their life makes it all worth it.

For good vibes and sweet moments, click on the video below and see the St. Joe''s foster care team deliver their messages of gratitude to our foster parents.

A special thank you to all of St. Joe''s foster parents

Check out St. Joe''s Foster Care Stats below:

15 homes certified so far this year with six of those homes being completed since the COVID-19 restrictions were implemented. Six more homes are in the process of being certified as we speak!
12 new families are currently participating in St. Joe''s certification classes.

St. Joe''s celebrated our third adoption last week via Zoom with 20 plus family and friends virtually present. Congrats to the Holden-Prather family and we''re so happy for you! With the family courts reopening, we are expected to have more adoptions as the year progresses.

No matter the situation, time, or place, St. Joe''s will always be there to support our foster families. Your donations make that possible and we appreciate your support!

Thank you to all of our amazing friends and supporters who have mailed back their gifts so far from the Spring mailer. We recognize that a lot of people are struggling and appreciate any giving amount that people are capable of providing during these unprecedented times. Every dollar makes a difference and we can''t say "thank you" enough!

Make a gift

COVID-19 resources & links

Download the 2019 Impact Report

Schedule a 1:1 foster care info virtual meeting

Join us for #FamilyKindnessDayKY

The Face It Movement wants to highlight a group of people who are often unsung heroes. They are THE front line for our kids – Kentucky''s parents and caregivers. We''re claiming the first week of June as a time to honor and show our support for these folks. Join us in virtually celebrating these heroes on Saturday, June 6^th for Face It’s Family Kindness Day!

During the first week of June:

Identify a parent or caregiver who is ‘rocking it’ for their children and complete a random act of kindness for them
Capture your act of kindness through a video or picture
Share it with Face It on social media using the hashtag #FamilyKindnessDayKY
By doing so, the parent/caregiver’s names you’re highlighting will be placed in a drawing for a gift card! (Which would be ANOTHER kind act for them!)

On June 6^th, join us for a Face It Family Kindness Day sharing blitz on Facebook and Instagram where, together, we can encourage and further promote kindness to our community.

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Hi Elijah!

Is it just us or did March seem like it lasted a whole year? As we finally transition into April, we are counting our blessings at St. Joe''s and soaking in as much sunshine as we can. Here''s what you can expect from St. Joe''s this month:

If you''re on our mailing list, then you may have already seen that beautiful photo of Katrina and her father above. Looking at this photo reminds us of happier times and we hope it puts a smile on your face like it did us. Expect to receive more mail from St. Joe''s later this month as we share with you how the Grose family navigates fostering and taking care of Katrina''s special needs through the COVID-19 pandemic.

If you would like to receive mail from us, please send your name and current address to info@sjkids.org.

Every day at 5pm, St. Joe''s tunes in to watch Governor Beshear''s daily briefing and remain updated on what is happening to children and families across the state. We are proud to join #TeamKentucky and follow Governor Beshear''s lead by ringing our bell at 10 am. Click on the video below to hear St. Joe''s bell ringing hope throughout the Crescent Hill neighborhood.

St. Joe''s bell rings hope throughout the neighborhood.

Last week, we shared with you the great news about our Child Development Center obtaining its "Limited Duration Center" license to take care of children whose parents are first responders. Our local news stations thought it was a great story as well and featured St. Joe''s on the news!

Missed the segments? Don''t worry, because we saved the links for you! Check them out below:

WLKY Segment

Wave 3 Segment

WDRB Article

We still have open spots for child care available! If interested, please contact April Manning at aprilm@sjkids.org or call 502-893-0241, ext. 247.

St. Joe''s is HIRING!

With many people facing uncertainty about their jobs, St. Joe''s is here to offer financial security as well as the opportunity to make a difference in the community. Being home to 48 children who require 24/7 care, St. Joe''s is in great need of residential staff. In addition to offering competitive hourly wages, St. Joe''s also provides full benefits (i.e., health insurance, retirement, paid leave, etc.) as well as discounted rates for child care on the week days.

If you or someone you know may be interested, please forward them this link: www.sjkids.org/careers/

Finally, April is Child Abuse Prevention Month but like most things right now, this month just feels different. As a supporter of St. Joe''s, you are well aware of the crisis Kentucky is facing when it comes to the maltreatment of children. What we want to focus on is how you can remain an advocate for children while also remaining safe.

Isolation can lead to increased occurrences of both domestic and child abuse. That is why it is more important than ever to check on our neighbors and stay connected through virtual avenues. Write a letter of positive encouragement. Have a meal delivered to a nearby family. Small acts of kindness like that can really make a difference and make us feel less alone.

Also, parenting is hard enough and taking care of a child takes a lot of work, especially when you''re stuck in the house all day. Thankfully, our partners at Face It and Kosair Charities are here to provide parents with the resources they need to keep families healthy and safe. Visit www.faceitabuse.org to learn more.

For resources on educational activities, COVID-19 updates, as well as food, medical, financial, and elderly assistance, please visit our page at www.sjkids.org/covid19-info/

We are in this together, Elijah. If you need anything, please don''t hesitate to reach out to us.

COVID-19 resources & links

I want more info about child care.

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Hi Elijah!

Is it just us or did March seem like it lasted a whole year? As we finally transition into April, we are counting our blessings at St. Joe''s and soaking in as much sunshine as we can. Here''s what you can expect from St. Joe''s this month:

If you''re on our mailing list, then you may have already seen that beautiful photo of Katrina and her father above. Looking at this photo reminds us of happier times and we hope it puts a smile on your face like it did us. Expect to receive more mail from St. Joe''s later this month as we share with you how the Grose family navigates fostering and taking care of Katrina''s special needs through the COVID-19 pandemic.

