North County Voters OK New $2M Funding Pool to Maintain Local Transportation Infrastructure
After more than three years of work by 17 municipalities in North St. Louis County, a new transportation development district (TDD) received a green light
Our Model
An innovative model for creating real change
Our comprehensive, holistic model is wholly unique in the field of community development and is based on decades of experience and insights from national thought leaders, including Health Equity Works at Washington University in St. Louis, the Aspen Institute, the Stanford Social Innovation Review, NeighborWorks America, and the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco.
“Creating Real Change”
Addressing a comprehensive range of needs
This model is based on the realization that families and communities have many needs that must be met in order to thrive.
For example, thriving families need a living wage, housing that’s affordable, access to healthcare, successful schools, transportation, and more.
Thriving communities need an adequate supply of housing that people can afford, economic development to provide jobs and access to essential goods and services, sound infrastructure from sewers to roads and parks, effective local government and essential services, and an abundance of successful families.
This is why addressing one single need such as housing or education within under-resourced communities rarely produces meaningful results.
Addressing needs holistically
What’s also important to understand is that needs don’t exist in silos—they are interrelated and interdependent. Because of this interdependency, it’s important that needs are served in an integrated, holistic manner.
Serving the needs of a family holistically requires that staff work together in case-management style to ensure efforts are coordinated and mutually reinforcing to move families toward self-sufficiency.
Working in close partnership with the community
Change moves at the speed of trust. Our Ask, Align, Act framework ensures that our actions are guided by the voice of the community. We ask for the community’s input to identify priorities, align resources, and act toward fulfilling a common vision.
$1 + $1 = $3
Making every dollar more effective
The comprehensive, holistic nature of this model also ensures that each effort is mutually-reinforcing to create greater impact—making each dollar invested exponentially more effective.
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“Dear Lou”: Michelle Byrd Shares Her Journey to Success
When Michelle Byrd looks back on her journey, she sees a story of overcoming. As a mother of two daughters, she’s faced challenges that could have easily held her back. But instead of giving up, Michelle kept moving forward with determination and faith. Today, she and her two daughters are thriving.
Midwest BankCentre, Enterprise Bank & Trust Sponsor More Than $5.4 Million in Grants to Support Affordable Housing in St. Louis
Funds will revitalize neighborhoods and improve living conditions for 222 low- income households in North and South St. Louis County and South St. Louis City