St. Louis attorney and his wife take their desire to help needy families to unexpected ‘Heights’
The initial idea was modest – to help a dozen or so kids whose families lived in an economically depressed neighborhood known as “The Heights.”
St. Louis attorney Chandler Atkins and his wife, Laura, could barely have imagined how that modest goal would blossom into a program that over the years has positively affected the lives of more than a thousand children.
As college students at Lindenwood University in St. Charles, Mo., Atkins and Laura took part in a Vacation Bible School program through their church where they encountered kids whose home life was disrupted by addiction and poverty. Many returned at the end of the day to homes where no one was waiting for them. Atkins recalls one family with six kids living in a small, three-bedroom house; all the kids slept on the floor in one room.
Even for Atkins, who had grown up in a rural town in southern Illinois and was familiar with having little money, the level of want and need was eye-opening.
“We wanted to do something to help those kids,” says Atkins. “We were just looking for a way to connect with kids and help them and give them support through the church and it sort of became a tutoring and mentoring program.”
Almost 20 years later, New Heights Tutoring and Mentoring is now a nonprofit organization that regularly engages with more than 50 children and their families on a weekly basis. Along the way, the program first got a church van and then a school bus to transport kids to activities that range from fishing to visits to a museum or bike riding. Atkins even has his Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) so he can drive the bus.
St. Louis attorney Chandler Atkins and his wife, Laura, could barely have imagined how that modest goal would blossom into a program that over the years has positively affected the lives of more than a thousand children.
As college students at Lindenwood University in St. Charles, Mo., Atkins and Laura took part in a Vacation Bible School program through their church where they encountered kids whose home life was disrupted by addiction and poverty. Many returned at the end of the day to homes where no one was waiting for them. Atkins recalls one family with six kids living in a small, three-bedroom house; all the kids slept on the floor in one room.
Even for Atkins, who had grown up in a rural town in southern Illinois and was familiar with having little money, the level of want and need was eye-opening.
“We wanted to do something to help those kids,” says Atkins. “We were just looking for a way to connect with kids and help them and give them support through the church and it sort of became a tutoring and mentoring program.”
Almost 20 years later, New Heights Tutoring and Mentoring is now a nonprofit organization that regularly engages with more than 50 children and their families on a weekly basis. Along the way, the program first got a church van and then a school bus to transport kids to activities that range from fishing to visits to a museum or bike riding. Atkins even has his Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) so he can drive the bus.
Christina May Bolin
Christian & Small LLP, Daphne, Alabama
Christian & Small LLP, Daphne, Alabama
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
“Bring them with you.” Helen Alford was the first female partner in her firm. She never shied away from identifying people who worked hard and giving them the opportunity to do what she did. She would introduce associates to her clients and tell them that they could trust you. She was open about her methods and what made her successful. In every organization in which I have held a leadership position, I have always tried to identify at least one person to bring with me. I try to pay it forward in that way.
“Bring them with you.” Helen Alford was the first female partner in her firm. She never shied away from identifying people who worked hard and giving them the opportunity to do what she did. She would introduce associates to her clients and tell them that they could trust you. She was open about her methods and what made her successful. In every organization in which I have held a leadership position, I have always tried to identify at least one person to bring with me. I try to pay it forward in that way.
Coffee & Conversation
April 24th at 10:00 am EDT
Bridging the Gap: Ensuring Comprehensive Representation in Primerus™
Ryan Billings
Kohner, Mann & Kailas, S.C., Milwaukee, Wisconsin
April 24th at 10:00 am EDT
Bridging the Gap: Ensuring Comprehensive Representation in Primerus™
Ryan Billings
Kohner, Mann & Kailas, S.C., Milwaukee, Wisconsin
If you are interested in being featured in a future edition of the Primerus™ Weekly, please contact Katie Bundyra at kbundyra@primerus.com.
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The world of Primerus™ is bound together by a sense of community, reflected by the 40 different organizations that are woven into the fabric of our international alliance. Those organizations include various institutes, practice groups, sections, committees and boards as well as a partnership with the Association of Corporate Counsel, all serving as models of a unique culture built upon shared values and a high level of trust.
Changing the World in the Nick of Time
Search for someone ‘good’ nearly reaching a crossroads
It may be hard to fathom, but there once was a time when there was a sense of civility in the political world, when compromise, cooperation, and constructive discourse were the operative words of the day.
It was an era when patriotism was a unifying force, and where respect for others was ingrained in our collective DNA.
Now, due largely to the disruptive tone set by a former president, the prevailing political mood is shaped by name-calling, mudslinging, and backbiting, the likes of which are instantly amplified by the unsettling and growing influence of social media as a political battleground.
It was an era when patriotism was a unifying force, and where respect for others was ingrained in our collective DNA.
Now, due largely to the disruptive tone set by a former president, the prevailing political mood is shaped by name-calling, mudslinging, and backbiting, the likes of which are instantly amplified by the unsettling and growing influence of social media as a political battleground.
Primerus™ Weekly invites different points of view
The Primerus™ Weekly welcomes letters to the editor and op-ed columns on timely topics or items of general interest.
Submissions should be limited to 800 words and must be timely, well written, and reflect a relevant point of view that will enlighten our readers. All submissions will be edited for clarity, grammar, and style. Anonymous submissions will not be accepted, nor will those that contain falsehoods or potentially libelous information.
For those interested in contributing a letter to the editor or an op-ed column, please include a short bio (20-30 words) along with your contact information. Submissions should be sent to Robin Lewis atrlewis@primerus.com.
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