If you would like to receive mail from us, please send your name and current address to info@sjkids.org.

Every day at 5pm, St. Joe''s tunes in to watch Governor Beshear''s daily briefing and remain updated on what is happening to children and families across the state. We are proud to join #TeamKentucky and follow Governor Beshear''s lead by ringing our bell at 10 am. Click on the video below to hear St. Joe''s bell ringing hope throughout the Crescent Hill neighborhood.

Last week, we shared with you the great news about our Child Development Center obtaining its "Limited Duration Center" license to take care of children whose parents are first responders. Our local news stations thought it was a great story as well and featured St. Joe''s on the news!

Missed the segments? Don''t worry, because we saved the links for you! Check them out below:

WLKY Segment

Wave 3 Segment

WDRB Article

We still have open spots for child care available! If interested, please contact April Manning at aprilm@sjkids.org or call 502-893-0241, ext. 247.

St. Joe''s is HIRING!

With many people facing uncertainty about their jobs, St. Joe''s is here to offer financial security as well as the opportunity to make a difference in the community. Being home to 48 children who require 24/7 care, St. Joe''s is in great need of residential staff. In addition to offering competitive hourly wages, St. Joe''s also provides full benefits (i.e., health insurance, retirement, paid leave, etc.) as well as discounted rates for child care on the week days.

If you or someone you know may be interested, please forward them this link: www.sjkids.org/careers/

Finally, April is Child Abuse Prevention Month but like most things right now, this month just feels different. As a supporter of St. Joe''s, you are well aware of the crisis Kentucky is facing when it comes to the maltreatment of children. What we want to focus on is how you can remain an advocate for children while also remaining safe.

Isolation can lead to increased occurrences of both domestic and child abuse. That is why it is more important than ever to check on our neighbors and stay connected through virtual avenues. Write a letter of positive encouragement. Have a meal delivered to a nearby family. Small acts of kindness like that can really make a difference and make us feel less alone.

Also, parenting is hard enough and taking care of a child takes a lot of work, especially when you''re stuck in the house all day. Thankfully, our partners at Face It and Kosair Charities are here to provide parents with the resources they need to keep families healthy and safe. Visit www.faceitabuse.org to learn more.

For resources on educational activities, COVID-19 updates, as well as food, medical, financial, and elderly assistance, please visit our page at www.sjkids.org/covid19-info/

We are in this together, Elijah. If you need anything, please don''t hesitate to reach out to us.

COVID-19 resources & links

I want more info about child care.

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We are absolutely blown away by the community''s generosity during Give For Good Louisville! Elijah, thank you for supporting our children, now and always!

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Hi Elijah,

As the entire community adapts their lives to the ever-evolving COVID-19 crisis, St. Joe''s remains on the forefront of continuing to help children and families in need. Here''s some good news guaranteed to brighten up your news feed:

Photo above by Falls City Photography

With a lot of events getting rescheduled, rest assured that our 171st St. Joe’s Picnic For The Kids is STILL SET for August 7th and 8th! We cannot wait for social distancing to be a thing of the past so we can embrace our family and friends again. Just remember, there is a light at the end of this tunnel!

In more great news, St. Joe’s Child Development Center was given a Limited Duration Center license by the Office of Inspector General in order to continue providing child care to families who are essential first responders during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It just made sense that we would apply to be licensed as a Limited Duration Center given that many of our employees are on the front lines every day taking care of our children in both the residential treatment and foster care programs. Plus, we have a number of parents whose professions qualify to receive this type of child care and it was important for us to support them,” said St. Joe’s Child Development Center Director, April Manning (see pictured).

St. Joseph Children’s Home is one of the few agencies in the state currently providing child care under this license and will be able to serve only a limited number of children (75) from a limited population and will be open for limited hours (M-F 8:30 AM – 5:30 PM). Due to these limitations, St. Joe’s employees, St. Joe’s families currently enrolled, and employees of other residential facilities aka, “sister agencies,” (ex. Home of the Innocents) have been given the highest priority. Children whose parents are an employee of a healthcare entity, a first responder, a corrections officer, or DCBS worker would also qualify.

For updates about COVID-19 as well as general resources for children and families, please visit www.sjkids.org/covid19-info/.

COVID-19 resources & links

I want more info about child care.

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We Will Not Quit Until Every Child Has a Family

Before they were foster parents, Greg and Valerie Buccola (featured in the video above), were simply a happily married couple looking to have a fun date night by attending St. Joe''s Picnic For The Kids. Little did they know that their lives would change forever that fateful summer evening after meeting a St. Joe''s representative at the foster care booth. With St. Joe''s help, Greg and Valerie completed their foster care training with ease, and before they knew it, started welcoming children into their home.

The Buccola''s went from taking their chance at trying to win a cake, to taking their chance on fostering not just one, but TWO sibling groups. They quickly learned how the small actions we do in caring for children, such as reading a bedtime story, have lasting positive effects on children''s lives. Greg and Valerie ended up adopting all four of their foster children and to this day, open up their hearts and home to children who need temporary housing.

Great news, Elijah! St. Joe''s was officially granted permission by the state government last Friday to conduct virtual pre-service trainings for those interested in becoming certified foster and adoptive parents. What this means is that individuals will be able to become certified with greater ease and convenience.

The next round of classes begin on May 5th and those interested in attending must first schedule a one-on-one virtual meeting with St. Joe''s Foster Care Recruiter, Beth Wade.

Schedule a 1:1 virtual meeting with Beth Wade

Imagine being a child right now and not having a family or safe place to call "home." That is the reality for thousands of children across the Commonwealth today, and frankly, our children deserve better. If you or someone you know has ever been curious about foster care, please send them our way!

