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www.slfp.com
St. Louis Front Page
P. O. Box 1354
St. Louis, MO 63188
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St. Louis Community Info, Sunday, May 1, 2008
Sam's Club Rolls Out National Food Donation Program
ST. LOUIS (SLFP.com), May 4, 2008 - Wal-Mart has announced the start of a new national food donation program in more than 560 Sam's Clubs throughout the nation that would include the ability to provide bakery products and protein, including fresh meats and deli products, to members of America's Second Harvest-The Nation's Food Bank Network. The overall pilot has been in place since 2006 and will begin to roll out to Wal-Mart supercenters in coming months.
Speaking at a news conference, Michael Gonce, Market Manager for Sam's Club, said that a pilot food donation program at Sam's Club in St. Louis and several other cities was being rapidly expanded in cooperation with America's Second Harvest. Gonce said the implementation timetable would depend in part on the readiness of local food banks to handle meat and deli donations, which require refrigerated transportation and storage.
"Many of our food banks are ready today, and some are already receiving donations several times a week from Sam's Clubs," said Vicki Escarra, president and CEO of America's Second Harvest. "The Sam's meat and deli donations are particularly important because there is a pressing need for high quality protein in the diets of the clients we serve."
"This is by far the largest amount of fresh food that we receive from any retailer in the area," said Lenora Young, Director of Product Sourcing for the St. Louis Area Foodbank. "It has increased the total amount of nutritious meat and bakery items we receive by 35 percent," she said. "The 500-plus food pantries, soup kitchens, and shelters that rely on the St. Louis Area Foodbank for help are excited about the program and the much-needed meat items they're now able to provide for their clients."
Michael Gonce said that donations would soon begin at some Wal-Mart supercenters. "A pilot program is in the early stages at Wal-Mart, and we plan to use the lessons we learn from the Sam's pilot to roll out an operational program in communities where Wal-Mart supercenters align with local foodbanks," Gonce said. Estimates are that a combined Sam's and Wal-Mart donation program at the supercenter/Club level could contribute more than 70 million pounds of food per year to U.S. food banks.
In a separate announcement, Wal-Mart said that it was donating $1.5 million at the corporate level to America's Second Harvest with $500,000 allocated to support its "Backpack Program," which provides food on weekends and out-of-school periods for at-risk children.
Long Term Care Costs in Missouri Increased as Much as Three Times National Average
ST. LOUIS (BUSINESS WIRE), May 4, 2008 - The cost of nursing home care in St. Louis, the most expensive city in Missouri for this type of care, has increased 57 percent since 2004, according to an annual Cost of Care Survey released by Genworth Financial. Elsewhere in Missouri, over the past five years, costs increased 18 percent in Kansas City and 11 percent throughout the rest of the state. This compares to a 17 percent increase nationwide. See report on St. Louis Community Health Care News
School Violence Hotline Receives High Marks from Community Leaders
ST. LOUIS (SLFP.com), April 27, 2008 - The Missouri Department of Social Services' (DSS) School Violence Hotline (SVH) announced today that it has received an overwhelmingly positive response from law enforcement officials and school administrators utilizing the service through its annual evaluation. The SVH in the Children's Division (CD) operates predominately through a grant from the Department of Public Safety's (DPS) Missouri Juvenile Justice Advisory Group.
The School Violence Hotline takes reports from callers regarding instances of school violence and relays that information to local law enforcement and school administrators. The hotline has been in operation since 2001.
"It is important that we partner with Missouri schools to help create a safer and more secure learning environment for our students," Gov. Blunt said. "I am pleased that the School Violence Hotline continues to serve as a successful resource for students, parents and educators to promote safety in our schools."
"The ultimate objective of the school violence hotline is to promote collaboration between local schools and law enforcement," said Jennifer Hunter, SVH supervisor. "Our goal is to strengthen the partnership between these two parties so that small instances of school violence are prevented from turning into major tragedies."
When a report is taken at the hotline, SVH dispatchers immediately notify the school and local law enforcement. School officials work with law enforcement to determine the appropriate response and action. Thirty days following a report, a follow-up evaluation is conducted with the involved parties. The results of these evaluations show that in 90 percent of the surveyed reports, callers, law enforcement and school administrators felt the hotline was a useful service to gain information on threats of school violence. More than 70 percent of schools and law enforcement surveyed reported that collaboration improved as a result of the report.
"We are thrilled by the results of the latest evaluation. They confirm that this service works best with the people at the local level identifying and addressing potentially harmful situations before they escalate," said CD Director Paula Neese. "I encourage communities to continue to take advantage of the hotline as a way to foster school safety."
The SVH received more than 1300 calls resulting in more than 300 reports from October 2006 to September 2007. Reports were made by students, teachers, parents and concerned citizens and included allegations of assaults, fights, bullying, weapons, threats, theft, property destruction, cyber-bullying, sexual misconduct and sexual assaults.
To report threats of school violence concerning students, teachers or schools call the School Violence Hotline at 1-866-748-7047. Callers have the option to remain anonymous.
Springtime Can Become Scam Time for Home Repairs
ST. LOUIS (SLFP.com), April 20, 2008 - Attorney General Jay Nixon reminds consumers to watch out for scams as home repair season approaches. Nixon's office already has nearly 400 complaints in 2008 related to home construction and remodeling, and he says consumers will likely file hundreds more during spring and summer. Many of those complaints will be against fraudulent contractors who collect money for repairs, then do little or no work.
"The crooks are as reliable as the leaves on the trees this time of year," Nixon said. Consumers need to work with companies they trust and watch for door to door salesmen, free home inspections, driveway scams and other tricks that aim to rip them off."
The Attorney General says consumers, especially in southern Missouri, may have more repairs than usual because of the flood damage still being assessed.
Nixon says consumers should be suspicious of workers who:
* Solicit business door-to-door, especially after a damaging storm;
* Drive vehicles that are unmarked or have out-of-state license plates;
* Ask for full payment in advance;
* Have no physical address, just a phone or P.O. Box;
* Ask for an immediate decision; or
* Don't carry identification.
When selecting a home-repair company, Nixon offers consumers these tips:
* Hire companies that are known or recommended. Check a company's record with the local Better Business Bureau or the Attorney General's Consumer Protection Hotline (number below) or Web feature, Know MO;
* Check the credentials of companies: verify their numbers and addresses in the phone book, check for county or other local permits, and ask if they are licensed, bonded and insured;
* Get at least two estimates, and a third if possible;
* Get all agreements in writing, including description of the job, completion dates and price; and
* Pay in full only when the work is complete according to the agreement.
Some contractors may not offer a contract, preferring instead to operate on a handshake agreement. In these cases, consumers can draft their own contract using a worksheet available from the Consumer Corner section of the Attorney General's Web site.
Nixon's office took more than 1,600 consumer complaints on home repair and remodeling in 2007, making it the fourth-highest category of complaints. Consumers can file a complaint online with the Attorney General's Office by visiting ago.mo.gov or by calling 1-800-392-8222.
Archived St. Louis Community News:
 St. Louis Remembers Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
More Older Adults Returning to College
Over Half a Million Dollars in Grants to Support Missouri Firefighters
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