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New Beginnings Serves Homeless Women in St. Charles

A mother with her two adolescent sons escaping an abusive husband. A young, single mother with no job and no family support. A woman all alone in her last days of life. A couple with a newborn and no means of transportation.

Each of these describe people who have become homeless in St. Charles County in the past year and a half.

Mary Kay Laingen first became involved in ministering to the needs of the homeless when a group from her church began taking food and clothing to people living on the street in St. Louis. When she tried to help one homeless couple move to St. Charles County, in order to be near the people in the church who would help them, she discovered a limited amount of services here. Her passion to help brought her in contact with Paul Kruse, who founded First Step Back, an organization that helps homeless men get on their feet.

Today, what Kruse does for men, Mary Kay and other ministry volunteers do for women and their dependents. Her ministry, New Beginnings, sports a simple purpose statement: “To reach out with the love of Jesus Christ to women and children who have lost hope.” But the ministry itself is anything but simple.

With men, you help them get temporary shelter and transportation to work and they can be back on their feet in a short period of time, says Laingen. Women facing homelessness often have a myriad of obstacles to overcome. Besides transportation and employment, many need childcare, medical services for their children, counseling from past relationship abuses, financial counseling and other helps.

One important focus of New Beginnings is friendship.

“Women are extremely relational. Sometimes they turn back to unhealthy situations time and time again. We try to provide friendship and build long-term relationships with the people we serve,” Laingen says.

For more information, contact Mary Kay Laingen at 352-8927, or Pastor Tim Farris at (636) 240-3792, extension 7.