Community Support Groups

Community Groups provide information, resources and/or emotional support to each other. They are based on location, age, relationship to person with Down syndrome, culture and/or native language. They run independently of each other and each one has its own unique personality.

ST. LOUIS AREA

Saint Charles County MO/West (St Louis) County - Group provides meetings, family outings, 2 playgroups and guest speakers on occasion.  Meetings are held monthly at various locations.  For more information, please contact Adrienne Bievenue at (636) 751-8388 or email her at stcdsgroup@gmail.com.  Follow the group on their own blog: http://downsyndromestc.blogspot.com/.

Kirkwood/Webster MO Mothers -"Moms Night Out" networking “coffee” group. Meets the 3rd Thursday of the month at 7pm. for Moms' Night Out Coffee Group at various locations.  For more information, contact Susan at (949) 836-9199 or Susan_Pickert@hotmail.com .

Saint Louis Area Preschool and Baby Playgroup - Open to all families of preschoolers or younger! There is a play group for little ones with Down syndrome and their siblings! The play group meets at the Kirkwood Early Childhood Center Discovery Room (100 N. Sappington Rd, 63122) or at PS Kids. Next playgroup date is Saturday, November 19th from 9:30am-11:00am at Kirkwood Early Childhood Center.   (A voluntary donation of $2 is appreciated to help cover the cost of the room rental). If you have any questions you can email Julie Missey at jsmissey@sbcglobal.net or call her at (314) 909-9895.

Jefferson County, MO- If you are in Jefferson County or the surrounding areas (MO or IL) feel free to join this group.  Meetings are held at the Arnold library (Hwy 141 & Astra Way from 7pm - 9pm).  2012 meeting dates are: 1/31, 2/28, 3/20, 4/24, 5/29, 6/26, 7/31, 8/28, 9/25, 10/30, 11/27, 12/18.  For questions or RSVP's, contact Carla Werk at (314) 420-4450 or carlawerk@charter.net.

Franklin County DS Group (Union/Washington, MO area)- Parents meet the 1st Thursday of each month from 6:30-7:30pm at Gateway Center for the Arts (204 Elm St., Washington, MO 63090). Contact Shawn Sullentrup at (636) 744-3762 or franklincountyds@yahoo.com. Blog: http://franklincountyds.blogspot.com.

Cape Girardeau, MO- Heartland Group (SE Missouri/So Illinois) - We meet on the 2nd Saturday of the month, from 10 am to 12 noon in Conference Room 3 of the Saint Francis Health & Wellness Center in Cape Girardeau. Childcare is available. For more information, call Claire at (573) 334-5685 or Theresa at (573) 335-2781, or e-mail the group at heartlanddsa@msn.com.

Jefferson City/Mid Missouri - River City Parent Group This River City Parent Group is alwys happy to have new members. For more information on events and meeting times, contact Paula Backues at (573) 230-7230 or plbackues@gmail.com.

Kirksville, MO/Northern MO -  The Rural Missouri Friends group is based in northern Missouri, with events in Kirksville and Brookfield.  For more information, email Becky Pike in Kirksville at beckyjpike@gmail.com or call her at (660) 627-7453 or email Kathy McCurry in Brookfield at kmcurry@shighway.com or call her at 660-258-7204.

Poplar Bluff, MO -  For more information, or to be a part of the group, please contact Crystal Bell at  (573) 776-0697 or crystal_bell@rocketmail.com

 ILLINOIS

Metro East (Shiloh, IL) - Meets the 2nd Monday of each month at Cornerstone Christian Church, 775 N. Green Mount Rd. in Shiloh, IL, 62221 (map) from 6:15 - 8 p.m.  Childcare is provided for $5.00 per child.  We occasionally have guest speakers and outside events, so you should definitely check it out! Please visit our  website  metroeastdsa.org or check out our Facebook page.   For more information, contact Betsy Caines at (618) 593-6169 or mom2tri21boys@gmail.com or  Amber Brodak at amb2728@gmail.com  or (970)985-1576.

Southern Illinois -  For more information, contact Cris Byrd at (618)684-3295 or crisbyrd@hotmail.com or Julie Anderson at (618) 922-5846 or jaakdander@yahoo.com .

       Other Area Down Syndrome Groups

Area Down syndrome groups are those groups that have their own not-for-profit 501 (c)(3)status and are in our area and often many of their members are also members of the DSAGSL.

Riverbend Down Syndrome Association- Southwest Illinois (Madison & St. Clair Counties): Meets from 6:30-8:00pm on the 4th Monday of each month at LeClaire Christian Church (1914 Esic Drive, Edwardsville, IL, 62025 Map) Visit our website or contact Tamara Rampold at (618) 667-8771 or secretary@riverbendds.org for more information or to receive our quarterly newsletter. Website: http://www.riverbendds.org.

Lincoln Land DS Society (Springfield) - Contact Jason Schnepp at (217) 741-1832 or email at lldss@comcast.net or go to www.lldss.org.

Springfield, MO- DS Group of the Ozarks Monthly meetings typically held the second Monday of each month. Dads meet the 3rd Monday of the month. For more information, please contact Lynn Neidigh at (417) 885-9905 or (888) 655-5173 or dlneidigh@att.net or visit our website at http://www.ozarksdsg.org/ .

 St. Francois County, MO- Mineral Area DSA Email Brianna Shelton at bshelton@centralr3.com or mineralareadsa@gmail.com or call her at (573) 701-3576 for more information.