Join Hands ESL, Inc. named beneficiary of 14th Annual Simmons Employee Foundation Golf Tournament
ALTON, Ill. – Simmons Hanly Conroy is proud to announce the 14th Annual Simmons Employee Foundation (SEF) Golf Tournament will benefit Join Hands ESL. The East St. Louis organization is dedicated to empowering the city’s youth and families by giving them the resources needed to find a pathway out of poverty. The tournament will take place Friday, June 22 at the Spencer T. Olin Golf Course in Alton, Illinois.
“The SEF Board saw and heard firsthand how Join Hands is drastically changing the lives of East St. Louis families,” said SEF Director Tamara Ferguson. “Their stories of transformation brought several of us to tears and we knew this was a cause we would be proud to support.”
Based in the Ubuntu Center for Peace in East St. Louis, Illinois, Join Hands’ mission is to “build personal relationships with children and families through youth programming and mentoring programs, prioritizing education as a pathway out of poverty.” The organization strives to empower the people of East St. Louis, to walk in solidarity with those they serve and to show love and compassion to those in need.
“Join Hands is honored to be chosen as this year’s community partner for the Simmons Hanly Conroy annual charity golf tournament. We are so grateful that our friends at Simmons Hanly Conroy share our vision,” said Sheila Burton, executive director at Join Hands.
Founded in 1990 to serve underprivileged children in East St. Louis, Join Hands ESL officials realized the best way to help the children was to help their parents. In 2004, the group’s mission expanded to include a focus on women and children through the Family Mentoring Program.
In 2006, Join Hands ESL started its Alternative Education Program, an effort to break the cycle of poverty through education. The program provides opportunities for mothers to send their children to quality private schools known for their academic excellence.
The Dream Path Program was introduced in 2016 and further creates a supported pathway out of poverty for the young people of East St. Louis through education advocacy services. Consisting of family and teen mentoring, alternative education and education advocacy, the focus of the Dream Path is relationships and helping them overcome the many hurdles that poverty presents to a child’s academic success.
All net proceeds from the SEF Golf tournament will benefit these programs. Organized in a four-person scramble format, the tournament costs $100 per player or $400 per team. Entry fees include green fees, cart rental, lunch or dinner, refreshments and a complimentary gift.
Teams are encouraged to reserve their spot early, as space in both the morning and afternoon flights will fill quickly. For more information about registration and sponsorships, contact Stephanie Elliott at (618) 693-3104 or [email protected].
