Volunteer Spotlight: Farewell to Bill and Nancy Parker

We’re fortunate to have so many long-time volunteers at Circle of Concern. This spring we said farewell to two familiar faces who have contributed so much through the years, Bill and Nancy Parker. Bill and Nancy have been part of the Circle family since 2004, when Nancy began volunteering as a caseworker and later a client resource manager. Nancy was a long-time board member and served as board president. Bill pitched in on Circle special projects for many years, then became a driver when he retired in 2018. Nancy says that she knew right away that Circle was a fit...

Circle’s Volunteers are Out of this World: Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon

At Circle of Concern, we love our volunteers. Our amazing volunteers give of their valuable time to stock our pantry and warehouse, to work with clients in case management, to greet clients at the front desk, to work in the warehouse and as drivers, to grow a garden, and even to help with administrative duties and IT. We are able to help our client families in meaningful ways, thanks to our devoted volunteers and donors. This spring, Circle volunteers and staff gathered together for our Volunteer Appreciation Lunch. The lunch gave volunteers a chance to spend time with friends and...

Girl Scouts Shower Circle with Personal Care Items

Providing quality, nutritious food to our clients is the cornerstone of what we do at Circle of Concern. After all, the words “food pantry” are in our name. But that doesn’t mean our shelves are only stocked with food. Our clients can also select add-on personal care and hygiene products, essential items necessary to good health and dignity. On the last Saturday of April, Circle of Concern received 7,724 pounds of donations as part of the Girl Scouts annual April Showers Personal care drive. Girl Scouts “showered” nearby neighborhoods with sticky notes that listed suggested donation items. The following weekend,...

Tax Preparation Service at Circle

Filing taxes is no one’s favorite activity. At Circle of Concern, we make the process a bit easier for our clients through a program partnership with AARP. For the past 16 years, Circle has provided space to volunteer tax preparers through AARP Tax Aide. Volunteers offer free tax preparation services by appointment to our clients and people from surrounding communities. Every Tuesday and Thursday in tax season, IRS-certified volunteers assist taxpayers with state and federal tax forms. The volunteers are knowledgeable about programs that might benefit Circle clients, such as a Missouri Property Tax Credit for people with incomes under...

Sowing Seeds to Fight Hunger

https://www.circleofconcern.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Blog-post-larger-Garden-March-2026-MP4-1.mp4 Spring is here . . . and with it comes longer days, warmer weather, and nature’s rejuvenation. On a recent sunny day in March, we were excited to see our amazing volunteer garden crew hard at work, planting seeds for early spring crops. The first harvest will be sometime in June, providing to our clients fresh greens, leafy vegetables such as lettuce and bok choy, and root vegetables such as turnips and radishes. The gardeners plant vegetables that our clients said they’d like to see offered in the Circle food pantry. Lack of access to fresh, nutritious food...

2025 Impact Report

We’re excited to share our 2025 Impact Report! Below, you’ll find a look at the key milestones, initiatives, and achievements that defined this past year — and the real difference we’ve made in our community. Thank you for being part of this journey. None of it would be possible without you. If you would like to make an impact in the community, you can support our programs and services. Click here to make a donation! Click on the image to expand.

Golf Sponsors Support our Neighbors

Our 20th Annual Golf Tournament is coming May 18th — and YOU can be part of something special, even if you’ve never swung a club! When you sponsor our Annual Golf Tournament, your investment stays right here, helping neighbors in our own community. Every sponsorship dollar goes toward Circle’s programs and services like our food pantry, children’s programs, and vital resources that our clients count on every single day. You don’t have to be a golfer to make a difference. You just have to care about your neighbors. Think outside the tee box! We have sponsor levels for every budget,...

Volunteer Holiday Party 2025

In December 2025, we celebrated our volunteers with a holiday party at the Ballwin Golf Course and Event Center, and it was a great chance to relax, connect, and show appreciation. We used this moment to step back and recognize everything our volunteers have done throughout the year to help our clients. We were excited to recognize volunteers with their 2025 Service Awards, showcasing their outstanding service. Each group is recognized with the amount of hours they contributed to Circle of Concern’s mission. We enjoyed recognizing volunteer Bobbie Siesennop who has hand-selected, wrapped and distributed presents for over 10,000 birthdays!...

What To Know About Payday Loans

If you’re facing unexpected expenses such as medical bills, car repairs, or overdue rent, a payday loan might be a tempting solution. But beware — these are expensive loans that can trap you in a cycle of debt. Payday loans are small, short-term loans that are meant to cover urgent expenses until your next paycheck. They offer quick access to cash, but they come with very high fees and interest rates. These loans are usually due in full within a few weeks and are often repaid with your pre-signed check, or by allowing the lender to withdraw money directly from...

Introducing Bobbie’s Birthday Club!

Pictured from left to right: Jim and Rose Brennan, Glenn Koenen, Bobbie Siesennop, Sharon and Fred Wear, Cyndi Miller Bobbie Siesennop has spent 30 years volunteering with Circle of Concern. As a pantry desk worker, she radiates kindness and joy toward every client she meets. She is dedicated to Circle’s core mission to feed families; however her passion for our Birthday Club — is evident to all who know her. Moved by the reality that many of the families we serve cannot afford gifts for their children, she helped to launch the Birthday Club program in 1999. This program serves...