Getting Involved in Your City

As an organization, we are in constant contact with the needs of the city. These needs range from physical, financial, and educational issues to spiritual and relational concerns. Just as we see lots of people with needs, we know many other people in our city want to help but aren’t sure where to begin. We aim to connect the two.

Below, I have listed some practical ways that you can actively get involved with your city.

**Make friends with refugee families. I don’t have the exact statistic, but there are many new families moving to St. Louis from other countries. These families are brought to our city by the United Nations. They are given a temporary residence and some small guidance, but they are otherwise left on their own. These people need friends in this brand new country and culture. They need people to show them the best places to shop and where to buy a car. They need help practicing English and a ride to pick up job applications. We have a list of families. We are looking for YOU to climb on board and help.

**Sponsor a mural. Whether you’re an artist or just lover of beauty, you will find our 14th street project inspiring and unique. We’re looking for sponsors for each of our murals. You can sponsor a mural by submitting a design as an artist. You can also help fund the project by donating paint, brushes, sprayers, or money towards each mural.

**Plant a garden. On just a short drive through the city, you’re likely to see a number of vacant lots. Many of these lots are perfect locations for urban gardens which connect neighbors and build up the community. We planted our first garden this spring on Enright Avenue and we plan to continue with more gardens in strategic locations. We’re collecting green thumbs along with seeds, bushes, benches, and arbors. If you’re interested in gardening in the city, we can use your help. Contact us at info@lovethelou.com

**Support your favorite local business. Maybe you’ve seen the stickers around town. They say “LOVEtheLOU,” but their impact goes beyond the words. When you buy a LOVEtheLOU sticker from a local business, 100% of the proceeds will go back into that business. You can also support this local business by helping stock it with stickers. Printing them costs $0.75 apiece.

**Submit your work to our Art Garden. We plan to begin a new project within the next year. We will be turning a vacant lot in the Old North St. Louis area into an Art Garden with walking paths and benches. We will be looking for local artists to fashion sculptures and unique designs from recycled materials.