2025 Gratitude Report by Central Missouri Community Action

Central Missouri Community Action 2025 Gratitude

Report

OUR VISION

We envision communities without poverty.

OUR MISSION

Build relationships to empower people, strengthen resilience, and improve quality of life for all members of the community.

THE PROMISE OF COMMUNITY ACTION

Community Action changes people’s lives, embodies the spirit of hope, improves communities, and makes America a better place to live. We care about the entire community, and we are dedicated to helping people help themselves and each other.

From the Executive Director

I am pleased to present the following Gratitude Report. This report shares our successes, statistics, and impact across the eleven counties in which Central Missouri Community Action operates. We made significant progress on our strategic priorities while maintaining our focus on our members, the communities we serve, and a high level of accountability. Clean audits and program compliance aren’t the most exciting elements to report, but they lay a critical foundation for everything we do. These components give our donors and funders confidence in their investments and stimulate growth and innovation. For example, we received private funding from Upward Momentum to expand our Financial Opportunity Center© program and to establish a Capital Access Program for entrepreneurs this year. You can count on CMCA to deliver when you support our work.

Some of the more visible results of our work have literally risen from the ground as new housing projects in Columbia and Jefferson City have taken off. Fourteen new condos for sale are nearing completion in Columbia, and the foundation and infrastructure for 40 apartments were built in Jefferson City. Both projects will be ready for buyers and renters in 2026. The demand for housing throughout Central Missouri is far greater than we can meet, but we will continue to expand our efforts. Last August, we submitted two Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) proposals to build apartments in Fulton and Mexico, Missouri. I hope to report on progress with these proposals next year.

FY2025 brought unexpected headwinds. While the needs of our members have historically driven our initiatives, our primary source of funding, the federal government, balked on us this year. In February, our funds were frozen for a couple of weeks, and several of our programs were scrutinized for adherence to President Trump’s priorities. All of them survived this scrutiny, but we are seeing a slowing of response time, grant approvals, and communication from the federal bureaucracy as staffing levels have been significantly reduced. Fortunately, Community Action has broad support across the political spectrum, and I am confident that we will continue to help people and change lives.

Private funding is more important than ever. This report is designed to thank you for supporting our efforts and to highlight the impact of CMCA in your community. Enjoy!

From the Board of Directors

After serving six years on the CMCA Board of Directors, including two as the Board President, I am so appreciative of the work of Central Missouri Community Action. CMCA has a unique board structure called a “tripartite” board, designed to facilitate maximum feasible participation. This means that one-third of our board members represent the public sector as elected officials, one-third represent people with low-income and lived experience, and one-third represent the public sector with a variety of expertise, including legal, fiscal, and early childhood education. I have learned so much about what it means to be an accountable organization, having received nearly fifty fiscal reports, program updates, board training, and six clean audits in a row. I deeply appreciate my colleagues on the board and the leadership at CMCA.

Stephanie Schmidt President

Elizabeth Anderson

Jodi McSwain Past President

Thanks to the CMCA Board of Directors for electing me President for Fiscal Year 2026. I am excited to serve in this capacity and work alongside the Executive Director to maintain the momentum established by CMCA over the last sixty years. I follow in the footsteps of hundreds of CMCA Board Members and will add my voice to those cheering on the success of our members and the communities we serve. Central Missouri Community Action helps solve problems in these communities, and we have a variety of complex and heavily regulated programs designed to move people out of poverty. All of them work together seamlessly to maximize outcomes. The board-approved budget is over $21 million in FY26, and we employ over 200 staff across eleven counties. I do not take this responsibility lightly, and I look forward to another year of excellence at CMCA. Thank you for supporting Central Missouri Community Action with me.

Stella Druml

Private Sector, Osage County

Tiffany Austin Low-Income, Audrain County

Michelle Barg Private Sector, Cole County

Khyeese Bethea

Low-Income, Cooper County

Megan Birmingham Low-Income, Osage County

Tiffany Burns

Private Sector, Moniteau County

Karen Digh-Allen

Private Sector, Callaway County

Low-Income, Moniteau County

John Flanders, Treasurer Private Sector, Howard County

Susan Hart Private Sector, Boone County

Phillip Iman Low-Income, Audrain County

Kip Kendrick Public Sector, Boone County

Joe Lutz

Public Sector, Moniteau County

Dwight Massey Public Sector, Osage County

Jodi McSwain, President Low-Income, Howard County

Leslie Meyer Public Sector, Audrain County

Michael Pryor Low-Income, Boone County

Stephanie Schmidt Private Sector, Audrain County

Paula Sims Public Sector, Cooper County

Cotton Walker, Vice President Public Sector, Cole County

Ruby Young, Secretary Low-Income, Cole County

the numbers:

