Third Baptist Church in St. Louis, and Buckner Children and Family Services entered into a church collaboration in June 2008. This partnership has allowed Third to deepen its commitment to community ministry and become more intentional about serving our neighborhood. All Buckner programs in the area are the result of the collaboration.
Kids Hope USA
Through this program, Third Baptist partners with Cole Elementary School, part of the St. Louis Public School system. Last school year, about 12 mentors worked with twelve students at Cole.
After-school tutoring
This program offers tutoring to 30 children on Tuesdays and Thursdays during the school year.
Upward Basketball
A basketball program that has tripled in participation from last year.
CityArts
An outreach effort aimed at providing arts instruction and education to underserved neighborhood children. Through CityArts, about seven children took music lessons last school year. Last summer, CityArts sponsored a week-long opera camp and partnered with a summer school that meets in our church to provide an arts component in the afternoons.
Benevolence ministries
A service program that provides utility and rent assistance as well as a food pantry and clothing closet for the needy.
