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 Since its establishment in 1889, ECHO Children’s Home has provided critically needed care for children and families in the Greater St. Louis area. As the needs of our community changed, ECHO adapted its programs and services to meet those needs, expanding our outreach to include family services and eventually becoming a residential program for teens and young adults.
Once again, ECHO is in a state of transition. This change has been brought about by the national trend of placing children currently in state custody into permanent living situations such as foster, non-parental family homes. In the case of older adolescents, independent living situations are preferred, as opposed to transitional living programs such as ours.
In response to these changes, ECHO has established a steering committee and charged them with researching the needs of the community and recommending appropriate programs and services in response to those needs. They will ensure that the programs are within the scope of the agency’s mission of providing services to children and families in need. As a first step, the ECHO steering committee is commissioning a community needs assessment. Based on the results of the assessment, we will develop comprehensive programs that will meet the needs of the community, will be supported by the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) congregations, and will be vital and sustainable.
With the newly established ECHO Foundation Fund, we are ensuring that we will continue our community outreach and partnership efforts, our support programs and services provided to children which fall within the scope of ECHO’s mission, and that we are building the financial foundation for the future of ECHO.
An example of the outreach programs made possible through the ECHO Foundation Fund is the Back-To-School Community Fair where backpacks, school supplies, new underclothes, and gift cards for shoes will be distributed. Informational workshops for parents, hair cuts, and links to available community health and social services will also be provided. The Warm Their Hearts Outerwear Drive will assist us in providing new winter coats, hats, gloves and scarves to children whose parents would otherwise not be able to keep their children warm during the winter months. This is yet another way ECHO is transforming lives.
We at ECHO are excited and optimistic about the future of our agency and the continued service to our community. We will continue to provide programs and services in the loving and caring tradition of the Disciples Benevolent Services, the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and the St. Louis community at large.
If you have any questions or need additional information, please contact Angela Roffle, Program Director by phone at 314-381-3100, Ext. 129 or by email at aroffle@nbacares.org.
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