Restored For More launched in October 2022. We are committed to supporting young people from the at-risk communities of St. Louis succeed by inspiring them with vision and skills through targeted support. We are currently partnering with local schools and tutoring programs by deploying weekly volunteers to work with students who are struggling in math and reading. Our volunteer tutors work one on one and in small groups to boost student’s confidence in their academic success so they believe they can succeed. We are currently planning to launch additional services such as after school programs and mentoring for college and career success. Our goal is to empower young people to thrive mentally, emotionally, academically, and vocationally. We believe they were made for more.
Find out more about our current program
Our Values
Hope – We believe hope is a key component in supporting youth from at-risk communities. We want to impart hope in them and help them gain confidence and vision, seeing their own potential that they can and will be successful in college and career.
Kindness – Our tutors are patient and kind. They prioritize building relational trust and replace negative words like stupid, dumb, or can’t, with “you are special, smart, and you can succeed!” We celebrate every win and every success in order to impart self- confidence to motivate our students to see themselves as learners.
Skill Building- We believe all students want to learn and succeed. Through the support of well-trained tutors and mentors, they can acquire academic, social-emotional, and ultimately college, and career skills (through our mentoring programs) to be successful in life.
Understanding On-going trauma informed training for our volunteers is a priority, preparing our tutors, mentors, and staff to serve our youth with compassion, empathy and an understanding of life situations that may look different from their own.
Respect for Diversity – We value all cultures and cultural experience. However we use and invest in materials that represent the diverse cultural populations that we serve. We believe children should see themselves in the learning material.
Safety – We require background checks to ensure all of our volunteer tutors and mentors can be trusted to work with children and youth.
Partnership – We believe in establishing effective partnerships with our community: coming alongside schools and organizations with resources and trained volunteers in order to meet the needs of the youth in our communities.
Feedback- We value and implement feedback along with quantitative and qualitative data from our partnerships, community stakeholders, and tutors/mentors in order to frequently evaluate the effectiveness of our programs and set goals for maximum impact.
Integrity – We believe we are to be integral stewards of our donor’s generosity by maintaining fiscal responsibility of our organization’s assets and donor funds.
David and Michele Turner
Founders
David and Michele Turner (Lead Pastors, Expansion Church STL) share a passion to see young people succeed in both college and career. This vision was birthed from David’s years of working in both pastoral ministry and education as a college professor as well as Michele’s work coaching and counseling foster youth at a group home and outpatient facility in California. They have seen first hand how the transformative power of education and mentoring can combat trauma, poverty, and addiction and set at-risk youth on a pathway of success. Although their work began in Southern California, the vision to found Restored For More as a non-profit that targets young people and families in urban areas is what has led them to Saint Louis. Through these initiatives, they believe cycles of poverty, crime, and addiction will break and St. Louis will be economically and socially restored.
Jenn Burris
Executive Director
Jenn Burris served in both private and public education for over 15 years as a teacher, teacher-mentor, curriculum developer and academic instructional coach. Since serving in St. Louis schools for the last 7 years, she has seen first-hand the effects that poverty, equity, and trauma have had on student achievement and how under-prepared schools are to meet the needs of youth in urban areas. As an instructional coach and mentor teacher, she has developed a passion to come alongside schools and families to support and encourage youth to reach their full potential.
Board of Directors
- Board President: David Turner
- Senior Pastor, Expansion Church
- Vice President: Michele Turner
- Co-Pastor, Expansion Church
- Former School Counselor/Instructional Aide, McKinley Children’s Home
- Secretary: Belinda Wells
- Customer Service Representative, Midvale Industries
- Former Early Childhood Educator
- Treasurer: Jessie Power
- Finance Admin, Expansion Church, Restored 4 More
- Member: Kathy Owens
- Retired Teacher, Hazelwood School District
- Volunteer, Restored For More
- Member: Debra Ward
- Associate Pastor, The Foursquare Church
- Retired Teacher
- Member: Jenn Burris (ex-officio)
- Executive Director, Restored For More
- Campus Pastor, Expansion Church
“I want to give every child the same opportunities I was given to be successful in life. I believe all children can be taught to read. I believe not all children blossom at the same time and if we can continue to give the instruction needed at the right time we will be there to see that child learn to read.
Pastor Michele Turner (Founder)
Restored For More 