1 in 3 1 in 5

Missourians live at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Line

Children in rural Missouri experience poverty

756,528

13.5%

Average poverty rate of CMCA’s service area

Individuals in Missouri experience poverty. That’s enough to fill Arrowhead Stadium more than 10 times

In 2025, CMCA served:

15,118 Individuals

6,529 Households

Theory of Change

Our Theory of Change focuses on supporting the whole family and building resiliency through social connections, family well-being, and economic stability. Each of our programs supports families in one or more of these areas.

CMCA & the Whole Family Approach

Our Whole Family Approach brings CMCA’s Theory of Change to life by recognizing that family challenges are deeply interconnected. Instead of working with individuals in isolation, we support entire families across three critical areas through our comprehensive programs and services. When families find stability in these areas, they build pathways to self-sufficiency that strengthen both their households and the broader community.

The Family Pathways Framework, central to our strategic plan, guides how we deliver services through three distinct pathways, each calibrated to meet families where they are with the appropriate level of support. Our staff invest deeply in building authentic relationships—both with the families we serve and with community partners—ensuring we can connect members to a full spectrum of resources. This integrated model weaves together early childhood education, workforce development, financial literacy, healthcare access, housing and other essential services into a coordinated support system that addresses the whole family’s needs.

Civic Engagement & Community Involvement

During our poverty simulations, participants take on the role of a family member modeled after a real Missourian living in poverty. The goal of each participant is to meet their family’s basic needs for one month. Families must meet all of their financial obligations, gain or maintain employment, properly care for children, meet any emergency situations that arise, and navigate the web of social service entities designed to provide assistance to families in need.

Local solutions for local problems

262 people with an increased understanding of poverty

Childcare Village, Inc. is a rare addition to rural Missouri—a new childcare center that has emerged through dedicated community organizing and the efforts of individuals committed to addressing their local community needs.

CMCA partnered with Moniteau REDI and other community organizations in the Show Me Strong Communities initiative to facilitate discussions in Moniteau County, bringing together community leaders, businesses, and residents to identify local needs and devise a plan to address them. With a declining labor force participation rate, particularly among women with young children, and a shortage of childcare slots, the Moniteau County cohort recognized the urgent need for access to quality childcare.

As part of the childcare task force, community member Amanda Kunze took the initiative to open a nonprofit childcare center. Amanda partnered with a local bank to participate in business development competitions, where they successfully won a pitch competition. Amanda also became a Missouri Women’s Business Center client to hone her business acumen and collaborated with Central Missouri United Way to train staff and navigate the licensing process.

Throughout this journey, Amanda remained a tireless advocate for the project, dedicating significant time to forming the nonprofit, securing and maintaining the facility, managing the licensing process, and hiring quality staff. CMCA Community Organizer Jenn Millard played a crucial role in helping Amanda establish connections to turn her dream into reality and now actively serves on the board of directors for the center. Today, Childcare Village, Inc. proudly serves families in Moniteau County by providing quality and affordable childcare.

Leadership Development

Kimberly, a devoted grandmother raising her grandson, first walked into CMCA’s Cole County Family Resource Center several years ago. Despite facing difficulties, her positive spirit and determination were infectious.

Kimberly completed Getting Ahead classes, attending consistently despite lacking consistent transportation. Through Getting Ahead, participants analyze the themes of their lives, assess their own resources, build their future stories, make concrete plans for economic stability, and develop a solid plan to self-reliance.

She actively participated, shared ideas, and stayed connected with CMCA even after graduation. When Kimberly faced housing instability during the class period, she remained hopeful and resilient.

With additional funding, CMCA helped Kimberly secure an apartment for herself and her grandson. After a challenging search, she found a rental company that partnered with CMCA to work with her, giving her the fresh start she needed.

Kimberly didn’t stop there, though. She enrolled in our Financial Opportunity Center® program, where she set goals to save for future rental costs and improve her credit. She’s already working toward complete financial independence.

