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PERSONAL LIFE INFLUENCES NEW BOARD MEMBER
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| Ann Sutter |
Six years ago, Ann Sutter was pregnant
with her son Evan attending service at St. Peter’s Episcopal
Church. It was there she heard a prayer for The Haven
of Grace. That’s when it hit her. Ann thought “having
a baby is such a major event.” “Even for someone fortunate
enough to have a home and the support of family and
friends, it can be scary at times, the thought of being
responsible for a tiny new life.”
It was then she decided to become involved
with The Haven and help disadvantaged young mothers
and their babies.
Her first involvement with The Haven
was joining the Development Committee. At her first
meeting, Ann volunteered to co-chair Pennies from Heaven,
The
Haven’s annual fundraiser.
With eight years of experience in advertising
and media planning, along with a B.A. in Communication
from the University of Tulsa, and a Masters in Business
Administration from St. Louis University Ann was well
suited for the Development Committee.
What Ann likes about The Haven “is
the way The Haven helps transform the lives of so many
women. The mission, the training and discipline, along
with the 10-year aftercare program all reinforce each
other to help girls beat the odds and become self-reliant,
responsible parental role models.”
Ann also likes how “The Haven does
not just provide a place to stay, but helps new moms
break away from destructive influences they’ve had in
the past, and forge new lives for themselves and their
children.” She is interested in telling this story to
as many people as possible that will listen so more
people become involved and help continue the good work.
“This is a great time to be on The Haven’s board. So
many exciting things are happening– The Quadrangle Project,
increased visibility through fundraising events and
media relationships, many dynamic and energetic volunteers
and a couple great new staff members, for starters.
As a Board member, I’d like to help The Haven continue
to attract new volunteers, and to continue increasing
our visibility and recognition in the St. Louis community,”
says Ann.
“There are a lot of charitable organizations
around and it’s important to tell our story. Some of
my friends have expressed interest in a Young Haven
Friends organization. I’d love to help that take shape,
get some fun fundraising activities underway and get
as many people as possible to The Haven for a tour.
Once people take the tour, they understand and want
to help.
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