West County Center has a special relationship with Saint Louis Crisis Nursery. Over the past several years, the mall has supported the nonprofit agency with diaper drives, book fairs and popular events like Celebrity Waiters Night, which is the nursery’s largest fundraiser (1,000 people attended last year!). Founded in 1986, the nursery is funded by United Way, the Children’s Service Fund, grants, fundraising events and individual donations. It is committed to preventing child abuse and neglect by providing short-term, emergency shelter for children, birth through age 12, whose families are in crisis. In addition, it provides medical exams, developmental assessments, ongoing support and follow-up care. “West County Center has been so good to us,” says Venus Martz, the nursery’s communications director.
This year, the mall is partnering with Barnes & Noble during its book fair for the nursery, slated to coincide with the center’s Easter Bunny Arrival Event. On March 25 from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., a portion of all Barnes & Noble sales goes to the nursery. Continuing throughout the week until March 31, shoppers also may purchase or bring new books for the nursery and drop them off at the West County Center Customer Service desk near Nordstrom or at Sweet & Sassy near Restaurant Village. “We are so thrilled to be partnering with the mall to benefit Crisis Nursery,” says Joshua Grogan, Barnes & Noble community business development manager. “They are a wonderful organization, and we are delighted to help.”
Sean Phillips, West County Center’s marketing director, stresses the importance of organizations like Crisis Nursery. “These people do such great things for local families in need, and our shoppers like to know that their help is staying local,” he says. “We’ve been working with the nursery for several years and fully support its good work.”
That support is needed: In 2015, more than 6,000 calls were made to the nursery’s 24-hour helpline, and 7,500 children received crisis care there; the nursery provided more than 2,000 food bags to families who didn’t have food in the home; and 3,700 households received family empowerment services. With the nursery’s help, 99 percent of children were able to remain in the family home without incident. Crisis Nursery also helps homeless families find permanent shelter and provides baskets of comfort items to parents experiencing chronic or terminal illness. Its five nursery locations across the region are open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Eight outreach centers provide counseling, supplies and services during business hours.
As for the Easter Bunny’s arrival on March 25, it will be open to the public and kids will be feted with all kinds of free child-friendly fun—balloon sculptures, Barnes & Noble story time, a sing-along with Mr. Saxophone, and a meet-and-greet with ‘Beauty’ and the ‘Rescue Dogs.’ Photos with the Easter Bunny are available for purchase March 25 through April 15.
On March 25, West County Center partners with Barnes & Noble Booksellers in a book fair to benefit Saint Louis Crisis Nursery. The fair coincides with the center’s Easter Bunny Arrival Event. Pictured on the cover: West County Center’s Easter Bunny reads to children in preparation for the Barnes & Noble Book Fair. For more information, visit shopwestcountycenter.com.