Joe's Place
Joe’s Place is an innovative idea born from a dramatic need in our community. On any given night in St. Louis, there are around 1,500 homeless teens. In the Maplewood Richmond Heights School District, there are at least 30 students each night who find themselves without a home due to serious family difficulties. These students sleep and eat wherever friends will let them settle for a time.
As the MRH School District struggles to find a safe haven for these youngsters, we find again and again that teens between the ages of 14 and 18 have few support nets in our social welfare system. Homeless teenagers are the invisible children in our society and are often skillful at masking their homelessness from adults.
Joe’s Place tackles a complex problem with a straightforward approach: to collaborate as a community in providing a safe environment for some of our neediest teenagers, allowing them to pursue high school graduation.
Through the dramatic collaboration of the MRH School District, Crossroads Presbyterian Church and other local churches, and a number of committed volunteers, the non-profit Joe’s Place was launched. The program offers a group of teenage boys what every kid should be able to expect from life: a warm place to sleep, regular meals, and someone to provide guidance and affection.
No single entity within our community can take care of this issue alone. In fact, it is reasonable for us to shrug these students off as someone else’s problem. In the end, however, the quality of their lives affects the quality of ours.
In 2012 the MRH School District was named one of three national grand prize winners in the American School Board Journal’s (ASBJ) and National School Boards Association’s (NSBA) 18th annual Magna Awards program for Joe’s Place.
Job Openings: Joe's Place House Parents
Purpose
Joe’s Place is looking for a couple to create a welcoming community for the residents of Joe’s Place by overseeing the day-to-day workings of the house and ensuring the care of its residents’ needs. Being a House Parent for Joe’s Place is more of an “art” than a “science”. House Parents will need to be able to employ wisdom and discernment in mentoring and guiding the residents of Joe’s Place. The following are character traits that will be needed at one time or another: wisdom, compassion, courage, joy, patience, consistency, and an understanding of trauma and equity.
Primary Responsibilities
While much of the job at Joe’s Place involves being there for the residents as much as carrying out certain responsibilities, the following is a list of tasks that need to be accomplished daily and throughout the week:
• Ensure residents are up and ready for school
• Work with the Joe's Place case manager, program committee, school personnel, and outside agencies to ensure that the residents are meeting their goals • Receive residents home from school
• Coordinate meal preparation, grocery shopping, and meal times. • Oversee study periods for residents as needed
• Guide residents in learning basic life skills such as laundry, household upkeep, communication, on-time arrival, and meal prep.
• Maintain a physically and emotionally safe environment through restorative practices, positive reinforcement, and conscious discipline.
• Work with the resident's family and program committee to ensure a weekend plan • Coordinate with community groups interacting with Joe’s Place residents • Work to maintain good relations with the neighbors of Joe’s Place • Create a sense of community through family meals and attending student events • Keep track of expenditures
• Provide monthly updates to the Joe's Place board
Terms of Employment
Joe’s Place House Parents will be on duty starting Sunday evening through Friday afternoon after school. It is understood that when house parents have other responsibilities outside of Joe’s Place, a proposed schedule will be worked out with the Board upon hiring. The houseparents are off duty whenever the students are off of school: summer break, spring break, winter break, Thanksgiving, federal holidays, and school professional development days. The houseparents are off duty during the day while the residents are in school.
Compensation/Benefits
Joe’s Place House Parents will receive the following: (1) $1000/month stipend per house parent (2) free rent and utilities (3) full inclusion in the house meal plan.
Any qualified person(s) or couple who would like to be considered as a candidate for this position should apply on-line. Each person should submit their own application.
Equal Opportunity Employer
Maplewood Richmond Heights School District considers applicants for all positions without regard to race, color, sex, age, national origin, ancestry, pregnancy, veterans’ status, handicap or disability (with or without reasonable accommodation if requested) which does not interfere with the performance of essential job functions, or any other legally protected status. If you have a disability or handicap which may require accommodation for you to participate in our application process (including filling out forms, interviewing, or any other pre-employment procedure or requirement), please make us aware of any accommodation necessary before attempting to complete such procedure or requirement.
Posted: November 10, 2025
** MRH School District reserves the right to close any Job Posting when a suitable applicant has been found before the deadline date.