On Wednesday, March 30, during the Boys Hope Girls Hope Reunite Hope EXTENDED Leadership Gathering, the ribbon was cut and Boys Hope Girls Hope officially dedicated its new Network Headquarters office space!
The new Network Headquarters is now in the Fair Mercantile building on Shaw Avenue in St. Louis and features an open floor plan promoting increased team collaboration. It’s also the home of the Boys Hope Girls Hope Network.
The office is located centrally in the city of St. Louis to foster more community engagement. The area, affectionately called “The Hill,” is known for its wonderful restaurants and as the childhood neighborhood of the late baseball Hall of Famer Yogi Berra and broadcast legend Joe Garagiola.
It was a big night for Boys Hope Girls Hope. Prior to the 4th Annual Excellence Awards dinner, scholars, alumni, team members, board members, and special guests headed over to the office for a reception, tour, an official blessing, and ribbon cutting. Several meeting spaces were dedicated during the event. They honored major Boys Hope Girls Hope contributors—the de Graffenried Family Welcome Area, Vatterott Family Training Room & Innovation Space, and the Stokes Family Conference Room.
“We have a very strong team on the top. But what makes us is the quality of our students.”
—Fr. Paul Sheridan
Remarks were given by CEO Kristin Ostby de Barillas, Board Chair Joe Koenig, and two Boys Hope Girls Hope of St. Louis Scholars, Zion, and Justyce. Boys Hope Girls Hope Founder, Reverend Paul Sheridan, SJ, was present to give the official blessing.
Fr. Sheridan started Boys Hope Girls Hope in 1977 in St. Louis. The original altar, built by a dedicated volunteer and used by Father Paul at Camp Owakonze in the early days of Boys Hope Girls Hope, sits in the space as a reminder of the organization’s history and the unwavering dedication of our Founder.
“This contemporary, vibrant, and nimble space is a great reflection of the One Team One Mission spirit we’re continuing to cultivate,” Kristin Ostby.
“Hope on the Hill” has the contemporary appeal of modern-day offices. Designed to reflect co-working spaces, the 4,300 square foot office has several small to medium collaboration and training rooms, open-concept individual work areas, flexible work, and huddle nooks, a gallery wall, and a kitchen and break area. The historic building in which the office is located features shared event space for small gatherings and receptions.
The office design features and celebrates the Boys Hope Girls Hope mission and brand, centralizing photos of young people from across the Network, and bold installations of the organization’s meaningful icon, mission statement, and “How We Work Together” team tenets.
“I’m so proud of this team and happy that we have a new home that the whole Network can celebrate,” says Ostby.
The move to Shaw Avenue followed the sale this past summer of the 15,000 square foot building in Bridgeton, Missouri that Boys Hope Girls Hope had occupied since 1984.
“This contemporary, vibrant, and nimble space is a great reflection of the One Team One Mission spirit we’re continuing to cultivate,” said Ostby.
As Boys Hope Girls Hope works to scale its impact, it is beneficial that the headquarters office is a short distance from Saint Louis University and Washington University and closer to many nonprofits and businesses that can be new partners.
