The Little Bit Foundation Honored for Making a Big Difference in the Lives of St. Louis School Children

St. Louis, MO- March 25, 2009: It started with a simple request. As volunteers coordinating coat drives for St. Patrick’s Center in 2001, Rosemary Hanley and Elise Tierney were contacted by a St. Louis Public School teacher about extra coats they might spare. There were many students in her school that did not have winter coats. Having a ready supply, Hanley and Tierney brought over 150 coats to the school, outfitting children who were in dire need of winter clothing. The women were humbled by how just doing a “little bit” could make a big difference. And the Little Bit Foundation was born.

They began with one school, collecting shoes, clothes, clean socks, underwear and warm coats. Tierney’s basement provided the base of operations, and they conducted drives for gently used items, new socks and underwear. During an early drop-off at a city school, the principal mentioned a young boy who had been duct-taping his shoes together. Tierney went home that evening, raided her son’s closet, and brought the boy shoes and clothes. The following drop-off trip, the young boy came to the office, knelt down and kissed their hands- saying that no one had ever done such a nice thing for him.

The women decided that their efforts needed to go beyond merely dropping off collected clothes- they needed to see the kids, make sure the clothes fit properly, and to let them know someone cared.

Powered by a team of over 80 volunteers, The Little Bit Foundation now serves over 3000 kids in 12 St. Louis City schools. They sort clothing donations, fill clothing orders and deliver the items to the schools. The organization now goes beyond providing just the basic clothing needs, collecting and distributing uniforms, hygiene kits, backpacks, and school supplies. Nineteen schools now are on a waiting list to receive services.

Principals, teachers, and social workers have noted the changes in the schools partnered with The Little Bit Foundation. The basic necessities that The Little Bit Foundation provides gives the students dignity, self-esteem and confidence.

For all of this, Progressive Youth Connection is proud to award The Little Bit Foundation the World of Children award for outstanding work in the nonprofit community of St. Louis.

The 11th Annual World of Children Awards and wine tasting will be held this year on May 8 at the Sunset Country Club in Sunset Hills, MO from 7pm to 11pm. Since 1972, Progressive Youth Connection has been working to enhance the emotional, social, and intellectual development of youth ages 5-18 by providing prevention programs that promote a positive, violence-free environment and help develop academic and social success for kids. For more information about PYC and our programs, please call (314) 963-8368 or visit us online at www.pyconline.com.

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