Deaconess Community, August is Black Philanthropy Month. The national theme this year is “Foresight 20/20.” It arrests me because of all the things I could have never foreseen on my journey that seem so well-ordered in the rearview mirror. In January of 2000, I came to St. Louis for a four-day conference preparing young adults for careers...

Earlier this year, Deaconess Foundation engaged Makiyah Moody, senior manager with LaPiana Consulting, to assess how the Foundation builds, wields and shares power using the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy’s ‘Power Moves’ toolkit.Through a collaborative, investigative process involving surveys and interviews with our partners, community members and philanthropic colleagues, we received feedback and got a view of our work from the various...

By Kristian Blackmon and Rev. Dr. Starsky Wilson For The St. Louis American In the wake of cascading public health emergencies – first the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic, then the murder of George Floyd and the violent police response to mostly non-violent protests for Black Lives – communities across the country are reexamining their...

Deaconess Community, We pray and hope that you are well. Although the first six months of 2020 have been challenging, the last six months are filled with opportunity. A glimpse of the potential for the rest of this year was fulfilled on July 17th when a two and a half year campaign to close the city...