Abbey, a local teen, spent years suffering from severe depression and episodes of self-injury. Her life was saved when Great Circle helped her journey to a healthier place. “This young woman was struggling with past trauma and had become completely hopeless, but we were able to work together to solve her issues and find new coping skills,” says Judy Hillyer, director of advancement.
Like a lighthouse bringing storm-weary sailors safely to shore, Great Circle has provided thousands of struggling Missourians like Abbey with the tools and support they need to thrive. Founded in 2009 as a merger between Edgewood Children’s Center and Boys & Girls Town of Missouri, the organization offers treatment, education, prevention and support services for families and children dealing with behavioral and learning challenges, adoption and foster care, or any of life’s difficulties. Specific resources include nationally accredited schools, foster care training and case management, crisis prevention, 24-hour intensive care, emergency shelter, parenting education, and specialized programs for coping with autism, self-injury and homelessness.
Today, Great Circle is one of the largest providers of behavioral health care in the state, impacting the lives of more than 20,500 individuals annually through its campuses in St. Louis and 12 other cities. It also strives to support family members and caregivers. One example of this is the recently opened respite facility in St. Louis that provides a break for families caring for children with autism. “When a child has behavioral or emotional challenges, the whole family struggles,” Hillyer says. “We can help strengthen a sibling so they don’t develop issues down the road, or we can help save a marriage that’s headed down a bad path because of all the added pressure. Any time you’re intervening emotionally or behaviorally, you’re touching not only the life of the individual, but also the lives of every person that individual has a relationship with.”
To help continue its mission, Great Circle hosts its annual fundraiser, Starry Starry Night, Nov. 14 at the Four Seasons. Event co-chairs are Karlos and Samantha Bledsoe and John and Cindy Munich; vice chairs are Mary Ann Hunzeker and Lisa Prinster Messey. Presenting sponsors are Edward Jones and On the Run by Wallis Companies. The event is circus-themed and will feature strolling circus acts by children during cocktail hour and a feature performance by Cirque Productions. “It’s our largest fundraising event of the year for the St. Louis region,” Hillyer says. “Equally important is that it gives us an opportunity to share examples of the work we do and the impact we have.”
Missourians need to know that when hope has sputtered out, Great Circle will be there, Hillyer says. “We have information and resources for any child or family in difficult circumstances,” she notes. “Whether it’s an issue that many families deal with, like divorce, or something more tragic, such as abuse and abandonment, we offer a full range of support, the kind of services that go the extra mile and wrap around kids and families to help them get through it.”
Photo Courtesy of Great Circle
[Starry Starry Night, a benefit for Great Circle, takes place Nov. 14 at the Four Seasons. Tickets start at $250. For more information, call 314.919.4733 or visit greatcircle.org/events.]