Kimberly’s determination and dedication exemplify the transformative power of CMCA’s programs.

204 people with improved leadership skills

Relationship Skills

I highly recommend the ShowMe Healthy Relationships course. I’m a 74-year-old woman who was widowed at age 21 and again at age 71. The teaching let us examine past and present relationships, and we discussed family background and the role of expectations. I learned about deciding versus sliding and danger signs in communication. We also discussed replacing many of the negatives in our lives with new and more positive things. We learned tools to discern what is reasonable in a safe, healthy relationship (not just at home, but in work and social settings). The Relationship Help Personality Test was very good to show me my tendencies toward life and interacting with others. I’m currently investigating part-time jobs, and the skills and tips I acquired in this class are very helpful.”

We are pleased to announce we have been awarded another five-year grant from the University of Missouri to continue and expand our ShowMe Healthy Relationships program.

Cognitive Development

698 children enrolled in our Head Start Programs

90% of Infants & Toddlers with AgeAppropriate Development

88% of Children entering Kindergarten are ready for School

98% elementary students meeting grade-level academic expectations

After years in the making and much community anticipation, we officially opened our new Head Start center in Warsaw. This state-of-the-art facility will serve children and families in Benton County for years to come.

95% elementary students meeting social and emotional expectations

Parenting Skills

214 families increased family resiliency

For one local mother and her three boys, the BRIDGE Program became more than a service. It became a lifeline that restored their family’s sense of worth and possibility.

When the Campbell family first joined the program, they were struggling. But through the BRIDGE Program’s tools, resources, and unwavering support, they began to believe they deserved a better life and discovered they had the power to achieve it. The staff surrounded the entire family with compassion and helped them find hope for their family’s future.

The heart of their experience was the relationship with their family success coach, Christina. Through regular home visits, Christina focused on their family’s goals while making each session engaging— especially for Luke, the youngest, who loved the crafts and activities Christina prepared for them. Over three years, Christina became Luke’s advocate at school, helping his family connect with his teachers and ensuring he had the support he needed to thrive.

Ms. Campbell particularly valued the educational events BRIDGE hosted. She and her older boys watched together as experts discussed topics such as car buying options. Beyond the education, the events created a sense of community, allowing her family to connect with other parents in their area while enjoying treats, activities, and gifts.

“We as a family are very blessed by all the many different ways the BRIDGE Program helped love me and my family back into a better position not just within the status quo of society but better within ourselves by giving us hope that we can be and do better than we did in the past,” she says. “Love helps people grow and encourages people to do better.”

Employment, Education, & Skill-Building

Ashley’s journey is one of remarkable strength and perseverance. After becoming a single mother and surviving a car accident that left her with a traumatic brain injury, she faced overwhelming physical, emotional, and financial challenges. Everyday tasks became difficult, and the future felt uncertain.

But Ashley’s love for her son and determination to rebuild her life kept her going. With therapy, the support of her community, and her own resilience, she slowly began to heal. In October 2024, she enrolled in SkillUP, our employment training program for SNAP recipients, and set a goal to return to work. Despite setbacks, she secured a part-time job as a cook—a role that became not just employment, but a milestone of recovery.

Now, six months into her job, Ashley’s confidence and strength continue to grow. Her story is more than survival—it’s a testament to hope, courage, and the unbreakable spirit of a mother who refused to give up.

13 People with increased levels of education

Daniel’s journey is truly inspiring—a powerful reminder of resilience and the impact of second chances. After nearly three decades without employment and as a member of the homeless community, Daniel took a bold step forward by enrolling in the SkillUP Program. When he enrolled, he hadn’t worked since 1998. Yet within just one month, Daniel secured a position as a crew member at a local gas station. This achievement didn’t come easily—it was the result of determination, courage, and a strong desire to rebuild his life.

Several key factors played a role in his success: the unwavering support of his community, his personal drive, and his commitment to overcoming the hardships he’s faced. More than just a paycheck, this job has given Daniel a renewed sense of purpose, structure, and belonging. His story is a testament to the power of perseverance and the opportunities that can arise when someone is given the chance—and the support—to try again.

