Advancing the Kingdom

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Advancing T he Kingdom: Kingdom House 122
to identify the causes of child abuse and
neglect. As a result of their efforts, the Child
Advocacy Project/Soulard (CAPS) was
launched. The task force invited the General
Board to assign a Church and Community
Worker to the project.
In September, 1987, Susan Burgess,
a graduate of Methodist College in
Fayetteville, North Carolina and with
a Master of Divinity degree from Duke
University Divinity School, came to
coordinate the program. She was installed to
her responsibilities at the November annual
meeting of the Kingdom House Board of
Directors by Bishop W.T. Handy Jr.
CAPS was created to address the
problem of child abuse and neglect in the
metropolitan area. The initial prevention
efforts are being focused in the Soulard
Neighborhood, chosen because of its
racially-mixed makeup (Hispanic, African
American, Caucasian, Oriental), an
economic range from homeless to affluence,
and documented incidence of child abuse.
Efforts have been directed to create
partnerships with other neighborhood
organizations, to establish natural helping
networks through a peer ministry, creating
a ‘community within the neighborhood.’
Rosemarie Burtner, a member of
Kingshighway United Methodist Church,
has served as project task force chairperson
since its inception.
Under the guidance of the existing child
care leadership at Kingdom House, the
Soulard Child Care Center was established
in a community building with its own
staff and objectives. Local church groups
assisted with remodeling of the facilities and
equipping them for child ministry.
Only in recent weeks, CAPS has directed
the establishment of a family support center
in Soulard. The center will provide respite
child care and personal support services
for parents. The purpose of the center is to
strengthen the family’s ability to cope with
and raise their own children. In this, the
center will be involved in primary prevention
of child abuse and neglect.
Director of the Soulard Center is Kathy
Shaver, an experienced family service
professional with extensive counseling
experience with children and parents. For
now the center is open on Tuesdays and
Thursdays, 9:30 to 2:30 p.m. on the second
floor at 1831 South 8th Street.
The center can accommodate up to 15
children, up to five years of age, at any
one time. Resources and program referrals
will also be provided for children over
five. Trained volunteers will provide basic
childcare under the supervision of the
director.24
Currently under the direction of
Deaconess Shay Blackwell, the Soulard
Center still serves its original mission
in the neighborhood, providing respite
childcare for parents in need. But the
day care center in Soulard that had
opened in November, 1989, with 25 –
30 children closed the following June.
“It did not make it financially. Not a
good year…both Furniture to Go and
the Day Care failed at about the same
time. Long story as to why it failed. It
looked a good plan at the time, but too
many things just didn’t come together
as they should have. The Furniture just
A
P hoto:
A: Soulard Family Center
Under the guidance of
the existing child care
leadership at Kingdom
House, the S oulard
Child Care Center
was established in a
community building
with its own staff
and objectives.