For more information, please contact:
Annie Meagle
Great Circle
Phone: 314-256-4943
Fax: 314-535-6632
annie.meagle@great-circle.org

Boys & Girls Town of Missouri & Edgewood Children’s Center Unveil Merged Agency Name: Great CircleSM

ST. LOUIS, MO (February 17, 2010) – The final step in the merger between two of Missouri’s leading children’s social service agencies was completed today when the agencies announced the name of the new organization, to be called Great CircleSM. The goal of Great CircleSM is to create a stronger voice in advocacy for children and families and provide streamlined and innovative services.

In October 2009, Boys & Girls Town of Missouri and Edgewood Children’s Center merged in order to meet the increasing demand for services to children and families statewide.  Similar in missions, the two agencies provide a wide array of services for Missouri children and families, including residential treatment homes for kids, foster care case management, special education services, residential autism care, and family reunification services.

“With more than 240 years of combined experience, our agencies have tremendous equity among those we serve and those who support vulnerable children and families,” noted Vince Hillyer, CEO of Great CircleSM. “And the future is demanding a strong organization that will act as a voice for Edgewood, Boys & Girls Town, future partner agencies, and most importantly, the children and families we serve.”

The creation of Great CircleSM will offer significant benefits not only to the children and families needing services, but for collaborating social service agencies, officials who steward public funds, taxpayers, donors and funders.

The vision of Great CircleSM aspires to include a family of agencies, beginning with Boys & Girls Town and Edgewood, and will be headquartered in St. Louis. Great CircleSM forms one of the largest children’s non-profit agencies in Missouri, employing over 700 staff members with a projected budget of $31.8 million.

Great CircleSM will serve approximately 7,800 children and family members annually from four regional campuses.  The St. Louis region, operating from Edgewood’s campus in Webster Groves, will combine Boys & Girls Town and Edgewood programs under the name of Edgewood Children’s Center. Campuses in Columbia, Springfield and St. James will continue operations as Boys & Girls Town of Missouri. 

“Great CircleSM gives a voice to those easily forgotten by society,” continued Hillyer. “By providing an all-encompassing treatment model for kids and families, we surround and transform what is broken.”

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About Great CircleSM
Established as a result of the merger of Boys & Girls Town of Missouri and Edgewood Children’s Center, Great Circle℠ provides treatment, education, prevention and support services to children with a history of physical, sexual or emotional abuse, neglect or abandonment. Great Circle’s mission to “reshape vulnerable lives through a community of partners, teachers and leaders, giving children and families the confidence to create bright futures” is fulfilled through campuses in St. Louis, Columbia, Springfield and St. James, Missouri. As one of the children’s non-for-profit services in Missouri, the organization annually serves approximately 7,800 children and family members and employs more than 700 staff members. For more information please visit www.great-circle.org.