From after-school tutoring to beautifying city streets, serving the community is at the forefront of Saint Louis University’s Micah program.
As a member of the Micah program, you will serve in neighborhoods surrounding our campus in Midtown St. Louis. Micah students commit to serve at a specific Micah site once a week for at least an entire semester, contributing two to three hours of service a week for a total of at least 30 hours of service per semester. Small groups of students travel to these sites using university vehicles. Students choose their service sites from those listed below based on their interests and availability. The program also provides optional large-group service opportunities.
Micah Service Sites
Beyond School After-School Program
Beyond School, through Mission St. Louis, is a faith-based program serving children in fourth through
eighth grades. You will be able to build close and productive relationships with the
children. The St. Louis Language Immersion School and St. Louis College Prep locations
need volunteer mentors. Both schools are only five minutes from campus.
Caroline Mission Early Childhood Center
Caroline Mission is a Missouri-licensed and accredited early childhood education program facility
operated by Neighborhood Houses and supported by the United Way. As a volunteer, you
can help provide quality affordable child care for children of six weeks to five years
old. The school is about five minutes from campus.
City Garden Montessori School
As a City Garden Montessori School volunteer, you will work with primary and elementary
school children in an after-school program. The mission of City Garden Montessori
is to provide a high-quality education to a diverse student population and to raise
young people who value and respect themselves, others, the environment and the world.
You will help prepare snacks, with arts and crafts, with indoor and outdoor sports
and games, and play table games while students wait to be picked up. The school is
about 10 minutes from campus.
Cornerstone Center for Early Learning
As a volunteer, you will work with children birth to age six at the Cornerstone Center for Early Learning, which provides high-quality, affordable, comprehensive care and education for children
while following a constructivist philosophy that governs all aspects of operation.
As a nonprofit United Way agency, Cornerstone enables parents to enter or remain in
the workforce or to seek higher education. Cornerstone is about 10 minutes from SLU's
campus.
Firm Foundation Tutoring Program
As a volunteer with Firm Foundation Tutoring Programs, you will offer one-on-one weekly tutoring with children in kindergarten through
high school. This faith-based organization is a part of Restore St. Louis and New
City Fellowship. At the south location, families of the current children served come
from Burma, Liberia and Nepal. At the north location, the children served are from
north St. Louis neighborhoods, where many schools have been closed. Both Firm Foundation
locations are about 15 minutes from SLU's campus.
Lewis Place After-School Program
As a volunteer in the Lewis Place neighborhood, you will tutor and mentor children
in kindergarten through eighth grade. The Housing Authority has provided a community
room in the neighborhood for those serving children and trying to restore a sense
of community. They have several programs for children, including an after-school program
focusing on literacy and a youth program focusing on community, leadership and sports.
Missionaries of Charity After-School Program
Located in a north St. Louis neighborhood, the Sisters provide after-school care,
a soup kitchen, a women's shelter and more for the community. As a volunteer, you
will help with the after-school program. The children, ages 4-12, get a safe space
to play, tutoring, snacks, prayer, guidance and dinner.
St. Elizabeth Adult Day Care
You will spend quality time with elderly and disabled adults as a volunteer in the
safe and caring environment of St. Elizabeth Adult Day Care. St. Elizabeth's is about five minutes from SLU's campus.
Youth Learning Center - The Biome
You will tutor and serve as an academic coach for students in kindergarten through
second grade as a volunteer at the Biome, an academic center. The center focuses on math, science, technology, writing and
engineering, but provides academic support in any area in which a child needs help.
The Biome is about five minutes from SLU's campus.
Group Service Projects
Micah students can volunteer in large groups at annual events throughout the academic year. Examples of these events include:
- September: Alongside members of New City Fellowship (affiliated with Firm Foundations Tutoring above), Micah students help renovate distressed neighborhoods.
- February: The Micah program's Dollars for Diapers drive provides diapers for Caroline Mission Childcare and Cornerstone Early Learning Center.
- April: During our Earth Day Service Day, Micah students work alongside residents of the historic Shaw and Lewis Place neighborhoods to help beautify their streets and to prepare community gardens for the growing season.