A Seat at the Table

A Seat at the Table builds on the previous personal efforts of Bob & Chrissy Stergos, who, over the course of their almost 46 years of marriage, invited five (5) young men facing unusual hardships to live in their home for periods of 3 to 10 years at a time-with their four (4) sons by-birth.

Officially a nonprofit since 2018, A Seat at the Table provides faith-based fostering for high-character but at-risk 18- to 25-year olds nominated to us by area Pastors and/or any of our Partner Youth Organizations:

• LOVEtheLOU in north St. Louis (www.lovethelou.com)  
• R3 Development (www.r3dev.org)
• Urban K-Life in north St. Louis (www.urbanklife.com)
• Restoration House (https://restorationhousestl.org)
• Hope Ignites St. Louis (https://hopeignitesstlouis.org)
• Breakdown St. Louis (www.breakdownstl.org)
• Angels' Arms (https://angelsarms.org)

Area Pastors nominate potential Fostering Host Parents to A Seat at the Table, which then provides the resources needed to help these resilient young adults grow to be thriving, independent adults.  Those resources include: housing with the host couple, educational/vocational assistance, job and life-skills training, transportation, insurance, healthcare, food/clothing & gas allowances as well as spiritual and psychological counseling.

Two "residential" models are utilized to deliver the services provided through A Seat at the Table:

1. An existing home in which a set of married Christian parents agree to take in at least one qualifying high-character but at-risk 18- to 25-year old.

2. An A Seat at the Table-purchased duplex or large home in which married Christian couples serve as "host parents" for up to four (4) 18 to 25-year olds who have been selected from "nominating" partner churches and youth organizations.

For our A Seat at the Table program participants, we utilize evidence-based and trauma-informed counseling as well as educational, vocational, job & life-skill training from "Partner Resource Providers" such as the following organizations to fully develop our participants into thriving young adults:

• CrossRoads Counseling and Covenant Theological Seminary Counseling
• Fit Flavors
• Justine Petersen
• Coach Harder Driving School
• Empowering Partners 
• Mission St. Louis' Beyond Jobs, Beyond School and Beyond Charity
• CyberUp
• STL Youth Jobs
• Employment Connection
• NPower
• College-age/young adult-focused ministries of area churches