Five Star Center was founded in 1976 by members of five neighborhood churches who identified a growing need to support the health and independence of seniors and adults with disabilities by providing nutritious meals and a place to gather. As a result of their collaborative efforts, the center, then known as Five Church Older Adult Center, became a vital part of the community. Now, Five Star Center is an independent, 501(c)(3) organization not affiliated with any religious group or congregation. We feel honored to have been serving the St Louis community for 50 years!
Five Star Center presently provides a day program 5 days a week to help eliminate loneliness which is one of the main causes of ill health and death in our senior population. We provide transportation to and from the center, as well as, to medical appointments and important business needs. We coordinate group grocery shopping trips (at least 5 per month) to assist seniors and clients with disabilities in maintaining their ability to live independently. We also provide weekly meal deliveries to clients who cannot leave their homes easily.
Five Star Center is a small organization of 10 employees located in south St Louis. It has been in its present location since 2002 and is an anchor in the Benton Park West neighborhood. It is led by it’s executive director, Carla Landis Evans, who is authorized by the Five Star Center board of directors to enter into this contract.
Five Star serves the entire city of St Louis, but specifically concentrates on the southside of the city in zip codes 63101, 63104, 63110, 63111, 63116, and 63118. 75% of our clients live below the poverty line and are about 65% minority identifying. Our organization is none for its willingness to step up when a need is recognized and mission to treat all of our clients with dignity and respect. We have a strong following in the community. Our biggest challenge was getting our seniors back into the center after the isolation of the covid lockdown. Thankfully, we are growing our center population back to pre-covid numbers.
We are dedicated to our clients and their wellbeing. We receive thanks and compliments on our ability to take the extra step assist our clients in making the best of their situations and solve issues from faxing social security papers to supporting them in personal situations that they find confusing or frightening.
Our daily operations begin before open around 7 when the buses start heading out to pick up clients for the center or early doctors’ appointments. The office staff is all in place by 8 and preparing for the arrival of clients, prepping the HDM meals for pick up by the delivery people and answering calls on the answering machine and adjusting transportation schedules due to cancellations, etc.  Clients begin arriving for morning coffee and activities around 8am and HDM drivers begin their routes at 10am for 2-4 hours.  In house staff provides support by handling incoming clients, selling bus passes, handing out commodity boxes, incontinence supplies and being a good listener. Though the doors officially shut at 3pm, the staff is onsite at least until 4 answering phones and providing support.Â