St. Peter’s Racial Justice Committee is working to help Jeff Vander Lou residents.

Over the past year members of St. Peter’s Committee for Racial Justice (formerly named the Anti-Racism Committee) and several members of St. Michael and St. George have been holding virtual “Courageous Conversations” with members of The Tabernacle Church, and the Tabernacle Community Development Corporation (TCDC), both led by Pastor Andre Alexander. The TCDC was founded in 2010 in The Jeff Vanderlou neighborhood. Its mission is “to assist communities by building people.” Its objective is “to help eliminate poverty as well as social exclusion by improving the social, educational, and economic infrastructure which will lead to self-sufficiency.” The TCDC is working to build reliable and trusting relationships with neighborhood residents, local law enforcement, government officials, and neighboring nonprofits. 

Residents in The Ville and Jeff Vanderlou area desperately need stable local neighborhoods. Many of the lives taken by STL homicides each year are residents of the TCDC’s target area of zip codes 63107,63115 and 63113 with a median income of approximately $23,000, an unemployment rate of 17.9% and family structure composed mainly of single parent households. Social scientists tell us that a critical component for creating stable communities is adequate and safe housing for families. The areas that are specifically targeted are blocks of condemned and failing housing, and families who need resources as well as a concentrated, focused plan to attain stabilization and sustainability. 

Since 2016, TCDC has been purchasing and restoring local properties and enrolling interested neighborhood residents in the TCDC’s Affordable Rental Program (ARP). ARP provides resources that will allow for the revitalization of physical structures and families by providing resources (budgeting, resume building and tutoring), according to their individual need, thus allowing the overall enhancement and development for both children and adults.

Recently, TCDC purchased an old schoolhouse located at 3000 East Prairie Avenue and is renovating it to become the neighborhood hub. “The Hub” will house an urgent care clinic, Catholic Charities feeding program, legal services, a City of Saint Louis Police station outpost, a community gathering area, computer lab dedicated to teaching children coding and computer programming, and other services.

These changes will ultimately lead to outcomes such as: reduced crime, lower unemployment, consistent school attendance and build a foundation for future generations to thrive as well as make positive community changes to impact not only their future but ours as well.

How you can get involved

The purpose of our “Courageous Conversations” is to further understand the issues related to the Jeff Vanderlou neighborhood; to build meaningful relationships with Tabernacle parishioners and neighborhood residents; and to see how and where we might work together to help stabilize the Ville and Jeff Vanderlou area.

In our last “Courageous Conversation,” Pastor Andre expressed his concern that the upcoming end to the rental eviction moratorium may occur at about the time school starts. The impact on students could range from having to change schools to being homeless. He is deeply concerned about the education of the young people.

All parishioners are welcome to join in these "Courageous Conversations" and to get involved in the work of St. Peter's Committee for Racial Justice. Please contact Katie Claggett (314-640-0150) or Charlie Claggett (314-757-3595) if you are interested in learning more or getting involved.