Hello, fellow North of Delmar (NOD) Friends!

What’s NOD up to so far? Having officially launched North of Delmar in late 2024, we’re only just getting started, but we already have ample news to report. Read on …

North of Delmar: Early Action Updates

Practical Action in Wells-Goodfellow

We’re excited to have launched our first NOD practicum, a Wells-Goodfellow community project analysis conducted by the Washington University Center for Experiential Learning. See “Introducing Our Wells-Goodfellow Practicum” below for more information.

NOD Leadership 

Also in January, we met with COCA President and CEO Indigo Sams, and LaShanda Boone, VP of Multicultual Services of Saint Louis Community College. 

Both are very excited to take on volunteer leadership roles at North of Delmar, and are already talking to us about next steps. Welcome, Lashonda and Indigo!

NOD Networking

We’re also busy growing our North of Delmar network.

• E-News: In December 2024, we sent our first e-newsletter to a select number of recipients.  We doubled our distribution by January 2025, and hope to continue doing the same for some time to come. Hint: Please forward this issue to friends and colleagues.

• Social Media: NOD now has groups on Facebook and LinkedIn.  Come join us there.

• Coffee Talk: Are you or your organization working alone out there?  Could you benefit from working with others? We bet you could! Join us for a cup of coffee. We would love to learn more about what you are trying to accomplish and introduce you to others.

Come join us, and let’s all work together.

Eric M.

Eliot S.

Stuart Z.

Introducing Our Wells-Goodfellow Practicum

As described above, we are delighted to have launched our Washington University Center for Experiential Learning practicum in January, to study our first community project in Wells-Goodfellow. Following is our action plan.

Step 1 – Assess: First, we’ll analyze all the current data we can find for the Wells-Goodfellow region.

Step 2 – Prepare: Based on our findings, we will seek community input and identify effective short- and long-term goals for improvement.

Step 3 – Progress: Collaborating with our NOD network, we will seek support for launching our most promising programs.

Step 4 – Review: We’ll continue to measure our effectiveness over time.

By combining collaborative caring with thoughtful analysis, we hope to bring both heart and mind to our North of Delmar initiatives!

Power in Numbers

While our St. Louis North of Delmar neighborhoods are filled with past and present tales of pride and resilience, challenges abound as well. These include high crime rates, economic distress, and the need for community revitalization.

Fortunately, there are a number of compelling reasons for nonprofits, universities, philanthropists, and grassroot citizens to find common ground in addressing the challenges we collectively face:

• Concentrated impact: By pooling resources and expertise, we can tackle complex issues more effectively.

• Economic revitalization: Collaborative efforts can stimulate local economic growth by creating jobs, providing services, and attracting investment to an area struggling with depopulation and disinvestment.

• Innovation and knowledge sharing: Partnerships between universities and nonprofits can foster innovative solutions to persistent problems.

• Breaking down barriers: United efforts can address deep-rooted racial and economic divides. By working together, we can create comprehensive programs that tackle interconnected issues such as poverty, education, and housing, which are particularly acute North of Delmar.

In short, collaborations are crucial for overcoming challenges faced North of Delmar. From individual residents to our civic and business community leaders, each of us has a vital role to play.

A NOD to Our Alliances

Speaking of community collaboration, we’d like to feature two North of Delmar programs:

Beyond Housing https://beyondhousing.org/

Beyond Housing is a nationally recognized community development organization dedicated to strengthening families and transforming under-resourced communities to create a stronger, more equitable, and prosperous St. Louis. Their work in North St. Louis County is one of the most comprehensive community development efforts in the U.S. and the largest in the St. Louis region.

Since 1975, Beyond Housing’s history has been one of learning and evolution in their mission to create greater results and lasting change. Their comprehensive, holistic work spans several key impact areas that are essential for thriving families and communities, from housing to education, health, employment, economic development, municipal government, and more.

Access Point https://www.accesspointprogram.org/

Together with school districts, higher education institutions and corporate alliances, Access Point is removing barriers and driving life-changing opportunities for young people and underrepresented groups by providing access to education, mentorship, financial support and long-term careers in technology.

In partnership with area corporations, Access Point provides a paid apprenticeship and guaranteed entry-level job for those who complete the program. It starts in high school. Curriculum, mentoring and apprenticeship are tailored to the student’s specific, pre-identified job. Upon completion of the program, students will immediately start a paid apprenticeship that will lead to a full-time $55k+ salaried career. Support addresses student education costs and financial needs. All program training earns college credit and includes an individual plan and support to complete a bachelor’s degree.

Who Is North of Delmar, anyway?

What: Founded in 2024, North of Delmar is a community collaboration initiative aiming to foster holistic development and sustainable growth in the St. Louis area. The project brings together non-profit organizations with support from major corporations, philanthropists, and universities in the region. The goal is to raise funding to bolster the ongoing initiatives of the non-profits and conduct research to validate their impact.

Why: North of Delmar strives to create a thriving and inclusive community by fostering collaboration among non-profit organizations, corporations, philanthropists, and universities. Through strategic partnerships and targeted investments, we aim to improve quality of life, promote economic opportunity, and drive sustainable development in the St. Louis area.

YOU: Are you or your organization working alone out there?  Could you benefit from working with others? We bet you could! We repeat our invitation to join us anytime for a cup of coffee. We would love to learn more about what you are trying to accomplish and introduce you to others.