50 Unemployed people placed in jobs

67 People with increased net worth

Income & Asset Building

55 People with increased savings

37 People with reduced debt

41 People with increased credit scores

As a young mom, La’Chelle was struggling to make ends meet and was overwhelmed. Her child was enrolled in CMCA’s Head Start home visitation program, and she was motivated to set goals to work toward a better future. However, her family success coach noticed La’Chelle making financial decisions that blocked her attempts to reach her goals and referred her to CMCA’s Financial Opportunity Center® (FOC) program.

La’Chelle enrolled in the program and got to work fixing her finances, focusing on the toughest issue first — herself. Working with her coach, La’Chelle realized she used spending as an attempt to escape the things that overwhelmed her.

“My emotional state was everywhere,” La’Chelle says. “I was stressed, overwhelmed, and depressed due to not being able to work to pay my bills. It impacted me because I was down to the point of moving back home with my family to get help. I didn’t want to move back home, so I was figuring out how to pull myself out of the situation.”

With support, La’Chelle felt ready to tackle her challenges head on.

Due to a lack of childcare, La’Chelle had previously been able to work only eight hours a week, not enough to cover her bills or get ahead. Her FOC coach helped her secure reliable childcare, and La’Chelle began picking up as many shifts as possible. With a more reliable income, La’Chelle and her coach created a budget to ensure her regular bills were paid. Her coach also connected her with some resources to help her catch up on bills she was behind on.

La’Chelle’s habit of living above her means led her to incur payday loan debt. After catching up on her bills, learning how to meal prep and shop for groceries efficiently, and giving herself an allowance to spend on fun things freely, La’Chelle was motivated to put extra funds from each paycheck toward this debt. She paid off three payday loans and saved more than $2,000 for her upcoming maternity leave.

“Working with the programs has allowed me the to save and budget along with meal prepping, trying to figure out ways to prevent from going back in debt,” she says. “If I didn’t have the help from the FOC, I believe I wouldn’t have been able to pay off any debt and feel good about accomplishing a goal.”

Importantly, La’Chelle realized her own strength as a single mother to plant her roots and provide a firm foundation for her two children.

Inspiring Entrepreneurs

The Missouri Women’s Business Center (MoWBC) is dedicated to providing small business development assistance throughout Mid-Missouri. A catalyst for economic development, MoWBC specializes in free one-on-one counseling and training for regional entrepreneurs, accomplished through coaching, training, events, and continued support and resources to help entrepreneurs succeed.

28 New businesses started $393,025 in capital infusions

This year marked the one-year anniversary of The Shops at Sharp End, a retail incubator operated in partnership with REDI and The District. As The Shops continues to grow, we have added new participants, hosted a pitch competition, and held a variety of community events designed to increase the customer bases of participating small businesses.

Designed to support small businesses, particularly those owned by women, minorities, and rural populations, our Capital Access Program provides access to capital that traditional lending institutions might not offer in order for them to start or grow their business.

In addition to loans, recipients receive mentoring, business financial counseling, and other resources from our Missouri Women’s Business Center to help them manage and grow their business. They also have the opportunity to work with our FOC program to ensure their personal finances are strong. The combination of personal and business financial support, mentoring, and community focus makes this microlending initiative a powerful tool for fostering entrepreneurship and strengthening the local economy.

Our first Capital Access Program microloan recipient was Killion Hardesty, owner of Kaged Heat, which sells small batch hot sauces made with locally-sourced ingredients. With his microloan, KillioEn was able to pay for his business license and operating permit, custom labels, packaging, equipment, and a point of sale system. This has taken his business to the next level, selling at the Columbia Farmers Market and in local businesses.

Safe & Stable Housing

Construction continues on Providence Landing housing development, with framing, walls, and roofing complete. Once complete, these units will be sold to income-eligible families at an affordable rate, with down payment assistance. CMCA will maintain ownership of the land, offsetting the cost of exterior maintenance for the owner and ensuring the units remain affordable.

This summer, we officially broke ground on our Stronghold Landing development in Jefferson City, which will feature 40 apartments of varying sizes, a community room that doubles as a storm shelter, a playground, and dog park. These units will be rented for $400-$800 a month to qualifying families.

We are working to expand our development efforts into Fulton and Mexico soon!

The homes we built on Hickman Ave. in Columbia sold this year! We are excited for the buyers who were able to turn a dream into a reality.

54 Housing Units in Development

8,809 households received energy assistance, including 4,231 households received crisis energy assistance, totaling $1,448,123 in benefits.

