CARE is a student led summer donation campaign created by Ladue High School students Vianna Vong and Renae Yang, whose shared passion for community service and healthcare inspired them to create an initiative to make a meaningful impact close to home.

Rather than organizing a one time collection, Vianna and Renae created CARE as a way to bring together students, businesses, organizations and community members around a common goal — to ensure that domestic violence (DV) survivors and their children rebuilding their lives have access to basic health and hygiene essentials. These supplies are fundamental to individual health, confidence, and dignity, and our community is encouraged to come together to fund or donate such supplies as:

TOOTHPASTE – TOOTHBRUSHES – DEODORANT – SHAMPOO/CONDITIONER (TRAVEL OR MEDIUM SIZED) – BODY WASH/SOAP – RAZORS – TISSUES – TOILET PAPER – LIQUID/FOAM HAND SOAP – SANITIZING WIPES/GEL (TRAVEL OR SMALL SIZED) – HEALTHY SNACKS LIKE PROTEIN BARS, GRANOLA BARS, FRUIT SNACKS, DRIED FRUIT, APPLESAUCE, NUTS, TRAIL MIX, ETC.

After learning about ALIVE and their work empowering survivors and their families, Renae and Vianna recognized a common commitment to helping individuals rebuild their lives with dignity, compassion, and hope. CARE is honored to partner with ALIVE, not only to provide essential items, but to remind survivors that their community stands beside them as they begin a new chapter.

Community donation events at which supporters can drop off supplies are being organized. Check back at his page periodically to learn about those events and how to get involved.

It's quick and easy to give today! All financial donations made here fund essential health and hygiene items for DV survivors and their children accessing ALIVE's programs.

ALIVE (Alternatives to Living in Violent Environments) was founded in 1983 through the shared vision of two women graduates of Washington University who worked as advocates for abused women. Aware of the critical need for safe shelter for women and children victimized by domestic violence (DV) in St. Louis, they launched ALIVE from two rooms donated by a local church. These volunteer co-directors recruited and coordinated six safe home providers who shared their homes with abused women and their children when safe shelter options were unavailable. ALIVE volunteers also provided transportation to victims and facilitated four weekly support groups.

ALIVE has since expanded into a comprehensive DV services agency. The innovative Nights of Safety program now partners with confidentially located motels to safely grant short term shelter to survivors fleeing abuse, remaining true to the founders’ original vision of providing emergency sanctuary when traditional DV shelters are full or cannot meet victim needs. ALIVE’s services supporting DV survivors include:

a 24-hour crisis line.
emergency transportation for DV survivors in immediate danger.
individual and group adult counseling.
a children’s treatment program.
court advocacy.
community education and outreach.

ALIVE’s staff has grown to a team of nearly 40 professionals staffing our two offices — one in St. Louis area and the other in Franklin County. The operational volunteer corps that started with eight women now number over 100 strong annually.

Learn more at https://alivestl.org/.

CARE - Community Action for Relief and Empowerment - Donation Drive

Empowering New Beginnings

Team Members