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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 19, 2010
St. Patrick Center is reporting successful outcomes in two programs that mark their two-year anniversary this week.
St. Patrick Center opened the BEGIN Center in October 2008, located in the newly remodeled 4th and 5th floors of The Partnership Center at 800 N. Tucker Blvd. in downtown St. Louis. The BEGIN Center consists of the BEGIN New Venture Center small business incubator, the BEGIN Training & Education Center, and the Catholic Charities Conference Center.
Since its opening, 22 mission-sensitive small businesses, including ten culinary companies, are incubating in the BEGIN New Venture Center (BNVC) and have generated 35 full-time jobs and 75 job placements. Earlier this month, St. Patrick Center opened a state-of-the-art Culinary Suite in the incubator, where the culinary companies are working and training agency clients. All BNVC companies receive daily business and marketing assistance, access to experienced service providers and investment capital, and more in a professional business location. Moreover, these startup and early-stage companies have access to the ready, willing and able workforce of St. Patrick Center clients.
read more about the BEGIN New Venture Center
view a list of all BNVC companies
The BEGIN Training & Education Center (BTEC) is also reporting major growth and success. Since its start in October 2008, 218 clients have graduated from BTEC employer-led programs, including construction, green jobs, painting, safety training and GED education. Thanks to the BTEC program GO! Green, which prepares St. Patrick Center clients for local St. Louis jobs in landscaping, nurseries, gardening retailers and other green-care jobs, 35 out of 44 graduates are working. This program has also expanded to Veterans GO! Green, which provides job training to assist in reintegrating veterans into meaningful employment within the green industry.
read more about the BEGIN Training & Education Center
St. Patrick Center opened Rosati Apartments in October 2008, a 26-unit apartment complex for chronically homeless men and women suffering from mental illness and/or substance abuse. The permanent, supportive housing complex consists of two adjacent three-story housing projects at 4220 and 4222 North Grand, and contains 26 fully furnished studio apartments (single occupancy). 73% of Rosati Apartment clients have been housed for at least a year. In addition, 70% of clients in the Rosati Assertive Community Treatment program, which provides case management to Rosati residents and other chronically homeless individuals living at other sites in the community, have been housed for a year or more, ending more than 100 years of homelessness.
read more about Rosati Apartments
“We are grateful to those who continue to believe in the BEGIN Center and Rosati Apartments, and support our efforts,” says COO Greg Vogelweid. “These successful programs could not have been implemented without the loyal community partners who believe in our mission to identify and address the many needs of our homeless population.”
MISSION:
St. Patrick Center provides opportunities for self-sufficiency and dignity to persons who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. Individuals achieve permanent, positive changes in their lives through affordable housing, sound mental health, employment and financial stability.
FOR MORE INFO:
Kelly Peach
Senior Director of Communications
St. Patrick Center
Direct Line 314.802.0687
Cell 314.581.7126
kpeach@stpatrickcenter.org
Stephanie Perry
Writer/Producer
St. Patrick Center
Direct Line 314.802.1968
Cell 314.853.8886
sperry@stpatrickcenter.org
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