Learn more about foster care & adoption in KY

St. Joe''s Youth Care Workers are like parents to our children and for many kids, they are the first healthy and stable adult they''ve had in their young lives. With the help of St. Joe''s Activities Coordinator, Joann Childers, St. Joe''s kids got the chance to show appreciation to their staff this past week. It was a lovely surprise and made for a beautiful way to start the work day!

#ChildAbusePreventionMonth #CAPMonth2020 #sjkids

COVID-19 resources & links

We''re Hiring!

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Happy Friday, Elijah!

Keep scrolling to see what''s new and good for the St. Joe''s family...

St. Joe''s kids are Boo-utiful!

St. Joe''s kids recently enjoyed a socially distanced, “Boo At The Zoo” night! The kids loved dressing up in their costumes and seeing all the animals at the Louisville Zoo. Special thanks to Kosair Charities, for donating the tickets!

This Saturday is FOR THE KIDS!

We are so lucky to have supporters in the community who believe in St. Joe''s mission of Giving Children A Home. Check out a couple of socially distanced fundraising events that are scheduled for tomorrow, Saturday, October 24th. Proceeds from both events will be donated back to St. Joe''s kids and families!

Mercedes Benz of Louisville is hosting the Old Henry Community Car Show this Saturday, October 24th from 9 am-noon at 2320 Terra Crossing Blvd.

Experience 30 rare and vintage automobiles that have been hand-selected for this showcase!

See you there!

Start your career at St. Joe''s today!

St. Joe''s is currently hiring for both part- and full-time Residential Youth Workers, Residential Therapist (Older Boys), and Janitor positions. Click the button below to learn more about our employee benefits and available positions.

LEARN MORE

Applicants must be at least 21+ years old and pass required background checks and a pre-employment drug screening. Apply today!

Meet Dana Scruse

CQI Assistant since September 3, 2019

"What I like most about working at St. Joe''s is learning the history and the impact we made/make on past, current, and future society. People contact us from all over the United States searching for details of their history. I love hearing them share their story, whether they were a past client or their loved one was, and how St. Joe''s contributed to helping them overcome the most difficult and vulnerable time of their or their loved one’s lives.

They share their life experiences and success stories that were birthed at St. Joe''s, who gave them hope and a new beginning. Their life stories reveal that St. Joe’s services makes each and every employee a superhero. I am glad to be part of St. Joe’s family."

Kentucky kids still need you!

When we ask our parents about their experiences fostering through St. Joe’s, there is always one common theme: the support.

St. Joe''s therapeutic foster care and adoption program provides individual and family therapy as well as 24/7 support to the families we serve. We offer extensive training, competitive reimbursements, additional year-round support such as clothing and school supplies, holiday needs, and crisis support.

Join us for a virtual info session today! You may either schedule a one-on-one session with our Foster Care Recruiter or RSVP to one of the remaining info sessions below:

November 3rd

December 1st

Call (502) 893-0241 or email at info@sjkids.org to make an appointment.

RSVP HERE

FOSTER CARE FAQ

Your vote matters!

There are a lot of factors to consider when casting your vote. Make sure to check in with your candidates about how they will support child survivors of trauma.

Kentucky Youth Advocates came up with a helpful list of questions to ask in the 2020 Electoral Advocacy Toolkit. Click the button below to download the kit.

ADVOCACY TOOLKIT

FOSTER

GIVE

IMPACT

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We still have chances left to win this one-of-a-kind bourbon package! The holiday bourbon raffle ends this Friday, December 18th at 1 pm (EST) so be sure to purchase a chance while you still can!

One lucky individual will win the following top shelf bourbon selections:

Sazerac Aged 18 years

William Larue Weller Limited Edition

George T. Stagg Limited Edition

Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Limited Edition

Eagle Rare Aged 17 years

Price per chance is $100, and 750 chances will be sold.

One winner will be randomly chosen via live feed on St. Joe''s Facebook page this Friday, December 18th at 3 pm (EST). A St. Joe’s representative will contact the winner directly following the announcement.

PURCHASE A TICKET

Share our link with your fellow bourbon lovers!

All funds raised from this raffle will go to support the nearly 1,500 children and family members served annually by St. Joe’s programs.

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Shop, Donate, or Volunteer!

Beginning this Monday, March 9th, from 3p-4:30p, donors may drop off gently used items to St. Joe''s gymnasium located at 2823 Frankfort Avenue, 40206.

Gently used clothing, toys, sports equipment, and home goods will be accepted.

All items will be used for resale at the Boutique Thrift Sale event and proceeds will be donated back to St. Joseph Children''s Home. Donation drop offs will be held daily from 3-4:30p at St. Joe''s gym until the event date on March 20th.

LEARN MORE

QUESTIONS?

Volunteers are still needed for receiving donations, sorting, organizing, and pricing!

Click here to sign up.

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What makes St. Joe''s Picnic For The Kids truly magical is its ability to bring all walks of life together for one common goal: Supporting children in need of safety, love, and care. While we realize that this shift going virtual may be strange for some, it has given St. Joe''s the opportunity to reach even more people outside of Louisville thanks to the World Wide Web. Thank you for being a part of it, Elijah!

Each week leading up to August 7th and 8th, we will share with you a different aspect of the virtual #SJPicnic and how you can get involved. Keep scrolling to learn more about how you can help #sjkids, visit our online raffle page, as well as see what companies have invested in St. Joe''s kids and families.

