Let's Grow Together!
As we welcome the growth that spring brings, I reflect on the impact we've made together — funding transformative projects, supporting grassroots initiatives, and empowering changemakers who work tirelessly to improve lives. The stories we hear from our grant recipients inspire me daily — stories of perseverance, creativity, and profound impact. Together, we are not only giving funds; we are giving a chance to create a meaningful and lasting impact.
The growth of our organization is a goal of the Board. If our membership grows, our granting dollars grow. Our growth expands beyond giving as well. We also gain the benefit of learning from more members based on their different experiences and expertise. When we come together, we inspire each other. The Board encourages all of our members to talk about SOS to your friends, family, neighbors, and co-workers. And consider this…adding 25 new members would equate to another $25,000 grant to be awarded.
This is a great time of year to invite a guest to learn more about SOS. Don’t forget to check out the list below for all upcoming events. We especially look forward to seeing members at the SOS all-member meeting on May 13.
Ally Kell
President |
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Let’s Get Together! Upcoming Events |
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Volunteer for our grantees, learn something new about nonprofits, or get together for socializing. We’d love to see you at one of our upcoming events! To view all event details and register, visit the SOS website. |
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Pop Up Social at SOS Member Crista Carr Schatz’s Home Members and guests
Tuesday, April 15 5:30 pm
Hi-Pointe Lofts 6340 Clayton Road, Loft 401, 63117 |
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Table Talk at SqWires Restaurant Members only
Saturday, April 26 11:15 am SqWires Restaurant
1415 S 18th St, 63104 |
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All-Member Social and Meeting – Members only
Tuesday, May 13, 6:00-8:00 pm
The Community Foundation, #2 Oak Knoll Park, 63105 |
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Join the SOS Board of Directors at the first-ever All-Member Social and Meeting, which is being rescheduled from the planned February event. This is a great opportunity to gather with old and new members and learn all that’s going on in 2025, including the 2025-2028 strategic plan, updates on our grantees' impact in the region, and findings from the recent member grants survey. Refreshments will be served. Please join us!
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When you reflect on your teenage years, do you smile thinking of football games, school dances, and friendships? Or cringe at memories of awkwardness and anxiety, the stresses of balancing school, family, and social relationships, and finding your place in the world? Being a teenager has never been easy, but teenagers today experience higher rates of anxiety and depression than ever before.
Avenues Counseling, a 2024-2025 SOS grantee (as well as a 2022 grantee), provides counseling for children, teens, and adults. The mission of Avenues is to provide vital mental health counseling services to all who have a need, regardless of someone’s ability to pay. They believe emotional wellness should be accessible to everyone. |
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Grantees in the News
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Congratulations to Pianos for People, SOS grantee in 2017 and 2020, which was featured on the nationally televised Kelly Clarkson Show. The February 17 segment featured Andy Ament, executive director, and Royce Martin, a program participant. They showcased the positive work that this small but mighty organization is doing to bring the transformative power of music to underserved communities in the St. Louis area. |
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Our congrats to Girls in the Know, SOS grantee in 2023, 2021 and 2019, on being recognized by FOCUS St. Louis as a 2025 “What’s Right with the Region” honoree. They were chosen in the category of Promoting Community Health and Well-being. This recognition celebrates their mission to empower girls to embrace their strength, make confident choices, and know “I am Enough!” |
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EarthDance Organic Farm School, a 2024 and 2022 SOS grantee, was recently featured in in an article on the website of Washington University in St. Louis highlighting the Philanthropy Lab, a national organization affiliated with the university. Offered in partnership with the Gephardt Institute, the Philanthropy Lab is a sociology course designed to give students a theoretical and practical understanding of philanthropy. EarthDance was a recipient of a $25,000 grant from WashU’s spring 2024 class, in support of their efforts to advance food justice and environmental sustainability. |
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Mapping Our SOS Grantees
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For a deeper and more visual look at SOS grantees over the years, check out the interactive Grantee Impact Map on the SOS website. This tool provides a snapshot of all 106 organizations that have received an SOS grant since our first grant year in 2007, categorized both by year and by area of focus (health, education, environment, arts & culture, immigrant & refugee, children & teen services, shelter & homelessness, trauma support, and basic needs). The map, which was recently updated to include our 2024 grantees, was created through the generous support of The Clark-Fox Family Foundation, with special thanks to Aimee Cicotte. |
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Meet the Board:
Cindy Pilling
Chair, Technology Committee
Cindy Pilling admits she hits many of the boxes of an SOS member. Like other recent retirees, she joined SOS because she wanted to spend some of her new-found personal time on volunteer pursuits. And she was particularly attracted to SOS because of our mission to support local non-profits. “They already know the need and can best serve their communities,” she says. Luckily, her choice of SOS was a great fit.
