Families in St. Louis City and County will soon have expanded access to early childhood and family support services through a new permanent home for the Show Me Strong Families program. The facility, supported by a $240,000 multi-year grant from the Berges Family Foundation, is located at 1905 S. Grand Blvd. and will serve as the Christopher “Kit” Bond Center.
The center was unveiled Nov. 7 during a community event honoring the late Missouri Sen. Christopher “Kit” Bond, whose support helped grow Parents as Teachers from a St. Louis-based idea into a national model that now serves more than 188,000 families each year.
Parents as Teachers, founded in St. Louis, connects parents and caregivers with trained professionals who make regular home visits during a child’s earliest years, from pregnancy through kindergarten. The program, supported by more than 40 years of research, now operates in all 50 states, 138 Tribal organizations and six other countries.
“This gift from the Berges Family Foundation will allow Show Me Strong Families to have a permanent, welcoming home that reflects the dignity, strength and hope of St. Louis families,” said Constance Gully, president and CEO of Parents as Teachers National Center. “Early childhood is where lifelong opportunity begins, and the investment ensures that families have a space designed with their needs in mind.”
Show Me Strong Families serves more than 350 families each year, about 88 percent of whom face multiple stressors such as housing instability, unemployment or limited access to trauma-informed care. The new center will allow the organization to meet families earlier and more consistently and provide additional culturally responsive support.
Programs offered at the Bond Center include:
- Prenatal and maternal health services such as doula care, infant massage, and breastfeeding support
- Parenting education and group connections
- Developmental screenings
- Referrals to community resources for housing, health, and early intervention
The facility also includes Mildred’s Closet, a resource room for diapers, food and clothing, along with a family kitchen, toy-lending library and outdoor play area.
“This investment reflects our belief that every child deserves the opportunity to grow up in a safe, stable, and nurturing environment,” said Kelly Lamb Pollock, CEO of the Berges Family Foundation.
The dedication ceremony drew local and national early childhood advocates, community leaders and families. It also coincided with Parents as Teachers Day on Nov. 8, a global recognition of families, home visitors and early childhood champions. The event honored both Bond’s legacy and that of Mildred M. Winter, the St. Louis educator who founded Parents as Teachers in 1984.
“The Bond Center is a permanent, welcoming home for families that reflects the dignity and strength of our community,” Gully said. “It expands our ability to meet families early, consistently, and with the culturally responsive support they deserve.”