For the past 171 years, St. Joe’s has relied upon the support of volunteers to make every Picnic a success. Instead of running a Picnic booth to raise money or bringing your family out to try their luck at a wheel game, you can support St. Joe’s kids this year by registering yourself or a group as a #SJPicnic fundraiser.

From mid-July leading up to Picnic weekend on August 7th & 8th, #SJPicnic fundraisers are encouraged to share funny or inspiring Picnic stories, spread the word to friends and family of why they support St. Joe’s, as well as invite people to make a gift via their personal fundraising page.

SIGN UP TODAY!

Take a chance on St. Joe’s kids by trying your luck at the online raffle contest! From experiences like a private distillery tour to old favorites like handmade quilts, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.

Raffle winners will be announced on August 8^th at 9 pm via live stream on St. Joe’s Facebook page, and winners will be contacted directly by a St. Joe’s representative.

You can purchase raffle tickets in two ways:

1) In-person on Picnic Day, August 8th, from noon to 5 pm (EST). 2823 Frankfort Avenue, Louisville, KY, 40206. Please enter through the Frankfort Avenue entrance. Drive through only. For your safety and ours, please wear your face mask upon entering campus!

– OR –

2) Online by clicking the button below!

PURCHASE TICKETS

"Air Hydro Power chose to sponsor this great event again because every child should grow up in an environment surrounded by safety and love." - Premier Sponsor, Air Hydro Power

Special thank you to the 2020 Picnic Sponsors who have collectively invested $100k in St. Joe’s kids and families! We want to double their impact by challenging the community to match their total gift by making a donation today!

T-Mobile

Kelley Construction

In Memory of Ursuline Sister Annette

Altruis

Atlas Brown

IBEW Local 369

LG&E

Kosair Charities

Kentucky Select Properties

Ohio Valley Wresting

Pepsi Co

Friends of St. Joe''s

Summit Media including 107.1 The Eagle, 103.9 The Groove, 106.9 PLAY, Q103.1

Delta Electric

Bud Light

A Another Room Self Storage #9

Abel Construction

Woodford Reserve

Old Forester

Barefoot Wine

Tito''s Vodka

Enter the virtual 171st St. Joe’s Picnic For The Kids by visiting www.sjkids.org. For questions, please contact info@sjkids.org.

Friendly reminder that tax deductions are still good for those filing 2019 taxes due on July 15th.

Schedule of #SJPicnic Events & Contests

Download the Picnic Social Media Kit & Graphics

Download the 2019 Impact Report

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Elijah, witnessing the double rainbows pictured above reminded us that ''the greater the storm, the brighter the rainbow.'' Although St. Joe''s kids have been through so much already, the love and care they have received by their staff and the community have given them hope for a brighter future.

Keep scrolling to read more stories of resiliency and hope.

Resiliency Lives Here Series Featuring Niela Burrell

The St. Joe''s Human Resources department recently began a series entitled, "Resiliency Lives Here," via St. Joe''s YouTube channel. This series is presented by the employees of St. Joseph Children''s Home, with a focus on creating an open forum for St. Joe''s staff to share their experiences and foster empathetic actions. The first video in this series is featured above and includes St. Joe''s Assistant Director of the Child Development Center, Niela Burrell.

Celebrating our children''s milestones has always been important, and "Angela''s" Sweet 16 party was no different. Although the pandemic limited who could attend the party, St. Joe''s staff sought to make Angela feel special on her birthday by doing a social media call-out for birthday wishes. Thanks to the community, this Harry Potter loving, bookworm was flooded with well wishes. Special thanks to everyone who sent a ''happy birthday'' message! Angela loved seeing them!

We''re hiring! Please share with your friends and family looking for employment!

Apply at sjkids.org/careers/.

Applicants must be at least 21+ years old and pass required background checks and a pre-employment drug screening.

The Fall Newsletter will hit mailboxes later this month!

If you are not on St. Joe''s mailing list and would like to be added, please send your contact information to info@sjkids.org.

FOSTER

GIVE

IMPACT

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St. Joe''s Building Forever Families Campaign

St. Joseph Children''s Home is happy to announce the Building Forever Families renovation and campus improvements project! View the video above to learn more details about the project as well as hear from leaders in our community about what it means to pledge your commitment to the Building Forever Families campaign.

Click here to view the live announcement by St. Joe''s CEO, Grace Akers.

This video is brought to you by Brelin Tilford of Media Pros Productions.

Exterior, St. Joe''s Campus, Post-Renovation

The beginning phase of the renovation began in November and is expected to be completed in Fall 2022. Renovation is currently focused on the west and central parts of the iconic landmark building including:

Renovated Child Development Center classrooms

New West Wing Entrance for the Child Development Center

New Therapeutic Foster Care and Adoption offices

Renovated Cafeteria & Chapel

New St. Joe''s Mission Center

New Front Entryway

Exterior, Landmark Building, Front Entryway, Post-Renovation

Interior, Landmark Building, St. Joe''s Mission Center,

Post-Renovation

For further details about the Building Forever Families campaign, photo renderings, as well as how you can pledge a gift, please visit sjkids.org/building-forever-families/.

BUILDING HISTORY

PROJECT DETAILS

MAKE A GIFT

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St. Joe''s kids and staff sing "My Old Kentucky Home."

This past week, St. Joe''s teamed up with Wave 3 News to keep our spirits high and continue the tradition of singing "My Old Kentucky Home" on the first Saturday of May. Between 7:30 and 8pm on May 2nd, during a commercial break, St. Joe''s and Wave 3 News asks that you sing along with your neighbors from around the Commonwealth. This pandemic may be trying, but it won’t take away our Derby spirit this Saturday!

