bringing together the community to work for...
TRANSCRIPT
Bringing together the community
to work for kids
2014 Annual Report
Crea ng a be er future for children
VISION FOR CHILDREN AT RISK ‐ 2014 ANNUAL REPORT
Program Highlights: Making Things Happen for Children
(Above) Stepping Up for Kids honorees at the October 2014 luncheon. (Right) Missouri Children’s Division staff display April Child Abuse Preven on Month yard signs. (Lower Right) Mayor Francis Slay, KMOX’s Debbie Monter‐rey and Partnership leaders at the April Child Abuse Pre‐ven on Month rally.
Now in its third year, the St. Louis Region‐al Early Childhood Council is working to build a coordinated system promo ng successful early childhood development for all St. Louis‐area children. Ac vi es in 2014 included:
Laying the groundwork for a system to connect young children’s families with early childhood resources, school read‐iness assessments, and services to pro‐mote school readiness.
Educa ng professionals through show‐
ing of webinars “Child Well‐Being: Frame‐work for Policy and Prac ce” and “Trauma Responsiveness Training,” in conjunc on with the Mis‐souri Department of Mental Health.
Joining with Project LAUNCH for an early childhood resource fair on Na‐onal Night Out in August.
Selec ng a set of key indicators for tracking early childhood development and beginning data collec on.
Helping to achieve major legisla ve successes for young children, including increased funding for pre‐school pro‐grams, adding low‐income young chil‐dren to the state school founda on formula enabling funding of early childhood programs, and more.
The St. Louis Family & Community Part‐nership held its annual “Stepping Up for Kids” Awards Luncheon in October 2014, honoring outstanding service by families and staff serving foster, adop ve and kinship families. More than 200 guests a ended, and a profit of $7,000 was made to support the Partnership’s work. In April, nearly 200 community leaders and child advocates joined in recom‐mi ng to keeping children safe and families strong during the 2014 annual Child Abuse Preven on Month ob‐servance. Community agencies and or‐ganiza ons posted 250 “We Support Strong Families and Safe Children” yard signs around the area in conjunc on with the St. Louis 250th Birthday cele‐bra on. Other Partnership workgroups con n‐ued work on improving child welfare policy and prac ce, reducing racial dis‐pari es in the child welfare system, and coordina ng foster parent training and recruitment. Five trainings on the Strengthening Families model were pro‐vided in collabora on with United 4 Chil‐dren. Missouri Children’s Division Director Tim Decker discussed his goals for the Division in his presenta on to the SLFCP’s July 9 Annual Mee ng.
Improving Early Child Development
Promoting Strong Families and Safe Children
Vision for Children at Risk provides staff support for the Missouri Children’s Leader‐ship Council, a coali on of nearly 50 organ‐iza ons statewide working together on a coordinated legisla ve agenda for children. For the first me in 2014, the Council re‐tained Judy Dungan as its advocate with the Missouri Legislature. Accomplishments for children in the 2014 Legislature included:
State formula funding for school districts and charter schools expanded to include pre‐kindergarten children ages 3 and 4 eligible for free/reduced lunch, eventually making some 18,000 children eligible for pre‐K program funding (dependent on full funding of the state founda on formula).
Protec on of $142 million of federal child care block funds, also established a trans‐parent system of quality indicators for child‐care providers.
Criminal code was strengthened regarding sex crimes against children.
The wai ng period to be eligible for the Children’s Health Insurance Program was eliminated.
In the budget, funding for pre‐school programs was increased by $4 million, Parents as Teachers was increased by $1 million helping toward restora on of previous cuts, First Steps was increased by $8.5 million, and nearly $5 million was provided to the Children’s Division for technology, a staff career ladder and salary increases.
The Children’s Leadership Council, along with the Regional Early Childhood Council, the Family & Community Partnership and others, held legisla ve forums both before and a er the 2014 legisla on (photo above), each a ended by more than 100 individuals.
Vision for Children at Risk is serving as the organiza onal base for Project LAUNCH, a five‐year federal grant to the State of Missouri to help improve wellness among young children in high‐need areas. The project targets the 63106 and 63107 ZIP codes in north St. Louis. (Above Right) Neighborhood parents received training in Parent Cafés, a peer support program which promotes factors that strengthen families. (Below Right) David Kisor, an award‐winning composer and performer of children's music, entertained children at Children’s Mental Health Day in May. Hundreds of parents and children a ended; the event included dozens of exhibits from agencies providing services to families.
Vision for Children at Risk, the Family & Community Partner‐ship, the Regional Early Childhood Council and other community partners joined in co‐sponsoring the April 9 confer‐ence, “Smart Strategies to Protect Children from Gun Violence,” in con‐junc on with Women’s Voices Raised for Social Jus ce, 250 in a endance.
Vision for Children at Risk has been a prominent par ci‐pant in advancing the “Ready by 21” cradle‐to‐career, collec ve impact ini a ve involving key funders and
leading organiza ons from across the region. With United Way being cho‐sen as the backbone organiza on, VCR is a subcontractor to United Way to provide data support for Ready by 21.
