From Giving to Giving Back

A Community Connector

At YouthBridge, philanthropy is more than moving dollars from donors to nonprofits. We help people and organizations make thoughtful, effective charitable decisions through education, expertise and encouragement to give more. As an intermediary, we connect Donors with trusted Nonprofits and help turn charitable intentions into meaningful community impact. Lori Shumake, YouthBridge Donor Service and Business Manager, sees that connection every day. “I don’t feel like my job is just sending out grants to nonprofits,” she says. “It is much more of a personal connection.” That connection is what makes YouthBridge different: We know our Donors. We know our Nonprofit partners. And we help bring the two together in ways that can change lives.

See Giving Work

That connection became real when YouthBridge staff spent time at HavenHouse St. Louis, preparing a meal for families staying there as part of a hands-on philanthropy and team-building experience. HavenHouse provides lodging, meals and transportation for people traveling to St. Louis for complex medical care—including families navigating childhood cancer and other serious illnesses.

Executive Director Paula Lowery recognizes YouthBridge’s important place in HavenHouse’s history. “YouthBridge played a foundational role in HavenHouse’s early years. Its significant investment and support helped establish the roots from which our organization grew.”

For more than two decades, HavenHouse has surrounded families with the practical and emotional support they need: a clean bed, a hot meal, transportation and a community that says, you are not alone. Over the years, YouthBridge Donors have helped make that work possible. The recent staff service day gave YouthBridge employees an opportunity to reconnect with HavenHouse, prepare a meal and see how the organization and its work have grown.

“When volunteers serve and share their time, talents and resources, families feel even more cared for,” Paula says. “It shows there is LOVE out there.” For YouthBridge, that is the power of being an intermediary: connecting generosity to community need and helping Donors see where their giving can make a difference.

Give With Purpose

Childhood Cancer Awareness Month reminds us that families facing serious illness need more than medical care. They need a community willing to surround them with support. HavenHouse St. Louis is one powerful example of what happens when donors, nonprofits and community partners work together. And it is exactly why YouthBridge exists. Whether you are an individual, family, business, professional advisor or nonprofit, YouthBridge can help you explore ways to give more intentionally, identify meaningful opportunities and build a philanthropic approach that lasts. Our role is not simply to process a charitable gift. It is to help you understand where your generosity can make a difference—and then connect you to the people doing the work. “If HavenHouse’s work inspires you to consider how your giving can make a difference, we invite you to start a conversation with YouthBridge.” Contact YouthBridge Director of Philanthropy Andranique Joe.