ITSOG, the iconic week-long donation drive where our community comes together to support those in need, is back in full-swing right now.

“ITSOG is important for so many people in our community, and far beyond that,” says Arianna Henderson, a member of the organizations committee for ITSOG. 

But most people seem to not know where these donations go.

Donations for ITSOG go to eleven different agencies. These agencies are not headlined during ITSOG, yet knowledge of where these donated items go is valuable.

The charities that receive ITSOG donations are: Whole Kids Outreach, Little Bit Foundation, Los Vecinos, One Heart Ministries, African Vision of Hope, Sunshine Ministries, Loaves and Fishes, Operation Christmas Child, Kidsmart, Good Shepherd Children & Family Services, and Trinity Lutheran Soulard. All these agencies serve children and families specifically.

“ITSOG is important to me because it’s an opportunity to for our community to share the love of Christ in a tangible way with others in the greater St. Louis Community who are not as fortunate,” said Mrs. Brown.

Whole Kids Outreach provides several services that support families in need by providing programs such as a nursing program, programs that assist parents in parenting, a camp, community days, and even a horse riding program. According to their website, they are “a faith-based, nonprofit service organization committed to the unmet health and developmental needs of children, youth, and pregnant women within their family structure.”

Little Bit Foundation cares for children in poverty by addressing a lack of essentials like clothing and school supplies, academic equity and enrichment by providing tutoring, books, book fairs and more, health by providing food and medical attention, college and career readiness by providing mentoring, and wellness and family support.Their mission is to “remove the barriers to learning and to empower students to succeed in the classroom and beyond,” according to their website.

Los Vecinos seeks to care for children and families in the Chesterfield Mobile Home Park.

One Heart Ministries takes families through the full process of training to adopt a child, and continues to support families after they adopt to ensure a fully stable household. “One Heart Family Ministries recruits, equips, and supports Christian families for children impacted by state foster care,” from their website.

African Vision of Hope aids vulnerable children in Zambia living in extreme poverty. It is committed to providing quick and lasting solutions to this poverty. They do this by providing children with a Christ-centered education, nutritious food, clean water, and generally serving communities. Their vision is, “for every child and family and Zambia to be released from extreme poverty and have the ability to fulfill the purpose God has for their lives.”

Sunshine Ministries provides high quality Christian social services to the poor in St. Louis. They help men rise out of homelessness and substance abuse to become self-sufficient, they aid families by providing practical, emotional, and spiritual help, and they provide an educational foundation to encourage youths to discover their talents and achieve their potential. “Sunshine Ministries is committed to providing high quality Christian social services to the poor and needy of St. Louis by offering healing from the past, help for the present, and hope for the future,” according to their website. 

Loaves and Fishes provides comprehensive shelter services to homeless families. Their mission, from their website, is to “provide uplifting and supportive services that empower clients to become financially secure and have a stable home.”

Operation Christmas Child is a ministry run by Samaritan’s Purse, and it collects donated shoeboxes filled with various toys, games, school supplies, and personal care items and delivers them to children in need worldwide.

Kidsmart collects and donates school supplies to give to children in St. Louis in poverty. Their Mission is to “empower children in need to succeed in school by providing free essential tools for learning.

Good Shepherd Children & Family Services connects children in need of adoptive parents or pregnant women who cannot support a child with parents looking to adopt.

Trinity Lutheran Soulard is a radically Christ-centered ministry located in the heart of Soulard.

These organizations have a previous connection to Westminster. “The ITSOG organizations are a combination of our Faith in Action agencies and agencies that we have a relationship with through senior service,” Mrs. Brown, Director of Student Life, reveals.

Having a comprehensive understanding of where ITSOG donations go encourages students to donate, to make a difference locally.