Our Approach
Why it matters
One in five children in the St. Louis region lives in poverty. This increases to two in five for Black or Brown children. Deaconess envisions a community that values the health and well-being of all children and gives priority attention to the most vulnerable. This community only thrives if the allocation of power and distribution of resources, benefits, opportunities and burdens are not predictable by, nor predicated on race.
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Recent News
Health Affairs: “Patients Lift Their Voices To Advance Maternal Health”
We are excited to share this Health Affairs article and the work being done through EleVATE, which is a program led and designed by Black mothers, health care professionals, and local …Learn More
August Newsletter | Power in Black Philantrhopy
Deaconess Community, Since 2011, August has been recognized as Black Philanthropy Month (BPM). Established by Dr. Jackie Bouvier Copeland, this celebration aims to elevate Black giving and funding equity, which …Learn More
Deaconess Foundation announces the promotion of Constance Harper, Esq. to Vice President of Policy, Advocacy, and Strategic Initiatives
Constance Harper, Esq. (she/her) has been promoted to Vice President of Policy, Advocacy, and Strategic Initiatives at Deaconess Foundation. As the former Director of Advocacy and Freedom Schools, with more …Learn More
OUR PARTNERS
We support and learn from our region’s
leading community organizations.
Partner Highlight
Rustic Roots Sanctuary
Rustic Roots Sanctuary is a sustainable farm and retreat space located in the Spanish Lake community of North St. Louis..Read more
Freedom Community Center
The Freedom Community Center (FCC) is a Black-led organization in North St. Louis that was founded to dismantle systems of..Read more
Community Builders Network of Metro St. Louis
The Community Builders Network of Metro St. Louis (CBN) gathers community leaders of various backgrounds to build engaged and equitable..Read more
Alive & Well Communities
Alive and Well Communities was formed in 2017 by the joining of two separate initiatives focused on activating communities in..Read more
Kids Win Missouri
Kids Win Missouri began in 2013 as a small group of children’s advocacy stakeholders seeking to ensure children have a..Read more
Annie Malone Children & Family Services
Annie Malone Children & Family Services was founded in 1888 as the St. Louis Colored Orphan’s Home. Helping St. Louis..Read more
ArchCity Defenders
ArchCity Defenders (ACD) is a holistic legal advocacy organization that combats the criminalization of poverty and state violence, especially in..Read more
Fathers & Families Support Center
Fathers & Families Support Center (FFSC) is dedicated to improving the lives of children and families by encouraging committed and..Read more
Good Journey Development Foundation
Good Journey Development Foundation supports and builds sustainable communities and young leaders who take responsibility for the improvement of our..Read more
The Scholarship Foundation of St. Louis
The Scholarship Foundation of St. Louis (SFSTL) is a nonprofit organization founded in 1920, and it is rooted in the..Read more
St. Louis Inter-Faith Committee on Latin America
The St. Louis Interfaith Committee on Latin America (IFCLA) envisions a world in which partners reach across economic, political, and..Read more
St. Louis American Foundation
The St. Louis American, the only African-American newspaper continuously published since 1928 and the longest continuously published weekly newspaper in..Read more
Dutchtown South Community Corporation
Dutchtown South Community Corporation (DSCC) is a community development corporation started and led by neighborhood residents serving four southeast St...Read more
Missouri Jobs with Justice
Missouri Jobs with Justice’s (JwJ) mission is to organize Missourians to build transformative power for social, racial, and economic justice..Read more
Forward Through Ferguson
After the death of Michael Brown, Jr. on Aug. 9, 2014, “Ferguson” came to symbolize racial strife and inequality in..Read more
2020 Public Policy Campaign Partners
During the Just 4 Kids Community Conversation on November 18, 2019 we announced an investment of $100,000 to support a..Read more
Action St. Louis Tenant Organizing
Action St. Louis is the Deaconess Foundation’s Reverend Buck Jones Memorial Grant for Tenant Organizing partner, Rev. Starsky Wilson, president..Read more
Missouri Health Care for All
Missouri Health Care for All (MHCFA) is the only permanent, statewide organization in Missouri focused solely on grassroots mobilization on health..Read more
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