Peter & Paul Community Services Shares Community Campus Model at National Conference
PPCS CEO Anthony D’Agostino and COO Amanda Laumeyer present the Community Campus model at the National Alliance to End Homelessness Conference in Washington, D.C.
Sharing Solutions Beyond St. Louis
Communities across the country are facing the same challenge: how do we meet growing needs for services while financial resources become increasingly limited?
This summer, Peter & Paul Community Services (PPCS) joined fellow service providers, leaders, and advocates from across the nation at the National Alliance to End Homelessness Conference in Washington, D.C., to explore that very question.
As part of the conference, PPCS CEO Anthony D’Agostino and COO Amanda Laumeyer presented on the Peter & Paul Community Campus, sharing how strategic partnerships have allowed the organization to expand services, strengthen collaboration, and better support people experiencing homelessness.
Their presentation highlighted a simple but powerful concept. Innovation doesn’t require starting from scratch. Sometimes it means bringing the right partners together to better serve the people who need us most.
St. Louis leaders joined colleagues from across the country to share ideas and strengthen partnerships addressing homelessness.
A Community Campus Built on Partnership
The Peter & Paul Community Campus was designed around a simple idea. We need to expand services, and more people can achieve stability when organizations work together.
One of the biggest challenges for someone experiencing homelessness is navigating complex systems to get the help they need. The Community Campus brings housing, healthcare, behavioral health services, workforce support, case management, and other critical resources together through partnerships with organizations that share a common mission.
These collaborations allow residents to access the services they need more quickly while allowing PPCS and our partners the ability to expand to serve more people in need.
As communities nationwide look for ways to maximize limited resources, the Community Campus offers one example of how collaboration can create greater impact without duplicating services.
Learning From Others & Bringing New Ideas Home
While PPCS was honored to share its experience, the conference was equally valuable as an opportunity to learn from others.
Throughout the conference, Anthony and Amanda connected with service providers, nonprofit leaders, researchers, and policymakers from across the country, exchanging ideas about emerging challenges, innovative programs, and effective strategies for preventing and ending homelessness. These conversations help PPCS continue bringing new ideas and best practices back to St. Louis, strengthening the services available to individuals and families in our community.
Missouri attendees met with members of the state’s congressional delegation to discuss the importance of housing and supportive services.
During the conference, Missouri attendees also had the opportunity to meet with members of the state’s congressional delegation to discuss the importance of continued investments in housing, emergency shelter, and supportive services.
These conversations provided a chance to share firsthand perspectives from the organizations like PPCS, who are working every day with individuals experiencing homelessness. The Missouri contingent was able to highlight how partnerships and coordinated services help communities make the most of our available resources.
The conference provided opportunities to learn, collaborate, and bring new ideas back to the St. Louis community.
Looking Ahead for St. Louis
Presenting at the National Alliance to End Homelessness Conference was about more than sharing the work happening in St. Louis. It was an opportunity to contribute to a national conversation about how communities can respond to homelessness with innovation, collaboration, and compassion.
PPCS is grateful to have represented St. Louis alongside fellow community leaders and remains committed to strengthening partnerships that help more people find safe housing, stability, and hope. Through shared ideas and continued innovation, we can build a stronger response to homelessness here in St. Louis and beyond.
As we continue serving our neighbors, we’ll keep learning, collaborating, and sharing ideas that move us closer to a future where everyone has a place to call home.