May marks the beginning of

National Foster Care Month

You''ve heard us talk a lot about the need for foster parents in Kentucky and St. Joe''s will not quit until every child has a family. The more we talk about and break down the stigma of foster care, the more safe and loving homes we can create for children in need.

Elijah, throughout the month of May, you''ll hear directly from St. Joe''s foster and adoptive families about their experiences as they provide heartfelt responses to what it actually means to be a foster parent in today''s world. By sharing their stories with your loved ones, you will be doing your part to inspire others to make a difference in a child''s life.

This week, we will hear from the Welshan family who believe that as long as you have the heart and the desire to help, you''re qualified to be a foster parent (note: we definitely agree!).

The next round of classes begin on May 5th and those interested in attending must first schedule a one-on-one virtual meeting with St. Joe''s Foster Care Recruiter, Beth Wade.

Schedule a 1:1 virtual meeting with Beth Wade

Learn more about foster care & adoption in KY

From our friends at the Face It Movement to end child abuse in Kentucky:

"We all have a role to play in preventing, recognizing, and ending child maltreatment - even as Child Abuse Prevention Month ends. While it can be difficult to monitor the kids in our lives amid the current circumstances, it is as important as ever to ensure we are preventing child abuse by supporting parents and caregivers and reporting any suspicions of abuse or neglect. And remember, social distancing does not mean social isolation – reach out however and whenever you can to friends, family, and neighbors."

If you''re on our mailing list, expect a beautiful note from St. Joe''s in your mailbox on May 4th or 5th!

Not on the mailing list? Sign up by sending your contact information to info@sjkids.org.

COVID-19 resources & links

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This Thanksgiving, St. Joe''s wishes to express our sincerest gratitude to those who have helped us get through life''s toughest moments. Elijah, thank you for being there for us so that we can be there for St. Joe''s children and families. We wish you a safe and lovely holiday!

Keep scrolling to see updates, upcoming virtual events, and announcements...

#Sjkids Updates

For the children who live at St. Joe''s, the holidays can be a difficult time as they miss their families or are reminded that they don''t have a family to celebrate with. That is why our residential staff take special care to make the holidays fun and enjoyable.

The latest was making a turkey candy dessert. As you can see from the photo above, the end result didn''t quite turn out like the Pinterest example. Is it really a #PinterestFail though if the treats tasted yummy and the kids had tons of fun?!

Although the COVID-19 pandemic has delayed adoption cases across Kentucky, the pandemic cannot stop St. Joe’s mission of “Giving Children A Home.”

Pictured Above: The Grose Family finalizes Emma''s adoption via Zoom.

We are happy to announce that we have celebrated seven adoptions so far this year with more adoptions on the way! Congrats to our foster-to-adopt families and children who got the best present of all this holiday season: a forever family.

Upcoming St. Joe''s Events

As you prepare for Thanksgiving and begin online holiday shopping, don''t forget that you can add St. Joes as your charity of choice at Amazon, Kroger, and Nanz & Kraft!

Visit our website: sjkids.org/shop-and-help/ to learn more!

Curious about foster care and adoption in Kentucky? What''s stopping you from learning more? Sign up for a virtual foster care and adoption informational session today, and learn how you can make a difference in a child''s life.

Either schedule a virtual one-on-one meeting or RSVP to the December 1st virtual group meeting that begins at 5:45 pm (EST). Contact info@sjkids.org or call (502) 893-0241 to get started.

Mark your calendars for a Facebook LIVE! announcement from our CEO, Grace Akers, about St. Joe''s iconic 1885 Landmark Building. The announcement will be made at noon (EST) on December 10th, 2020. If you aren''t able to tune in at that time, no worries! We will send the announcement out in an email as well as make it available on St. Joe''s YouTube channel.

Enter now for a chance to win this one-of-a-kind bourbon package featuring Kentucky favorites:

Sazerac Aged 18 years

William Larue Weller Limited Edition

George T. Stagg Limited Edition

Thomas H. Handy Sazerac Limited Edition

Eagle Rare Aged 17 years.

The price per chance is $100, and only 750 chances will be sold. The holiday bourbon raffle ends on December 18th at 1 pm (EST), and one lucky winner will be randomly chosen via live feed on St. Joe’s Facebook page on December 18th at 3 pm (EST). A St. Joe’s representative will contact the winner directly following the announcement.

All funds raised from this raffle will go to support the nearly 1,500 children and family members served annually by St. Joe’s programs.

PURCHASE A TICKET

St. Joe’s relies on the kindness of our community to bring the magic of the holidays to children in need of safety, care, and love. Now more than ever, St. Joe’s depends on donors like you to support our annual needs through the COVID-19 pandemic. While the pandemic has presented many challenges to our children and families, we are resilient when we work together.

Learn how you can help St. Joe''s kids this holiday season by visiting sjkids.org/get-involved/.

FOSTER & ADOPT

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An important message from St. Joe''s CEO, Grace Akers.

As a precautionary measure, St. Joe''s March 2020 events including the Kendra Gives Back, St. Joseph''s Day Mass, Volunteer Orientation and the Boutique Thrift Sale* have been postponed until further notice.

***Donation drop offs for the Boutique Thrift Sale have also been postponed and will resume once a new date has been scheduled. For questions or concerns regarding the Boutique Thrift Sale, please contact St. Joe''s Event Coordinator, Pam Stone, at 502-893-0241 or pams@sjkids.org.

We appreciate your understanding and patience during these uncertain times, and will continue to send updates via email and social media accordingly.

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St. Joe''s kids and staff are making it through the COVID-19 pandemic thanks to the kindness and generosity of supporters like you! Just in the past week, we have seen the community truly come together to support our children and staff as we all do our best to remain safe and healthy.

