The Veiled Prophet Ball takes place once a year. But the Veiled Prophet Foundation has an impact on our community all year long. The foundation, the VP organization’s philanthropic arm, generates funding and volunteer support for a broad range of projects, gifts and events. “The illumination of Eads Bridge and, in collaboration with others, the construction of the Grand Staircase under the Gateway Arch, are examples of foundation gifts that make St. Louis a better place to live for all,” says VP spokesperson Thomas Cooke.
Recent foundation gifts include The Fallen Officer Memorial, located at the new St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department Headquarters downtown. A tribute to police officers who lost their lives in the line of duty, it was designed, built and maintained in conjunction with the Fair St. Louis Foundation.
The VP Foundation’s community service initiative includes the Maids of Honor program. “Young women chosen as VP maids volunteer with area nonprofits, collectively spending thousands of hours doing hands-on work that makes our community a better place,” Cooke explains. The program empowers them to continue the tradition of community service they learned from their families, and prepares them for future leadership roles, he adds.
Among the many nonprofits served by VP volunteers is Food Outreach, which provides food and nutritional support to more than 2,000 St. Louisans who have HIV/AIDS or cancer. “We appreciate the enthusiastic assistance we get from the VP maids and their fathers each year,” says Food Outreach volunteer coordinator and client service manager Kathy Spencer. “They come in during their summer vacation and help us cook and package between 5,000 and 7,000 containers of food per week.”
Beyond Housing, another recipient of VP volunteers, helps rebuild communities by providing safe, affordable housing, after-school programs and family support services. “Each summer, about 75 to 100 VP maids and their dads help us maintain rental housing for low-income families,” says president/CEO Chris Krehmeyer. “They pitch right in with everything from cleaning to home repairs, and also participate in our annual back-to-school event, distributing free school supplies to kids. They’re great to work with, and their hands-on participation reinforces our mission to strengthen neighborhoods.”
And for the last several years, VP maids have volunteered at U.S. Vets Inc., an organization that provides housing, employment and counseling services for area veterans. “These young ladies and their fathers work on renovation and landscaping projects, making sure our vets and their families have clean, pleasant places to live,” says executive director Bill Wallace. “We’re so appreciative of their efforts, and look forward to a long relationship.”
The VP Foundation’s commitment to public service, expertise in mobilizing volunteers, and access to corporate and civic leaders make it a valuable resource, Cooke notes. “It acts as a catalyst, contributing not just dollars, but guidance and leadership that make a substantial difference to our community long after the ball is over. This is the enduring legacy of the Veiled Prophet organization.”
Pictured: VP Maids and their dads volunteer at Food Outreach and other nonprofits.
Photo courtesy of Food Outreach
[2014 Veiled Prophet Queen of Love and Beauty Merrill Clark Hermann, pictured with her father, Robert R. Hermann Jr., was crowned Dec. 20 at the 130th Veiled Prophet Ball. Seventy young women participated in the ceremony.]
