Address

Joseph Center

5020 State St

East St Louis, IL 62205

http://www.thejosephcenter.org/

History of Organization

The Eagle’s Nest first developed out of the shared vision of Carl and Martha Watts,  who saw the need for a transitional housing program to address the growing need for supportive services and assistance amongst homeless veterans.  Carl and Martha surveyed homeless veterans at local shelters with federal assistance to get a better sense of the type of program design that could specifically assist the veterans in ultimately gaining self-reliance and independence.

The Eagle’s Nest is distinct from other similar organizations because it is the only non-profit organization that addresses the various needs of homeless military veterans in a single facility.  The Eagle’s Nest has also been a long-term member of the Homeless Action Council (HAC), which is the Continuum of Care for St. Clair County.

In 1997, the Eagle’s Nest was successfully incorporated and established a Board of Directors.  Carl Watts was the first president and after his death, his wife Martha Watts became president of the board.

The Eagle’s Nest submitted a proposal in the fall of 2000 to the Department of Health and Human Services for the Private Muldrow Center, a former military reserve center in East St. Louis that had been designated for use as a homeless shelter under the McKinney Act.  By March 2001, the federal government granted $208,000 for the building of a half-way house for Veterans to live in. But the fund was far short of the need of the projects. They also received some support and help from lots of warmhearted persons, and Lacy was one of them. Lacy helped them put more grant applications together and submitted the project proposal to the housing office in Chicago. Fortunately, they were uniquely qualified for the funds. Finally, they won the application and got $700,000 for their project. It was tough, but after that they finally were able to raise another $250,000 to complete their project. In Sep. 2009, they were capable of providing facilities for the recovering people invited to live at The Joseph Center. This is a moving story with a long struggle for their final dream.

The Eagle’s Nest was chosen to be part of a two-year Capacity Enhancement Program sponsored by the Non-Profit Services Consortium and funded by the W. K. Kellogg Foundation in 2004.

Summary of Organization’s Vision, Mission, and Goals

The Eagle’s Nest strives to give strength to homeless military veterans by providing assistance, training, and resources so that they can achieve a high level of self-sufficiency, economic independence, and become valuable contributors to society.  The Eagle’s Nest values and demonstrates the dignity and sanctity of human life through respect, compassion, commitment, and excellence.