Covenant House

Other Ministry Profiles on our site:
American Bible Society - Ten Thousand Villages - SERRV International - Prison Fellowship - Billy Graham Evangelistic Association -  L'arches - Christians for Biblical Equality - One Great Hour of Sharing - Habitat for Humanity -  Evangelical and Ecumenical Women's Caucus - Bread for the World

Covenant House International is a program serving homeless and runaway young people, primarily teenagers, and providing shelter and rehabilitation services to thousands of children. It was founded in 1969 by a group of volunteers in New York City with a simple vision: runaway and homeless kids should not be alone and on the street, hungry and dirty, sleeping in alleys and abandoned buildings, vulnerable and scared.

Incorporated in 1972, Covenant House has since expanded to 11 states--Alaska, California, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Texas--as well as Washington, D.C., Vancouver, Toronto, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico and Nicaragua. It is the largest privately funded child-care service in the United States. Covenant House is primarily funded through private donations from individuals of all faiths who are concerned about the plight of homeless youth. While there is no formal partnership between the agency and a church or specific denomination, various Covenant House sites may partner with congregations in their area for various projects.

Residential Programs include Crisis Shelters and the Rights of Passage transitional living program. Covenant House Crisis Shelters maintain an open intake policy, helping anyone who comes to their door, with hot food, a shower, clean clothes, and a warm bed. The next step is to determine what’s best for the kids--whether that is reuniting with their families or finding other options.

The Rights of Passage program bridges the gap for older kids (17-21) who need a place to stay and a lot of guidance as they try to become productive members of society. The focus of ROP is helping kids improve their education, and find and maintain jobs. Life Skills classes are provided so youth can learn how to make it on their own.

Community Service Centers are located in neighborhoods where kids need the kind of extra support that our counselors and programs can provide. The aim is to try to connect with them before they wind up on the streets. Educational and vocational services are provided, including GED classes, tutoring, job training programs, and more. Life skills classes, substance abuse programs, help with medical care and recreational programming are also provided.

Many kids get their first glimpse of Covenant House through the Outreach program. We don’t just sit back and wait for kids to come to us. Outreach staff in vans, on bikes, or on foot cruise the same streets the kids do, ready to provide a listening ear, a warm coat, or advice on what to do next. There is also a national toll-free hotline number that kids and parents can call for help: 1-800-999-9999. The Nineline has trained counselors available 24 hours a day to answer questions or direct youth to an agency near them.

Covenant House also has a pastoral ministry program, geared to put young people in touch with the God who loves them. The pastoral ministry program offers kids opportunities to practice their religion and express their spirituality. While Covenant House is based in Catholic principles, all youth are encouraged to practice whichever faith they belong to.

Faith Community is a service program that provides volunteers an opportunity to devote a year serving full-time at one of the Covenant House sites, living together in community, praying daily and working with Covenant House kids. Faith Community members represent a wide variety of religious, ethnic, and socio-economic backgrounds.

Many Covenant House sites also provide Public Education services, such as Runaway Prevention programs and Dropout Prevention Programs, and on-site health care.

Covenant House Missouri in St. Louis is one of the newer Covenant House sites. Its Outreach program began in 1998, with the Community Service Center opening in 1999. In the summer of 2001 it opened its two-building Rights of Passage Program, housing 16 kids in a transitional living program. It also partnered with St. Louis Public Schools, sending counselors to two of the highest-risk schools, and starting an alternative suspension program for kids in trouble. In the last fiscal year, Covenant House Missouri served 1,294 kids in the greater St. Louis area.

Serving as President and CEO of Covenant House since 1990 is Sister Mary Rose McGeady. She was born in Hazleton, Pennsylvania, in 1928, and spent most of her childhood in Washington, D.C., where she attended Catholic grade and high schools. She entered the Community of the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul, which commissioned her to the Home for Catholic Children in Boston, where she gained experience and understanding of the needs of homeless children. Sr. Mary Rose earned her degree in Sociology and Psychology from Emmanuel College in Boston and a Masters’ Degree in Clinical Psychology from Fordham University.

To donate, to volunteer or to learn more about Covenant House Missouri, please check out our website at www.covenanthousemo.org or call us at (314) 533-2241.