The Wellston and northwest area of St. Louis is a challenge as well as an opportunity to work to create a better tomorrow. St Augustine Parish with Rev. Bob Gettinger as Pastor embraces an aging, troubled section of St. Louis and St. Louis County. It is a high poverty, high crime area, characterized by disinvestment and blight.

The housing is modest and almost universally suffers from some degree of deferred maintenance. There are a number of vacant properties, most of which need to be torn down.

Education is of great concern. A large percent of adults did not finish high school. The school districts suffer from a lack of resources and most of the buildings are aging and do not have the facilities to compete with modern schools.

Crime is a serious problem. Gang activity has increased dramatically over the past several years.

Children are particularly distressed--the result of civil and domestic violence all around them, as well as drug addiction, all falling disproportionately on their shoulders. Birth defects and infant mortality are high.