Saint Louis
CitySide
St. Louis Front Page presents St. Louis CitySide, an overview of the City Government of Saint Louis. From time to time, we will take an indepth look at many of the projects in which the city is involved and how these projects will affect residents and visitors.
 Old Post Office Plaza to Feature Signature Sculpture
City of St. Louis to Host Licensing and Business Resource Fairs
Transitional Administrative School Board Takes Charge of St. Louis Public School System
Unique Public Sculpture Garden Planned For Gateway Mall in Downtown St. Louis
Great River Ring Celebrates Five Years in Efforts to Connect the Region Through Parks & Trails
BJC Proposes New Deal for Forest Park Area
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr Honored in St. Louis at 37th Holiday Observance
St. Louis Recognized for Urban Renewal Success
McKinley Bridge
Bikeway and Branch Street Trestle Add Vital New Connection for St. Louis Region
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Ribbon cutting ceremony at Horizon Club: (L - R) Dianna Brannan, Board Chair Horizon Development Company; representative from the office of Lewis Reed, President of the Board of Alderman; Bill Siedhoff, Director Department of Human Services; James M. Heard, Field Office Director HUD; 6th Ward Alderwoman Kacie Starr Triplett; Sgt. Prothro Board Chair St. Louis Office for Developmental Disability Resources; former Congresswoman Joan Kelly Horn; Darlene Green, St. Louis City Comptroller; St. Louis Major Francis G. Slay; and Philip Mangano, Executive Director, U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness.
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Philip Mangano, Executive Director, U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness, said the City's 10-Year Plan represents a new level of creativity and collaboration to get the job done for our homeless neighbors.
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Horizon Club Opens As Safe Haven for Homeless in Downtown St. Louis
by Bob Moore, SLFP.com
ST. LOUIS, (SLFP.com), August 27, 2007 - The first of four safe havens, named the Horizon Club, was opened with a special ribbon cutting ceremony, August 27, at its location at 202 North 23rd Street in downtown St. Louis.
The Horizon Club, dedicated in honor of former Congresswoman Joan Kelly Horn, is designed to provide an opportunity for homeless people to get off the streets and receive some basic services that previously were not available.
Major Francis G. Slay joined Philip Mangano, Executive Director, U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness, and other city officials for a tour of the facilities which provides showers, bathrooms, laundry, lounge, beverages, snacks, lockers, computers and movies on a 24/7 basis.
Following the ribbon cutting, Philip Mangano, spoke with Saint Louis Front Page on the concept of moving beyond the charitable response of the past in providing resources for homeless people.
"It's so important what's happening here in St. Louis," said Mangano. "What we've learned of course is that if good intentions and well meaning programs and humanitarian gestures could end homelessness, it would have been ended here in St. Louis decades ago. We have lots of that, but it hasn't gotten the job done."
He related that the numbers of people living on the streets has only increased. "Languishing in the shelters, living the long misery of homelessness has only increased," Mangano said. "It means we need to do things differently. You can't do business the same old way."
"The creation of the City's safe havens, the creation of the City's 10-Year Plan, the efforts to create permanent supportive housing specifically targeted to our most vulnerable and disabled neighbors, that's what makes sense," he emphasized. "That is what's making a difference here in St. Louis with a reduction of of 25 percent of people living on the streets."
"St. Louis isn't alone in that," Mangano continued. "There are over thirty cities across our country that are experiencing those kinds of reductions. It's because they are doing business another way."
Speaking with conviction, Mangano stated that, "Twenty-five years ago, we were giving out food on the street and volunteering at bread lines. If we can't evolve that charitable response of just giving people sandwiches and leaving them out on the street, shame on us for our lack of creativity. Shame on us for our lack of collaboration."
"That's what this safe haven represents. The 10-Year Plan represents a new level of creativity and collaboration to get the job done for our homeless neighbors," he concluded.
Alderwoman Kacie Starr Triplett, 6th Ward, the youngest elected city official
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Alderwoman Kacie Starr Triplett, 6th Ward, who is the youngest elected city official, said that her biggest challenge is just to be of service to the people.
"We are so excited to have the Horizon Club here in the 6th Ward," she stated. "There are a lot of great resources for the homeless population here. We also have the Urban Farm, a couple of blocks away, which is attended by the homeless through the St. Patrick's Center, through a grant from Gateway Greening."
"They produce over 22,000 lbs of food each farming cycle. They sell that food at the farmer's market. So the homeless population is being taught agriculture and marketing skills for when they do work with the population in selling the produce. It's also very theraputic to work in a garden."
"We also have Cennenary Church, which serves as a drop-in shelter and Reverand Rice's facility as other resources that serve the homeless population," continued Triplett. "So even though we have resources here (Horizon Club), we can't stop. We need to continue to provide more resources for this population."
Being the youngest member, Triplett stated with enthusiasm, "I have a lot of energy and passion for this city. I'm working on making sure that there are resources available for those who need them the most. People can count on me to be a beacon of light and advocating for those resources," said Triplett.
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