A self-proclaimed member of the “Covid Class” (members who joined SOS during the pandemic), Cindy initially immersed herself in the virtual LOI and site visit processes. But her background as a software engineer quickly attracted the interest of the Technology Committee and gave Cindy the opportunity to use her professional skills in a new way. After serving a stint as vice chair of the committee, Cindy became chair in 2023.
Cindy has made it her goal to improve the SOS website experience, which includes working with other committees to keep content up to date, remove barriers that slow performance, and create new processes that enable the “backend” work of our software system. “Simply put, I want to help facilitate communication with our members, and help provide meaningful information that attracts new members,” she says.
Amy Conard, past Tech chair, says, “Cindy has brought fresh perspective and energy to the technology needs of SOS. She’s dedicated to supporting our members and Board by improving our website and processes, answering questions, creating reports, cleaning up files and images and so much more.”
When not in front of a computer, Cindy is an avid cyclist and participates in at least one major cycling trip every year. She and her husband, Bruce, enjoying golfing, traveling, cheering on the Philadelphia Eagles (she’s a Philly native), and their two Bassett hounds, Scarlett and Trudy. |
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2025 Education Calendar Kicks Off at Urban League
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An enthusiastic group of members and guests gathered March 20 for SOS’s first Education event of 2025, held at the headquarters of the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis. With 61 programs spanning education, workforce development, housing, community outreach, and community empowerment, the Urban League impacts 200,000+ people annually – helping individuals and families build brighter futures.
Founded in 1910, this impactful northside nonprofit has been steadily growing with the community. Attendees toured the Urban League’s 205,000-square-foot building, formerly a Sears Roebuck store in the city’s Fountain Park neighborhood, which houses many of their programs. The tour included a construction update on the arts space being developed in partnership with the Missouri History Museum and arts organizations.
One standout program explored was Save Our Sisters. Originally a career clothing closet (designed by Neiman Marcus!), it has grown into a transformational program supporting women in career development, financial literacy, and mentorship. A big shoutout to Carol Daniel, former KMOX journalist and now Director of Save Our Sisters, for her leadership in guiding this mission forward. |
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Were You There?
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The first quarter of 2025 provided many opportunities for members and guests to spend time together learning, volunteering, and socializing. |
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January 22 – Table Talk dinner at Cyrano’s in Webster Groves. |
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February 7 – Table Talk lunch at Mai Lee’s in Brentwood. |
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February 25 – Book discussion on “The Moment of Lift” by Melinda Gates at the home of SOS Board Member Ellen Shapiro. |
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March 24 –Meet-Up at the 21C Museum Hotel to view their contemporary art exhibits and enjoy time together afterwards in the hotel’s restaurant.
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April 8 – SOS volunteers made “breakfast for dinner” for Lift for Life Gym participants, our current three-year grantee.
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Get Social with SOS
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Get timely news and event information about SOS by following us on our social media platforms: Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. And help spread the word about SOS by liking, sharing, commenting on, and tagging our posts! These simple actions extend our reach and the opportunity that other like-minded women will learn about SOS and join our efforts. |
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Welcome, New Members
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The following individuals have joined or rejoined SOS in recent months.
Lisa Richardson
Cindy Geiss-Arrow
Kathy Moran
Lynnsie Kantor
Caroli Young
Linda Mumford
Gloria Ezekiel Kweskin |
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Grantee Seeking Volunteer Help
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A current SOS grantee, Caritas Connections, Inc., is seeking a volunteer who could assist with social media and website updates, newsletter and grant-writing. If you are interested in learning more about this volunteer opportunity, please contact Barb DuBois, chair of SOS’s Grants Committee. |
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Interested in Becoming a Member?
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New members are welcome to join SOS at any time. Joining is as simple as completing a short membership form on our website.
SOS is a “volunteer democracy” – you can participate a little or a lot, depending on your schedule and interests. Members have opportunities to review grants, serve on committees, attend educational and social events, and support our grantee organizations through hands-on volunteering. Check our website for upcoming events.
Membership pledge payment options are flexible: Annual, monthly, ACH, Donor Advised Fund, and more. Pledges are tax deductible to the extent allowable. And don’t forget to find out if your employer might match your membership pledge!
Interested, but want to connect with someone first? Feel free to reach out to Membership Chair Emily Rapp, emilybrapp@gmail.com, or any of our SOS Board of Director members. |
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