Dear Members and Friends,
As I begin my tenure as the next SOS president, I’m reminded of those outstanding women who have held this position since our founding 20 years ago. It humbles me that I have been selected to continue their legacy. And just like those past leaders, I am committed to upholding our mission of inspiring women to engage in informed, collective grantmaking. Together, we will build on the foundation they have established, working to make a meaningful difference in our communities through our shared efforts.
Looking at what’s ahead for SOS, we’ll host our anniversary celebration in March, continue the work of our strategic plan, host educational and social events, and award grants through our application review process. It’s true that there are great things happening in St. Louis, but there is also so much need, which the May 2025 tornado only exacerbated. Our role in addressing these needs happens through the grants we award to small nonprofits. I encourage you to become a part of this process. It’s why we exist and, I speak from experience, it’s personally rewarding. Plus, you’ll get to know other members along the way that maybe you haven’t yet met! I hope you’ll remain involved by renewing your membership, or if you’re not yet a member, become one and support our work that’s important to small nonprofits.
Please continue reading for information about all that SOS has been involved in recently and which SOS members joined our board this month. Our 2026 Board is a group of outstanding and inspiring women, and you can learn more about them on our website.
On behalf of the Spirit of St. Louis Women’s Fund Board of Directors, we wish you and those close to you a very Happy New Year!
Pat Crowe
SOS President |
|
|
Save the Date! SOS Upcoming Events |
|
|
Learn something new about nonprofits, get together for socializing or volunteer for our grantees. Some events have limited spaces so please register early. To view all upcoming SOS events and to register, visit the SOS website. |
|
|
Sisters of the Heart Social Members and guests are invited to a Valentine’s Day-themed social on February 10 at the home of Vicki Sheehan, an SOS founding member. Look for registration details soon in the February events email and on the SOS events webpage.
|
|
|
SOS Annual Meeting and 20th Anniversary Celebration
Mark your calendar now for the March 25th SOS annual meeting, where we’ll celebrate our 20th anniversary, kick off this year’s grant cycle, and hear updates on other activities from SOS Board members. The event will be held at the St. Louis Community Foundation, #2 Oak Knoll Park, St. Louis. More details and registration information will be sent by email in February.
|
|
|
Lift for Life Gym Honors SOS with Hero Award |
|
|
SOS was the proud recipient of the 2025 Lift for Life Gym annual Hero Award, which was presented at the organization’s Raising the Bar Gala on October 18. In granting the award, Lift for Life Gym stated: “The Spirit of St. Louis Women’s Fund was selected for this honor not only in recognition of the long-standing support of Lift for Life Gym’s mission but also with appreciation for the entire collective of women who come together to make a greater impact through support of smaller nonprofits, like Lift for Life Gym, across the St. Louis region. With special thanks to the Spirit of St. Louis Women’s Fund, Lift for Life Gym’s commitment to empowering St. Louis inner-city youth to overcome socio-economic challenges remains stronger than ever.”
Lift for Life Gym received a three-year $100,000 grant from SOS, with one-third given in 2023, 2024, and 2025. Thanks, Lift for Life Gym, for honoring SOS and for your contributions to our community’s youth! |
|
|
Why We Give: Impact in Action Video Series
|
|
|
Hear from SOS’s 2024-2025 grantees in a video series that began last fall on our social media platforms. The “Voices of Impact” video interviews were shot during the Grantee Showcase in September and the series can be accessed from the SOS website. Each grantee highlights the work of their organization and how SOS’s funds and member support have contributed to their ability to serve. |
|
|
The new Board of Directors is in place to lead SOS through a new year! Pat Crowe steps into the role of SOS President for a two-year term. New members to the Board include Ellen Franzel, Vice Treasurer; Amy Inman, Nominating Chair; Nancy Nix-Rice Litz, Education Chair; Roberta Shapiro, Impact Vice Chair; and Gwen Wesley, Philanos Liaison.
Departing the Board at the end of 2025 were Ally Kell, President; Berta James, At-Large (Governance); Ellen Schapiro, At-Large (Book Club); Nina Needleman, Education Chair; Vicki Sheehan, Nominating Chair, and Rose Carnes-Bruce, Education Vice Chair.
Thanks to all SOS Board members – past and present – for their commitment of time and talent in leading our organization this past year. Bios for our new Board members can be found on the SOS website. |
|
|
Philanos Events Feature SOS Leaders
|
|
|
SOS’s membership in Philanos, a national organization of women’s giving groups, offers members a variety of learning opportunities, both online and in person. SOS is excited to have several of our leaders serve as Philanos presenters. In November, Emily Rapp, chair of the SOS Membership Committee, participated in an online Philanos educational webinar on “Creative Approaches to Member Engagement and Retention.” The webinar is now available to Philanos members via their affiliate website (registration may be required).
Next month, during Philanos’ “Power UP!” conference in Austin, Texas, two SOS leaders will participate in roundtable educational discussions. Ally Kell, past president, will be featured in a session on strategic planning, and Barb Meyer, chair, Marketing & Communications, will be featured in a program on communications tips and tactics.
