Celebrating 5 Years with 5 Stories: The Story of Home
As Lifting Up STL celebrates five years, we’re looking back at the work that has shaped our mission and the ways that mission continues to grow.
Over the next five months, we’ll share five different stories that show what Lifting Up STL is all about.
Our first story is the story of Home.
Why Transitional Housing?
For someone facing housing instability, finding a safe place to live can be one of the biggest hurdles standing between a difficult season and a more stable future. That is where transitional housing can make a difference.
Transitional housing is designed to provide a temporary, stable place to live for individuals or families who are working toward greater independence. It is not meant to be a permanent home, but rather a place to regroup, rebuild, and take the next steps forward.
During that time, residents also have the opportunity to get connected with resources and support based on their individual needs, whether that means employment assistance, life skills, mental health support, financial guidance, or other services.
Having that stability can make everything else feel a little more possible.
For Lifting Up STL, transitional housing has become an important extension of our mission. It allows us to do more than respond to an immediate need. It gives us the opportunity to help provide the time, stability, and support someone may need to begin building toward what comes next.
"We kept meeting people who just needed a little more time…time to save up, time to heal, time to get back on their feet,” said Steve Young, President of Lifting Up STL. “A shelter bed or a one-time gift wasn't enough for that. We realized if we really wanted to help people build a stable future, we needed to be part of that in-between space too."
Judy’s Home & Adam’s Place
That commitment to stable housing has further taken shape through two meaningful projects, our biggest projects to date: Judy’s Home and Adam’s Place.
Dear friends of Lifting Up STL, Jeff Lowe and his family generously donated a home in memory of their beloved wife and mother, Judy Lowe, who dedicated much of her life to serving others.
Judy volunteered throughout her community, including at Seven Holy Founders events, through Meals on Wheels, and at the Ronald McDonald House. Helping people was a regular part of her life, and her family wanted that spirit of service to continue.
The home donated in her memory will become “Judy’s Home,” a transitional housing property that will provide a safe place for an individual or family working to regain stability.
Judy spent much of her life helping others, so it feels especially fitting that the home donated in her memory will now be used to help someone else get back on their feet.
“Judy spent her whole life showing up for other people, never asking for anything in return,” said Jeff Lowe. “Donating our home into a place where someone else can find stability and start over is exactly the kind of gift she would have wanted to give."
At the same time, Lifting Up STL is also moving forward with plans for “Adam’s Place,” another transitional housing property that will help expand this part of our mission.
Adam’s Place will be built on a donated residential lot in Affton. It is a different kind of project for Lifting Up STL because this home is being created from the ground up.
The project has required the help of many people, including committee members, builders, contractors, and community partners who are contributing their time, expertise, and resources to help make the home possible.
“Adam’s Place has really been a community effort from the start,” said Marty Carr, Transitional Housing Committee Chair. “So many people have stepped up to help in different ways, and it’s exciting to see it all come together knowing this home will eventually help people get back on their feet.”
The name Adam’s Place carries especially deep meaning for Lifting Up STL. The home is named in memory of Adam Young, whose family has been closely connected to the Lifting Up from the very beginning. His memory is woven into the heart of our organization, making Adam’s Place a particularly meaningful part of this next chapter.
“Though his passing has left a space that can never be filled, we hope this home offers a way to transform grief into purpose,” said Sarah Young, sister to Adam. “In building pathways to stability, safety, and hope, we want to honor not only the person Adam was, but the love he gave and the impact he continues to have.”
Judy’s Home and Adam’s Place may have different beginnings, but they share the same purpose: creating a stable foundation from which someone can build a better future.
Looking Ahead
Over the last five years, Lifting Up STL has grown in ways we could not have fully imagined when we first began. Along the way, we have learned that helping someone move forward can look different in every situation. Sometimes it means meeting an immediate need. Sometimes it means connecting someone with the right resources. And sometimes it means helping provide the stability and confidence that comes with a safe place to live.
Judy’s Home and Adam’s Place represent an important next step in that work. Both have been made possible through generosity, strong community connections, and a shared belief that everyone deserves the opportunity to regain their footing and work toward a more stable future.
"Judy's Home showed us what's possible when a family trusts us with something so personal. Adam's Place is us saying, ‘We're not stopping there.’ This is a mission we intend to keep building on, literally and figuratively,” said Steve Young.
As we look ahead to the next five years, we are excited to continue growing this part of our mission and to see the impact these homes can have on the people who will one day call them home.
And this is only one part of the Lifting Up STL story.
In the months ahead, we’ll continue celebrating our fifth anniversary by sharing more of the people, partnerships, and moments that have shaped who we are today and continue to guide where we are going next.