As of last Friday, the Ladies of St. Joe''s Sewing Society have made 97 masks for St. Joe''s front line workers (see pictured below) with more on the way! Not only do they make masks for St. Joe''s, but for other life-sustaining nonprofits and essential workers as well. Great work, ladies!

If you''ve attended St. Joe''s Picnic, then you know we love us some good ol'' fried chicken. So when KFC and Joella''s offered to donate meals to our residential staff and kids, we were more than accommodating! It was finger lickin'' good!

St. Joe''s residential staff have been coming up with creative ways to keep the kids busy and entertained during quarantine. Last weekend, the younger girls who live in Cottage C got to take a imaginary trip to the movies as their staff set up a "theater" for the world premiere of Disney''s "Onward." The girls were given movie tickets and fake money to purchase concessions. It was a wonderful time!

Help St. Joe’s show support to our front line workers by sending them a letter of encouragement or a thank you card.

If interested, see below for different cottage options, the groups of children they care for, as well as # of staff and children in each cottage:

15 Cottage A staff – 12 Older boys (ages 10-15)

15 Cottage B staff – 12 Younger boys (ages 6-10)

15 Cottage C staff – 12 Younger girls (ages 6-10)

15 Cottage D staff – 12 Older girls (ages 10-15)

Letters and cards may be addressed to:

St. Joseph Children’s Home, 2823 Frankfort Avenue, Louisville KY 40206

with ATTN: to the specific cottage.

We still have open spots for child care available! If interested, please contact April Manning at aprilm@sjkids.org or call 502-893-0241, ext. 247.

Click here to read the full press release.

What is an ACE score & why does it matter?

Adverse childhood experiences, or ACEs, are potentially traumatic events that occur in childhood and range from 0 to 10. ACE scores have a tremendous impact on future violence victimization and perpetration, and lifelong health and opportunity. According to the Adverse Childhood Experiences study, the rougher your childhood, the higher your score is likely to be and the higher your risk for later health problems. For example, the ACE scores for children in St. Joe''s foster care and residential programs average between 6 and 7 (aka, pretty high) placing them at a much higher risk for chronic health problems in adulthood.

How big is the problem?

ACEs are common. About 61% of adults surveyed across 25 states reported that they had experienced at least one type of ACE, and nearly 1 in 6 reported they had experienced four or more types of ACEs. Find out what your ACE score is by clicking on this link.

Preventing ACEs could potentially reduce a large number of health conditions. For example, up to 1.9 million cases of heart disease and 21 million cases of depression could have been potentially avoided by preventing ACEs.

Some children are at greater risk than others. Women and several racial/ethnic minority groups were at greater risk for having experienced 4 or more types of ACEs.

ACEs are costly. The economic and social costs to families, communities, and society totals hundreds of billions of dollars each year.

What can we do to prevent ACEs?

The good news is that ACEs are preventable! Overall, ACEs can be prevented by creating and sustaining safe, stable, nurturing relationships and environments for all children and families. For specific strategies, please see the chart below:

Click here to learn more about preventing ACEs.

For more ways to prevent child abuse in our community, visit www.faceitabuse.org.

#ChildAbusePreventionMonth #CAPMonth2020 #sjkids

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171st St. Joe''s Picnic For The Kids goes virtual!

The 171^st St. Joe’s Picnic For The Kids -- a time-honored tradition, steeped in history -- is about to take a giant leap into the modern age. St. Joseph Children’s Home is excited to announce that one of the largest fundraising events in Louisville will go virtual this year!

“The decision to go virtual was made with a lot of thought and care. The health and safety of our kids and staff are our top priority every day. When you take into consideration the large crowd size that gathers on St. Joe’s front lawn, as well as that many of our beloved volunteers and picnic attendees are in the high-risk category for contracting COVID-19, we know we have made the safest decision for our kids, staff and community. We are hopeful the community of picnic goers will step up to help us again this year by joining us in our new, virtual Picnic adventure,” said Grace Akers, St. Joe’s CEO.

What to expect on August 7 & 8? Highlights include: Online raffle items, merchandise sales, #PicnicAtHome social media contest sponsored by Kentucky Select Properties, online fundraising contests, as well as a live streamed celebrity karaoke contest hosted by Norae Bar on August 7. Details for these virtual concepts will be shared in the coming weeks, with an overall focus on the need to raise money to help support the 1,500 children and family members served each year by St. Joe’s programs.

“We humbly ask our community that whatever you would normally spend by taking a chance at a wheel game, playing bingo and blackjack, winning a cake, or enjoying your favorite beverage and food at Picnic, to consider making a direct donation this year to St. Joe’s kids,” said Cheryl Fischer, St. Joe’s Picnic Committee Co-Chair.

Although the 171^st St. Joe’s Picnic For The Kids may look a little different this year, the mission remains the same: Supporting vulnerable children in need of safety and love, regardless of their socioeconomic status, race, gender, age, sexual orientation or ability.

Stay tuned for more details about the 171st St. Joe’s Picnic For The Kids! For questions, please contact info@sjkids.org.

Download 2020 Picnic Poster

COVID-19 resources & links

Download the 2019 Impact Report

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Your impact in 2019

Elijah, we think it is important that you know how impactful your support has been to the children and family members served by St. Joe''s programs. To read more about your impact in 2019, please download this year''s impact report!

Advocate Virtual Forum: Families, Children & Young Adults in Foster Care

Last week, St. Joe''s CEO, Grace Akers, joined Kentucky Youth Advocate''s conversation about the impact of COVID-19 on foster families, children and young adults in foster care, and the organizations that serve them. In the video above, you can see Grace as well as other panelists including: WKU professor Dr. Austin Griffiths; Tia Humphrey, UL student and member of Voices of the Commonwealth; and Dale Suttles of Sunrise Children’s Services.