375 Households receiving housing assistance

100 Homes Weatherized

HONOR ROLL OF DONORS

$150,000+

Veterans United Foundation

$5,000+

Cooper County Commission

Equipment Share

Kansas City Toyota Dealership

The Callaway Bank

The Giving Branch

$2,500+

Vantage Supported Living

Caesars Enterprise Services

Central Bank of Boone County Division-D

Enterprise Development Corporation

Robert & Darcy Folzenlogen

Home State Health

George Hulette

Dennis Preis

George Sable-Smith

Greg Shinn

$1,000+

Achieve Balance Chiropractic

Jud Auck

Kevin Carnahan

Carpet Values

Kathy Digges

Roger Drake

Ellinger & Associates

Exchange Bank of Missouri

Belinda Fender

Flat Branch Mortgage

Jennifer Wesselman-Conz

Darin Preis

Raymond Rymph

Speiser Foundation

United Healthcare Community Plan of Missouri

US Bank

Mellodie Wilson

Bob and Karen Worley

$500+

Rusty Antel

Bloom Bookkeeping

Callaway County Special Services

Columbia Honda

Columbia Insurance

Bob Conway

Paul Eisenstein

First Midwest Bank

First State Community Bank

Jennifer Hedrick

Kilgore’s Medical Pharmacy

Scott Kington

Focus on Health

Krista Kippenberger, State Farm

Jessica Lehmen

Dave Preis

Show-Me Oil Co., Inc.

SOA Architecture

Paula Sims

David Lee Steinhauer

Sullivan Bank

The Bank of Missouri

Janet Thompson

Tucker Family Foundation Fund

Andy Waters

$250+

404 Marketing

Ballpark Central LLC

Tiffany Burns

Mark Claypole

Margaret Conroy

Janea Danuser

Lynn Gastineau

Dola Haessing

Shari Hamilton

Beverly Horvit

Philip Iman

Nelson Ispa

Michael Kaplan

John Klebba

Joe Meyer

Partner for Better

Steve Renne

John Walter

Mark Zacher

$100+

Sheela Amin

Jamie Arndt

Robert Bailey

Wilson Beckett

Janet Berry

Robert Blake

Kathy Boyer

Captial Railroad Contracting

James Cooley

Cooper County Democratic Committee

Jacque Cowherd

Drew Sells Homes

Glen Ehrhardt

John Flanders

Elisa Glick

Greis Trucking & Excavating, Inc

Kiarah Harris

Carissa Havens

Vicki Hobbs

Bruce Horwitz

Debra Howenstein

Jack Jensen

Kathryn Jensen

Jones Honda

Dana Joyce

Richard King

Donald Kritzer

John Langton

Michael Lester

Ben Loeb

Jodi McSwain

Karen Milam

Judith Miles

Missouri Valley College

Karen Neylon

Ashley Perry

Phillip Peters Jr.

Tamie Reuter

Sandy Roll

Margaret Ryle

Stephanie Schmidt

Mary Shaw

Helen Sheridan

Spirit of ‘76

Roger Still

Anna Stine

Megan Tassone

The Connection Exchange

JP Watson

Steven Westgate

Dana Whiting

Akua Wiredu

Chris Worley

Ruby Young

Financials

CMCA Financials

Total Functional Expenses

Change in Net Asset

Net Asset, Beginning of Year

Net Asset, End of Year

Year Ended 9/30/2023

Ended 9/30/2022 $19,192,661 $3,177 $74,564 $19,270,402 $17,230,179 $1,408,573 $68,068 $18,706,825 $563,577 $4,212,283 $4,775,860 Year Ended 9/30/2024

$25,803,771

$4,620

$178,577

$25,968,969

$20,992,925

$1,821,109

$66,138

$22,880,172

$3,108,862

$6,301,637

$9,410,499

Head Start Financials

- Public

$22,564,805

$3,284

$219,159

$22,787,248

$19,651.575

$1,546,993

$62,902

$21,261,470

$1,525,778

$4,775,860

$6,301,637

Total Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) funding makes up 5% of actual revenue received during the year at $1,124,107. These are federal funds received from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services provided by the Missouri Department of social Services, Family Support Division.

$10,047,567

$2,946,474

$12,994,041

$4,773,426

$1,383,038

$196,787

$1,933,475

$422,866

$34,703

$88,097

$353,268

$861,905