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A resume brimming with long, consistent and committed work involving advocacy for equity and social justice on behalf of working families in the region earned Southern Illinois University Edwardsville alumnus Louis Damani Jones a spot on the Catholic Charities of St. Louis board of directors. 

Jones, who graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor’s in social work from SIUE in May 2020, was appointed to the board in June. Currently, Jones is in the Master of Social Work program at the Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis, where he is also a research assistant at Brown’s Center for Social Development. Jones is also an EngageDemocracy Fellow at the Gephardt Institute for Civic and Community Engagement. 

“While on the board, I plan to do my best to keep Catholic Charities’ mission at the center of its operations,” said Jones. “I am serving on the Mission Integration and Advocacy committee, which helps to set the policy priorities for the fiscal year. This committee helps to incarnate our mission to advocate on behalf of the most marginalized and vulnerable populations in Missouri.” 

The impact of Catholic Charities is valuable and far reaching, according to Jones, who is excited about his important role in effecting change. 

“Catholic Charities of St. Louis, one of the largest social service providers in the state of Missouri, plays an enormous role in the well-being of working families and vulnerable people throughout the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of St. Louis,” he added. “Our mission is largely a quiet one of charity and justice, touching the lives of diverse persons in need, ranging from domestic violence survivors, to those in mental health crisis, to immigrants and refugees.” 

Jones’ aim remains the same while he is on the board, “My goals are to continue to strive on behalf of working families in the region. The St. Louis Metropolitan Area, including parts of Southern Illinois and Eastern Missouri, contain a rich tapestry of diverse, and sometimes tragic, stories. 

“At the heart of those stories are the people who strive to make ends meet, take care of family members and realize personal fulfillment in the face of economic and social barriers. We must create policies that make the American Dream a reality for every family.” 

Serving on the Catholic Charities of St. Louis board of directors is an extension of Jones’ individual calling, he emphasized. “My life’s mission is to love God with my whole heart, mind, soul, strength, and love my neighbor as myself. Realizing this on a personal and societal level is the work of a lifetime.”

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SIUE alumnus Louis Damani Jones is a board member of the Catholic Charities of St. Louis.