Spirit of St. Louis Women's Fund upcoming events

2026 Ballot Fair (Wednesday, October 14, 2026)

Wed, 14 Oct 2026 22:30:00 GMT

Add your voice to this important part of the grant-making process! The 2026 Ballot Fair is an exciting time for our membership where all members can play an important role in fulfilling the Spirit of St. Louis Women’s Fund mission by deciding which nonprofits will receive a grant for 2026-2027. At the Fair, a members-only event, you will hear brief pitches from team members about the organizations recommended for the final ballot and why they merit consideration. Afterward, Site Visit team members will be available to answer questions and share insights. Come ready to be inspired by the St. Louis nonprofit community—online voting opens immediately after the Fair.

If you are unable to attend, your vote is still needed! A voter’s guide with nonprofit request summaries and electronic voting instructions will be sent to all members to help with your decision- making and the voting process.

Directions: 2 Oak Knoll Park, Clayton MO 63105

Pop-Up Social (Thursday, October 29, 2026)

Thu, 29 Oct 2026 23:00:00 GMT

Here’s an opportunity to get to know your fellow SOS members, their friends and guests, and learn more about SOS. We’ll be gathering at Roberta’s home in St. Peters for a casual happy hour with appetizers and drinks. Guests are always welcome to attend!

Host: Roberta Shapiro, snapple612@aol.com

Directions: 516 Beneficial Way, St. Peters, 63304

Parking: Parking is available on the street

Book Discussion (Thursday, November 05, 2026)

Thu, 05 Nov 2026 23:30:00 GMT

There is No Place for US - Working and Homeless in America – a Pulitzer prize-winning book by anthropologist Brian Goldstone. In this compelling book, Goldstone unmasks the hidden face of homelessness in America today.

Not the “bum on the streetcorner” trope, but countless working families, often with children. Through deeply personal stories, he follows five such families caught in the squeeze between minimum-wage incomes and predatory landlords or skyrocketing housing prices. He connects the dots between their lack of secure housing and the resulting physical and mental health challenges, job insecurity, and children’s educational struggles. Although set in Atlanta, their stories are undoubtedly duplicated here in St. Louis, made even worse by delayed tornado recovery. This video interview with the author provides an excellent overview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vIXhABw6zE8

The book made the “10 Best Books of 2025” lists of both The New York Times and The Atlantic. It is detailed and substantial, but don’t let limited reading time keep you from joining us for this important conversation.

Guests welcome.

Host: SOS Board Member Ellen Schapiro

Directions: 5 Green Oaks Dr., Olivette, 63132

SOS on the Move! Join Us for the Cinnamon Roll Run (Saturday, November 07, 2026)

Sat, 07 Nov 2026 14:30:00 GMT

Join the SOS Membership Committee as we kick off the Thanksgiving season with a little fun, friendship, and cinnamon rolls!

The Spirit of St. Louis Women’s Fund will be sponsoring and participating in the Junior League of St. Louis (JLSL) Cinnamon Roll Run – a 5K fun run/fun walk on Saturday, November 7, at Tower Grove Park. Come run, walk, chat, and enjoy cinnamon rolls with your fellow SOS members! It’s a great opportunity to have some fun together while spreading the word about SOS and the work we do in our community.

Use the link below to register as a member of the SOS team:

https://raceroster.com/registration/116248/w73tz5bgg4mg6amb/registrant/1

Directions: Tower Grove Park, St. Louis, Sons of Rest Pavilion

2026 Spirit Awards (Tuesday, November 17, 2026)

Tue, 17 Nov 2026 23:30:00 GMT

The Spirit of St. Louis Women’s Fund (SOS) invites you to the 2026 Spirit Awards, a celebration of collective giving, thoughtful stewardship, and commitment to strengthening the St. Louis community. This special gathering concludes our five-month, volunteer-led grant process and gives members and guests the chance to meet the outstanding nonprofit organizations selected to receive two-year grants. The evening will include speakers Shelby Schagrin, SOS founder, and Maxine Clark, SOS member, founder and former CEO of Build-A-Bear Workshop, and "chief inspirator" of Delmar DivINe. Our thanks to Moneta for sponsoring the 2026 Spirit Awards.

As we mark our 20th anniversary, we are proud to reflect on nearly $4 million our members have invested in 116 nonprofits since our founding. These grants support small organizations in health services, social services, arts and culture, education, and the environment, showing the difference women can make when they give together with purpose and care.

We hope you will join us to celebrate our newest grantees, honor our members’ dedication, and hear the latest SOS activities and priorities. Guests interested in learning more about SOS are warmly welcomed. Heavy appetizers will be served.

The Spirit Awards is sponsored by Moneta, one of the nation’s premier comprehensive wealth management firms.

Cost of event: $20 members, $10 guests

Host: Pat Crowe, SOS President, crowepat321@gmail.com

Directions: 4532 S Lindbergh Blvd., Sunset Hills, 63127

Parking: Ample parking is available in the event center’s lot.