Vision for Children at Risk also con n‐ues to convene mee ngs of stake‐holders toward developing a col‐labora ve ac on ini a ve on youth violence preven‐on.
Data on some 30 indicators of child well‐being is available on the Vision for Children at Risk website, www.visionforchildren.org. Special data reports also are produced.
Additional 2014 Highlights
Legislative Results for Children
Improving Child Health and Mental Health
President Dennis O’Connor, M.D. SSM Cardinal Glennon Children’s Medical Center
Vice President Karen K. Goodman Community Volunteer
Secretary Thomas Nolan Community Volunteer
Treasurer John Killoran, CPA Brown Smith Wallace
Members
Bryan Berry Crane Insurance Agents and Brokers
Nanci A. Bobrow, Ph.D. Psychologist
Sylvester Bolden Community Volunteer
Bob Buck Ameriprise Financial Advisors
Wayne Crull Community Volunteer
Charles Kindleberger Community Volunteer
Robert Mai Stakeholder Insights
Patrice Mugg Community Volunteer
Thomas Rhodenbaugh St. Louis Associa on of Community Organiza ons
Jamala Rogers Community Volunteer
Russell Signorino Gateway EITC Community Coali on
Crea ng a be er future for children
Vision for Children at Risk 2433 N. Grand Blvd. – St. Louis, MO 63106
(314) 534‐6015 Fax (314) 534‐2169 www.visionforchildren.org Facebook: visionforchildren
Twi er: vcrstl
BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2014
Corpora ons and Founda ons Cardinals Care Commerce Bancshares Deaconess Founda on Incarnate Word Founda on Missouri Founda on for Health Missouri Children’s Trust Fund Joseph H. and Florence A. Roblee
Founda on Pershing Charitable Trust PNC Founda on Saint Louis Mental Health Board Norman J. Stupp Founda on,
Commerce Bank Trustee United Way of Greater St. Louis
Stepping Up for Kids Table Sponsors and Event Supporters
Boys Hope Girls Hope Children’s Permanency Partnership Epworth Children and Family Services Family Resource Center Great Circle Lutheran Family and Children’s Services Missouri Alliance for Children and Families MBCH Founda on Missouri Coali on of Children’s Agencies St. Louis College Health Careers Saint Louis Partners Thompson Coburn Youth In Need
Individuals and Organiza ons $1,000 and above Anonymous Robert G. Buck Karen K. Goodman
Greater St. Louis Auxiliary Dennis O'Connor, M.D. Richard and Corinne Pa on Thomas Rhodenbaugh $500‐$999 Nanci A. Bobrow, Ph.D. Ruth Ehresman John Killoran Robert Mai John and Joan Va ero $100‐$499 Deborah Arbogast Joli Baker Judy Bentley Lise and Lee Bernstein Bryan Berry Jim Braibish Erin Brower Wayne Crull Mar n and Marianne Doerr John Frost Diane Hamill Elaine H. Harris Ronald Jackson Charles Kindleberger Richard S. Kurz Sedgwick Mead and Catherine Perry Pam and Alan Mitchell Patrice and Jeff Mugg Audrey and Gary Newcomer Gerald and Phyllis Nolan Don Phares Jamala Rogers Russ Signorino Ronald and Judy Taylor Jill Thompson Nancy VanDillen
Ann Wa s Women’s Voices Raised for Social Jus ce $25‐$99 Sue and Jim Ashwell Robert Bauman Amy Blouin Sylvester Bolden Marsha Clark Mary Clemons Andy Conover Kathe Dunlop Barbara Finch Liz Hoester Sarah Kirschner Brenda and Mark Maly Be y Renee Marver Jerry L. McAdams Courtney McDermo John and Patricia Morley Craig and Holly Palmer Geraldine Rauch and Richard Kacenski Sue Stepleton Karen Stern Sanaria Sulaiman Morris Tamsky
Memorial and Tribute Gi s In memory of Edward Braibish Karen Goodman In honor of Ruth Ehresman Elizabeth Pecha‐Poelker In memory of Claire Pa on Melinda Smith Sue Stepleton In honor of Rich Pa on Rich Hennicke In memory of Corinne Walen k David Walen k
VISION FOR CHILDREN AT RISK ‐ 2014 ANNUAL REPORT
Supporters Special thanks to the following for their support of Vision for Children at Risk received between January 1 and December 31, 2014:
Mission Statement
The mission of Vision for Children at Risk is to promote the well‐being of children and youth in the St. Louis metropolitan area, targe ng par cularly those young people who face
serious socio‐economic risk. The goal of VCR is to ensure the St. Louis community makes more effec ve, systema c provision for
mee ng the fundamental needs of all area children.
Financials Year Ended December 31, 2014 (Audited)
Revenue and Expenses Revenue Contribu ons $ 89,737 Grants 199,490 Program 605,021 Fiscal agent fee 12,062 Special Events 13,739 Total Revenue $ 920,049 Expenses Program services $ 793,051 Management and general 50,210 Fundraising 47,325 Total Expenses $ 890,586 Net Revenue over Expenses $ 29,463 Net assets, end of year $ 61,544
Linda A. Howdeshell, CPA