St. Joe''s kids in the residential treatment program have been keeping busy as they wrap up the school year with a GLOW party! We had a blast dancing to our favorite tunes, painting our faces with glow-in-the-dark paint, and eating yummy snacks.

Schedule a 1:1 foster care info virtual meeting

Download the 2019 Impact Report

COVID-19 resources & links

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You Don''t Need Super Powers to Foster a Child

May is dedicated to raising awareness and support for the more than 400,000 children and youth in the foster care system today. Elijah, there are plenty of ways you can get involved this month and make a difference in the lives of children and families in need:

1. Attend a virtual 1:1 info session

The more we understand what it means to be a foster parent in Kentucky, the better we can advocate and recruit others to join St. Joe''s foster care and adoption program. During St. Joe''s virtual foster care info sessions, our staff break down the myths surrounding foster care and explain the realities facing foster parents in Kentucky today.

Schedule a 1:1 virtual meeting today!

2. Spread the Word

Majority of St. Joe''s current foster parents were recruited by word of mouth. That is why a great way to show your support during National Foster Care Month is to get social! You can help by:

Sharing links and videos related to foster care on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and other social media platforms. You can start by sharing St. Joe''s foster care FAQ page or by sharing a YouTube video of St. Joe''s foster parent testimonials. Be sure to tag St. Joseph Children''s Home and use the hashtags #fostercaremonth and #sjkids so that people can get better connected to us!
Referring someone who is interested in being a foster parent. Refer them to contact St. Joe''s at info@sjkids.org or call (502) 893-0241.
Forward St. Joe''s foster care emails to a friend, family member, or colleague who may be interested in foster care.
Attend the upcoming Advocate Virtual Forum on Wednesday, May 13th at 10 AM EST hosted by Kentucky Youth Advocates and the Face It Movement. Presenters will discuss the impact of COVID-19 on foster families, children and young adults in foster care, and the organizations that serve them. Presenters include: Grace Akers, CEO of St. Joseph Children''s Home; Dr. Austin Griffiths, Assistant Professor of Social Work at WKU and Director, Center for Child Welfare Education and Research; Tia Humphrey, UL student and member of Voices of the Commonwealth; and Dale Suttles, President of Sunrise Children''s Services. RSVP and submit questions.

3. Become a Foster Parent

Kentucky leads the country in having the highest number of child maltreatment cases and for the first time in the state''s history, the number of children in out-of-home care has surpassed 10,000. Fostering provides a child who has experienced abuse or neglect with a stable, loving environment. It also gives you an opportunity to grow emotionally, spiritually and mentally as you teach life skills to a child and work towards reunification with the birth family. Most parents who’ve decided to foster agree that it enriches their lives. Click here to learn more about fostering!

4. Make a gift

Donations can accomplish wonderful things for children and families in need. Joining a soccer team, taking piano lessons or purchasing a scout uniform may not be a possibility for some children in foster care. Donations make these things possible by giving children positive, long lasting memories. Make an online donation here or contact St. Joe''s Advancement team today to see how your giving can make an impact.

St. Joe''s shows love and support to those grieving from the loss of their loved ones during the COVID-19 pandemic. Every night, the front sign on Frankfort Avenue will light up green as a reminder that we''re in this together. #TeamKentucky #TogetherKY

COVID-19 resources & links

We''re Hiring!

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St. Joe''s kids and staff are making it through the COVID-19 pandemic thanks to the kindness and generosity of supporters like you! Just in the past week, we have seen the community truly come together to support our children and staff as we all do our best to remain safe and healthy.

As of last Friday, the Ladies of St. Joe''s Sewing Society have made 97 masks for St. Joe''s front line workers (see pictured below) with more on the way! Not only do they make masks for St. Joe''s, but for other life-sustaining nonprofits and essential workers as well. Great work, ladies!

If you''ve attended St. Joe''s Picnic, then you know we love us some good ol'' fried chicken. So when KFC and Joella''s offered to donate meals to our residential staff and kids, we were more than accommodating! It was finger lickin'' good!

St. Joe''s residential staff have been coming up with creative ways to keep the kids busy and entertained during quarantine. Last weekend, the younger girls who live in Cottage C got to take a imaginary trip to the movies as their staff set up a "theater" for the world premiere of Disney''s "Onward." The girls were given movie tickets and fake money to purchase concessions. It was a wonderful time!

Help St. Joe’s show support to our front line workers by sending them a letter of encouragement or a thank you card.

If interested, see below for different cottage options, the groups of children they care for, as well as # of staff and children in each cottage:

15 Cottage A staff – 12 Older boys (ages 10-15)

15 Cottage B staff – 12 Younger boys (ages 6-10)

15 Cottage C staff – 12 Younger girls (ages 6-10)

15 Cottage D staff – 12 Older girls (ages 10-15)

Letters and cards may be addressed to:

St. Joseph Children’s Home, 2823 Frankfort Avenue, Louisville KY 40206

with ATTN: to the specific cottage.

We still have open spots for child care available! If interested, please contact April Manning at aprilm@sjkids.org or call 502-893-0241, ext. 247.

Click here to read the full press release.

What is an ACE score & why does it matter?

Adverse childhood experiences, or ACEs, are potentially traumatic events that occur in childhood and range from 0 to 10. ACE scores have a tremendous impact on future violence victimization and perpetration, and lifelong health and opportunity. According to the Adverse Childhood Experiences study, the rougher your childhood, the higher your score is likely to be and the higher your risk for later health problems. For example, the ACE scores for children in St. Joe''s foster care and residential programs average between 6 and 7 (aka, pretty high) placing them at a much higher risk for chronic health problems in adulthood.