Our thanks and congratulations to these SOS leaders for sharing their experiences and expertise. |
|
|
For a deeper and more visual look at SOS grantees over the years, check out the interactive Grantee Impact Map on our 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 and culture, immigrant and refugee, children and teen services, shelter and homelessness, trauma support, and basic needs). The map, which was recently updated to include our 2025 grantees, was created through the generous support of The Clark-Fox Family Foundation, with special thanks to Aimee Cicotte.
|
|
|
Education Event Highlights Neighborhood Revitalization
|
|
|
|
|
What does it take to support a neighborhood? Three dynamic women leaders shared their expertise on neighborhood revitalization at an SOS education event hosted November 17 at Delmar DivINe. Lisa Madkins of Midwest BankCentre, Beverly Jenkins of Refuge and Restoration, and Maxine Clark of Build-A-Bear, the Clark-Fox Family Foundation and Delmar DivINe offered wisdom and inspiration about creating places where people are nurtured, supported and empowered. |
|
|
Be the First to Know About SOS Volunteer Activities
|
|
|
Would you like to be on the list of SOS members to be notified of volunteer activities to support our grantees? Please contact Marianne Baer at Marebaer20@gmail.com to join the email list or with any questions.
Marianne will email you with scheduled and pop-up opportunities as we plan volunteer activities throughout the year. Sign up anytime! |
|
|
July 31 – Table Talk happy hour at Cooper’s Hawk in Town & Country. |
|
|
|
|
August 13 – Pop Up happy hour at SOS member Bobbie Waters’ home in Kirkwood. A standing-room-only crowd of members and guests turned out to hear updates from grantees Laurie Phillips from Room at the Inn and Cynthia Chapple from Black Girls Do STEM. |
|
|
August 19 – Table Talk lunch at the Himalayan Hut in Rock Hill.
|
|
|
September 11 – A group of enthusiastic SOS volunteers helped harvest and pack produce at grantee Rustic Roots Sanctuary in North St. Louis County. Rustic Roots envisions a world where every community is nourished—body, mind, and spirit—through equitable access to fresh, locally grown food, regenerative land stewardship, and a shared sense of belonging.
|
|
|
September 20 – Held in support of grantee Fairground Park For All, this event drew a dedicated group of members and guests who participated in a tour of historic Fairground Park in North St. Louis, and then volunteered in a trash pick-up project. |
|
|
|
|
Kudos to Beth Ann Riechman, who has been honored for her prolific volunteer work on behalf of two area organizations: Affinia Healthcare Foundation and Connections for Success/Dress for Success. Beth Ann was featured in two recent media stories involving her volunteer work for these agencies: Ladue News and St. Louis Public Radio.
Congratulations to Nancy Litz, who will be honored October 26 as one of the 2025 Unsung Heroes by the St. Louis Jewish Light.
|
|
|
|
|
SOS grantee Fairground Park For All (FPFA) got a double dose of good PR this fall, first in an article in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, highlighting the work underway to revitalize the park, including a mural painted by local artist Fatou Kabir, and next in a feature by St. Louis Public Radio.
Following the Grantee Showcase, Bryan Lawrence, FPFA board chair, expressed his thanks for SOS support:
Thank you for the second $25,000 installment of your grant to Fairground Park For All. Your $50,000 grant has had a significant impact on Fairground Park even before a single anti litter message is posted or waste bin is installed. While having these funds in hand will enable us to complete the purchase and installation of the 25 new waste bins and accompanying anti-litter campaign, their power took effect almost from the time you announced your award last year.
Our ability to include SOS as a supporter has been critical in establishing us as a credible park and north city community support organization. For example, the St. Louis City Parks Department is co-funding with us the writing of a revised masterplan that will be the renovation blueprint for the next 10-20 years. Their confidence in FPFA also extends to their support of a formal Cooperation Agreement with the city of St. Louis outlining the legal relationship between us- much like what the city has with Forest Park Forever and the Tower Grove Park Foundation. Our work is cut out for us, but thanks to you, we are well on our way. |
|
|
Meet the Board:
Emily Rapp, Chair, Membership
The idea of building community is the core reason Emily Rapp became an SOS member. “I want to contribute to making St Louis a more connected place. Getting to know SOS members has widened my circle in St Louis, adding thoughtful, engaged women who are willing to do the work to make a difference,” she said.
Emily joined the SOS Board this year as chair of the Membership Committee, a big job for the first year in SOS’s history without a grant cycle. Keeping SOS members active and engaged has been key, according to Emily.
“It’s been a great opportunity to shine a spotlight on the importance of personal connectivity. Many members have taken advantage of the opportunities set up by our committee to make personal connections that will carry forward as we do grant work next year,” she said. From Table Talks to Pop Up socials, volunteer opportunities to Meet Ups at local events, the Membership Committee has provided ample opportunities for members to get involved, with the goal of creating an engaged membership base as we approach a new grant year.
“The grant investments we make in the community make the community stronger. The more people who contribute to our granting pool, the more impact we can have, so keeping and building our membership is vital to our effectiveness,” said Emily.
In addition to her SOS membership work, Emily has used her experience in strategic planning and project consulting to serve as a finance liaison to SOS grant teams.
When not busy with SOS membership work, Emily is a hands-on grandmother of three, a yoga instructor with an online yoga studio (ask her for details!), and a clinical research volunteer and speaker with Breakthrough T1D (formerly known as the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation), which funds research to cure type 1 diabetes.
|
|
|
Get Social with SOS
|
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. |
|
|
|
|
Welcome, New Members
|
The following individuals have joined or rejoined SOS in recent months.
Sue Hendin
Denise Hibbard
Kisha Lee
Jean Noll
Sarah Stauffer
Robbye Toft
Joan VonDras
|
|
|
Interested in Becoming a Member?
|
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. |
|
|
|
