Celebrating 5 Years with 5 Stories: The Story of Those Who Show Up

When people think about Lifting Up STL, they may think first about the individuals and families we serve, our transitional housing program, or one of the events they have attended over the years.

But behind nearly everything Lifting Up STL does is another part of the story: the people who simply keep showing up.

They show up for committee meetings after work. They make phone calls, collect donations, organize events, reach out to businesses, review plans, answer questions, move tables, sell raffle tickets, and take care of dozens of details most people will never see.

Some have been involved with Lifting Up STL from the beginning. Others have joined along the way. Together, they have helped turn an idea into an organization that continues to grow five years later.

For the second installment of our 5 Stories in 5 Months series, we’re celebrating the volunteers, board members, committee members, and friends who help keep our mission moving.

Many People, One Mission

Lifting Up STL’s work is supported by five committees, each focused on a different part of the organization: the Executive Committee, Development Committee, Events Committee, Community Support Committee, and Transitional Housing Committee.

Their responsibilities may look very different, but they all point back to the same goal.

The Development Committee looks for ways to grow support for the mission, build relationships, raise awareness, and strengthen the organization for the future.

The Events Committee is behind the many fundraisers and community events people have come to know, handling everything from planning and donations to volunteers, vendors, and the countless little details that have to come together before the doors open.

The Community Support Committee helps connect people in need with resources and looks for outreach opportunities, bringing the mission into direct contact with the St. Louis community.

The Executive Committee helps guide the organization and make decisions about its direction.

And the Transitional Housing Committee has helped guide one of the newest and most significant parts of Lifting Up STL’s work, including the development of Adam’s Place.

None of these groups works in isolation. A fundraiser planned by one committee can provide resources for a program supported by another. A new community connection can turn into a donation, a volunteer, a partnership, or simply another person who knows where to turn when someone needs help.

That overlap is part of what keeps Lifting Up STL moving.

“Lifting Up STL is not possible without the support of so many volunteers who work endlessly behind the scenes,” says Lifting Up STL President Steve Young. “Their time, talent, and treasure are the reason we’ve grown, and I am forever grateful for each one.”

The Work You Don’t Always See

Volunteering for a nonprofit is not always glamorous.

Sometimes it is brainstorming a fundraiser. Sometimes it is asking a local business for an auction donation. Sometimes it is stuffing envelopes, picking up supplies, or staying late after an event to clean up.

There are also people who may never sit on a committee but show up whenever they are needed. They help at events, introduce Lifting Up STL to someone new, donate an item, share a post, bring a friend, or offer a skill that happens to be exactly what the organization needs at that moment.

Those contributions can be easy to overlook individually. Added together over five years, they have made an enormous difference.

Lifting Up STL is fortunate to have had volunteers with all kinds of backgrounds and talents willing to contribute. The organization works because people bring what they can and find a way to use it.

“Lifting Up STL is a grassroots organization made up of caring and compassionate people who truly believe that ‘to whom much is given, much is expected,’” says Genie Swanston, Lifting Up STL volunteer and Board Member.

“I was raised to recognize a person’s worth, no matter their circumstances, and that is what makes this group so special. Whether we’re helping provide housing, connecting someone with resources, or simply serving a good meal, our goal is always to lift people up. I feel honored to serve alongside this group and help make a difference in the lives of our neighbors.”

When It All Comes Together

One of the easiest places to see that teamwork in action is at a Lifting Up STL event.

What guests experience as a fun evening with friends often represents months of work behind the scenes. Before anyone arrives, volunteers have already been finding sponsors, securing auction items, selling tickets, arranging food and venue setup, promoting the event, and working through all the logistics that make the night possible.

This fall, that work will come together again at Let’s Roll with Lifting Up STL, our annual Game Night, on November 13. The evening will include food, games, a silent auction, raffles, and plenty of friendly competition, all while raising funds to support Lifting Up STL’s transitional housing and support programs.

While at this a fundraiser, it is also a good snapshot of what makes this organization work: a lot of people giving a little bit of their time, energy, creativity, and generosity to accomplish something much bigger together.

“It does take a village to plan an event,” says Laura Young, Events Committee Chair. “The lead-up can be chaotic, but as soon as the room is filled, all the stress immediately melts away. You feel and see all the love and support right in front of you.”

Five Years of Showing Up

Over the past five years, Lifting Up STL has changed and grown. Programs have expanded. New projects have taken shape. Events have gotten bigger. More people have learned about the mission and found ways to be part of it.

Through all that growth, one thing has remained constant: people have continued to show up.

They show up with ideas, connections, when there is work to be done, and when someone in the community needs help.

Not every contribution makes it into a newsletter or a photograph, but each one has helped build the organization Lifting Up STL is today.

To every board member, committee member, event volunteer, donor organizer, and friend who has offered a helping hand over the last five years: thank you. There would be no Lifting Up STL without the people willing to stand behind its mission and help carry it forward.