How big is the problem?

ACEs are common. About 61% of adults surveyed across 25 states reported that they had experienced at least one type of ACE, and nearly 1 in 6 reported they had experienced four or more types of ACEs. Find out what your ACE score is by clicking on this link.

Preventing ACEs could potentially reduce a large number of health conditions. For example, up to 1.9 million cases of heart disease and 21 million cases of depression could have been potentially avoided by preventing ACEs.

Some children are at greater risk than others. Women and several racial/ethnic minority groups were at greater risk for having experienced 4 or more types of ACEs.

ACEs are costly. The economic and social costs to families, communities, and society totals hundreds of billions of dollars each year.

What can we do to prevent ACEs?

The good news is that ACEs are preventable! Overall, ACEs can be prevented by creating and sustaining safe, stable, nurturing relationships and environments for all children and families. For specific strategies, please see the chart below:

Click here to learn more about preventing ACEs.

For more ways to prevent child abuse in our community, visit www.faceitabuse.org.

#ChildAbusePreventionMonth #CAPMonth2020 #sjkids

Make a gift

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We''re Hiring!

COVID-19 resources & links

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Before they were foster parents, Greg and Valerie Buccola (featured in the video above), were simply a happily married couple looking to have a fun date night by attending St. Joe''s Picnic For The Kids. Little did they know that their lives would change forever that fateful summer evening after meeting a St. Joe''s representative at the foster care booth. With St. Joe''s help, Greg and Valerie completed their foster care training with ease, and before they knew it, started welcoming children into their home.

The Buccola''s went from taking their chance at trying to win a cake, to taking their chance on fostering not just one, but TWO sibling groups. They quickly learned how the small actions we do in caring for children, such as reading a bedtime story, have lasting positive effects on children''s lives. Greg and Valerie ended up adopting all four of their foster children and to this day, open up their hearts and home to children who need temporary housing.

Great news, Elijah! St. Joe''s was officially granted permission by the state government last Friday to conduct virtual pre-service trainings for those interested in becoming certified foster and adoptive parents. What this means is that individuals will be able to become certified with greater ease and convenience.

The next round of classes begin on May 5th and those interested in attending must first schedule a one-on-one virtual meeting with St. Joe''s Foster Care Recruiter, Beth Wade.

Schedule a 1:1 virtual meeting with Beth Wade

Imagine being a child right now and not having a family or safe place to call "home." That is the reality for thousands of children across the Commonwealth today, and frankly, our children deserve better. If you or someone you know has ever been curious about foster care, please send them our way!

Learn more about foster care & adoption in KY

St. Joe''s Youth Care Workers are like parents to our children and for many kids, they are the first healthy and stable adult they''ve had in their young lives. With the help of St. Joe''s Activities Coordinator, Joann Childers, St. Joe''s kids got the chance to show appreciation to their staff this past week. It was a lovely surprise and made for a beautiful way to start the work day!

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The History of St. Joseph''s Day

Hi Elijah!

St. Joe''s would like to temporarily disrupt your news feed with a celebration of March 19th''s St. Joseph''s Day. As our agency name comes from Saint Joseph, we thought it might be nice to pay homage to our history by sharing some neat facts about the day.

St. Joseph''s Day is a Roman Catholic feast day commemorating the life of the stepfather of Jesus and husband of Mary. He is considered to be the first “foster father” of sorts as he adopted Jesus as his own.

Giving food to the needy is a St. Joseph''s Day custom. In some communities it is traditional to wear red clothing and eat a Neapolitan pastry known as a zeppola (created in 1840 by Don Pasquale Pinatauro in Napoli) on St. Joseph''s Day. Upon a typical St. Joseph''s Day altar, people place flowers, limes, candles, wine, fava beans, specially prepared cakes, breads, and cookies (as well as other meatless dishes), and zeppole. Foods are traditionally served containing bread crumbs to represent saw dust since Joseph was a carpenter. Because the feast occurs during Lent, traditionally no meat was allowed on the celebration table. The altar usually has three tiers, to represent the Trinity.

Another interesting tradition is that people will bury a small statue of Saint Joseph upside down in the front yard of their house in hopes that the house will sell more promptly. We still have a number of donors who have donated to St. Joe''s because they did the aforementioned ritual and sold their home!

Click here to read more about St. Joseph''s Day celebrations across the world.

To all of you who have reached out to St. Joe''s offering support during the COVID-19 pandemic, thank you! We''ll be sending out an email tomorrow about different ways to help St. Joe''s children and families during this time. Stay tuned...but most importantly, STAY SAFE!

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Coming up this March...

Foster Care and Adoption Information Session

Tuesday, March 3rd at 5:45pm

2823 Frankfort Avenue, 40206

Learn more about the process of becoming certified as a foster parent or respite provider by attending St. Joe''s informational meetings held the first Tuesday of every month at 5:45 p.m. at St. Joseph Children''s Home. No commitments necessary but open hearts and minds are encouraged!

RSVP HERE

Kendra Scott Give Back Party

Saturday, March 14th, 2-4pm

Oxmoor Center, 7900 Shelbyville Road 40222

Grab your best friend and join us March 14th from 2-4pm for an afternoon of shopping at Kendra Scott! Guests will have the opportunity to browse from a beautiful selection of affordable jewelry and sip on a refreshing drink, all the while supporting St. Joe’s kids and families!

20% of the proceeds from this event will be devoted directly to St. Joseph Children’s Home.