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ARCHS FY 21 Impact Video Report



ARCHS has released its FY 21 Impact Video Report. The video showcases the amazing work of its 27 funded partners during the most challenging of times. They each found innovative ways to navigate the pandemic, and NONE missed an opportunity to push the boundaries of innovation to meet urgent client needs.

Whether in-person or virtual, these combined efforts led to more than 64,148 of the region’s most under-resourced residents to be provided with vital human services. With a combined economic impact of $33.4 million, ARCHS and its partners are committed to convening and collaborating to enhance programs. 

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ARCHS Awards $1 Million to Launch Healthy Families Missouri Initiative

Home Visitation Program RegionsThis summer ARCHS awarded a combined $1 million to four organizations to launch Healthy Families Missouri (HFM) to serve children and families in 42 counties across the state of Missouri.

ARCHS is providing grants to Community Partnership of the Ozarks (Springfield, MO), New Madrid County Human Resources Council (New Madrid, MO), Northeast Caring Communities (Lancaster, MO), and The Community Partnership (Rolla, MO).

The ARCHS’ funded organizations will serve as Healthy Families America® (HFA) affiliates. HFA is one of the leading family support and evidence-based home visiting programs in the United States. The program is designed to promote positive parenting, enhance child health and development, and prevent child abuse and neglect.

Parental participation in the program is voluntary. HFA uses research-based tools proven to strengthen families​ with a focus reaching families at highest risk for child abuse and neglect​. HFA affiliate staff will provide personalized goal planning and support to families​ with an emphasis on parenting and child development​ education. Staff will also provide referrals to area education, housing, and additional community resources.

ARCHS and the funded organizations are part of The Family and Community Trust (FACT). ARCHS secured the funding through the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, Office of Childhood. ARCHS serves as the program’s strategic technical advisor and fiscal agent.

“Our state-wide partners are uniquely positioned to help launch this new initiative to support Missouri’s children and families. This proven home visiting model will greatly enhance the state’s parent education and child safety efforts,” says Wendell E. Kimbrough, ARCHS’ Chief Executive Officer.

“By drawing upon the local expertise of our community partnerships, these new programs will offer a strong foundation to provide vital support services to parents,” says William T. Dent, FACT’s Executive Director.

The goals of the state-wide initiative include:

-22 jobs created with on-the-job training to become HFA certified as family support specialists
-286 families served monthly
-48 parent education cafés will be offered throughout the year
-5,700+ home visits completed annually

ARCHS Awards $685,280 to United 4 Children to Enhance Early Childhood Programming


This summer ARCHS awarded $685,280 in funding to United 4 Children to provide Educare and Infant Toddler Specialist Network (ITSN) services. Funding will collectively support 120 regional childcare programs, including 190 staff trainings, and 1,500 quality improvement site visits.

“ARCHS has partnered with United 4 Children for several years to provide youth development and out-of-school time programs. We are excited about expanding this partnership with an intensive focus on vital early childhood programs serving under-resourced families,” says ARCHS’ Chief Executive Officer Wendell E. Kimbrough. 

“We are honored to partner with ARCHS in our shared vision for Missouri’s children to be given every opportunity to be safe, healthy, and to thrive in high quality learning settings from birth and beyond,” says United 4 Children Executive Director Deanna Finch.  

The Educare program supports, educates, and provides resources that improve the quality of childcare and early learning programs which serve children receiving state childcare subsidies. The program’s goal is to ensure that all childcare and early learning programs have the knowledge and support needed to provide developmentally appropriate practices and to implement early childhood programming that supports children’s development.  

Educare services are available to family childcare programs that serve at least one child receiving childcare subsidy assistance from the state. This includes registered but unlicensed family childcare providers, licensed family childcare providers, and licensed family childcare providers operating in a group home setting. 

ITSN’s goal is to improve the quality of infant and toddler care. The program provides free support to childcare providers, including assessment of infant and toddler classrooms, on-site consultations, materials, and targeted trainings. ITSN helps childcare centers or providers who are licensed or license-exempt, care for children ages 0-36 months, and care for at least one child receiving a state childcare subsidy. 

ARCHS funding for Educare and ITSN is provided by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, Office of Childhood. 

ARCHS Awards $450,000 to Support Summer Enrichment Programs and Address Learning Loss Associated with COVID-19



Photo: Jennings Mayor Yolanda Austin visits with youth participating in ARCHS' funded summer enrichment program offered by Provident Behavioral Health at Woodland Elementary School.

ARCHS issued $450,00 to provide summer 2021 enrichment programs for more than 740 youth at 22 St. Louis area locations managed by 10 area youth development organizations including: Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis, Gene Slay’s Girls & Boys Club, Midtown Community Services, Northside Youth & Senior Service Center, Provident Behavioral Health, Unleashing Potential, SPROG/Horizons, Stray Dog Theatre/Arts in Mind, Wesley House Association, and Youth & Family Center.

In addition, ARCHS is partnering with HealthWorks! Museum (traveling show assembly around health/wellness), Operation CEO (entrepreneurship program), and Mentors in Motion (math & music mentorship program) to further enhance the summer programs.

This year, the programs will intentionally address learning loss caused by the COVID-19 pandemic with a focus on academic support/enrichment, social and life skills, health and recreation, character development, and parent and family involvement. Each day, a nutritious meal or snack will be provided.

2021 KIDS COUNT Data Book Now Available

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The Annie E. Casey Foundation ranks Missouri as 30th out of 50 states for child well-being. The 2021 KIDS COUNT Data book reveals the status of Missouri's children before the pandemic took hold. In 2019, fewer Missouri children lived in households with incomes below the federal poverty line than at any point in the prior decade. During the years of recovery from the Great Recession in 2008, the number of Missouri's kids who lived in poverty fell to less than one in five, according to this year's data.  
The Data Book released June 2021 shows nearly a decade of progress that could be erased by the COVID-19 pandemic in next year's report. Policymakers must act with kids' best interest in mind to recover from schools and businesses being shut down. 

"In Missouri, we have seen firsthand the great challenges the pandemic unleashed on communities in our state. We are fortunate to have our network of 20 Community Partnerships who were nimble enough to pivot to meet the ever-changing needs of children and families during this time of crisis," says Bill Dent, executive director of the Family and Community Trust (FACT). 

Each year, the KIDS COUNT Data Book tracks 16 indicators measuring childrens' economic well-being, education, health, and family and community access. Missouri improved in several areas, such as on-time high school graduation rates, ranking sixth in the country.

Click HERE to read the 2021 KIDS COUNT Data Book. 

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