Kids Win Missouri supports policies that work for all children, including those with disabilities. We’re proud to partner with organizations like Missouri Disability Empowerment (MoDE) to further their work improving the lives of individuals with disabilities.
Missouri Disability Empowerment (MoDE) 
MoDE advocates for change of policies and legislation which impact individuals with disabilities. While MoDE has one registered volunteer lobbyist in Missouri, many representing MoDE have taken their time to talk with lawmakers about the needs of individuals with disabilities. Policy areas include Missouri’s Disability Insurance Mandate therapy For ALL Disabilities, School Board Recording Policies, Seclusion, Isolation, & Restraint Policies and Law, and Missouri’s Speech Implementer Model. Check out their website here.
Kids Win supports ensuring Missouri’s public policies will provide opportunities that support families to attain economic security and stability, and ensuring Missouri’s revenue structure will support investments in services that help children and families to succeed and thrive. We partner with organizations that further this process such as the Missouri Budget Project.
Missouri Budget Project
Missouri Budget Project (MBP) improves the quality of life for all Missourians by informing public policy decisions through objective research and analysis of state budget, tax, and economic issues. They are a nonprofit, objective, public policy analysis organization that provides independent research on complex state policy issues and how they impact all Missourians. The Missouri Budget Project works to enhance the ability of all Missourians to participate in the public debate and ensure that advocates, policymakers, and the public have the information needed to create sound fiscal policies. MBP advocates in favor of fiscally responsible public policies that advance the well-being of all Missourians, particularly our most vulnerable families who too often don’t have a voice in policy decisions. Their policy areas include State Tax Policy, State Revenue, Missouri Budget, Economy/Economic Security, Education, Healthcare, Federal Issues. Check out their website to learn more here.
Kids Win Missouri supports efforts that provide access to safety net programs that help provide nourishment for children and families. Our goal is to ensure that children are safe in stable families in strong communities which support their growth and development. Our partner organizations like Operation Food Search and Empower Missouri help push this goal into view.
Empower Missouri
Empower Missouri is an over 100-year old advocacy organization with the goal of securing basic human needs and equal justice for every person in our state through coalition-building and advocacy. They organize coalitions to educate about Affordable Housing, Food Security and Criminal Justice Reform issues. Empower Missouri’s Food Security Coalition specifically works to reduce food insecurity in Missouri through legislative and administrative advocacy and community education. That coalition is dedicated to ensuring all households in Missouri have access to healthy meals. Safety net programs such as SNAP, WIC, and The School Meals Program are essential to children and families across the state. Learn more about their
Food Security Coalition here.
Operation Food Search
Operation Food Search (OFS) is a hunger relief organization dedicated to ensuring all children and families in Missouri have the nutrition, food and skills they need to live a healthy life. Through food distribution, nutrition education and innovative programs that address the overall health of individuals and communities, OFS is working beyond immediate hunger relief to create lasting change. OFS is also bringing awareness to the importance of food and nutrition for overall health through innovative “food is medicine” programming. They partner with healthcare providers and insurers to provide fresh, local food and support to improve the health of families while also reducing healthcare costs.
In addition, OFS works with lawmakers to build on innovative programs to create systemic change and support essential safety net programs. SNAP, WIC, Medicaid, and child nutrition programs are crucial to building strong families and communities in Missouri. OFS’s comprehensive, upstream approach is designed to ensure that children and families have the food they need to eat today and the skills and opportunities they need for a lifetime. Learn more about how they serve their community here.
Kids Win Missouri recognizes the need for children to be able to equitable access to high-quality, affordable health care services regardless of where they live, and school-based health services are one innovative way to ensure we keep our children in the classroom learning. We work with our partners at the Show-Me School-Based Health Alliance of Missouri to expand access to high-quality physical health, mental health, dental and vision services in schools throughout Missouri. Kids Win Missouri and the Alliance work together to advocate for policy to support the sustainability and growth of school-based health programs.
Show-Me School-Based Health Alliance of Missouri
Show-Me School-Based Health Alliance of Missouri (The Alliance) is the statewide Missouri affiliate of the National School-Based Health Alliance established to improve the health of children and youth by advancing and advocating for school-based health care. The Alliance’s vision is that every child and youth in Missouri has equal opportunity to succeed by assuring access to high-quality health care supports communities in building and sustaining quality school-based health programs. The Alliance offers a variety of key initiatives, including providing access to resources and best practices, providing technical assistance to both school districts and health care providers in the planning, implementation, and sustainment of SBH programs, conducting training and webinars such as this, and connecting SBH providers and programs across Missouri. Read more about the benefits of school-based healthcare here.
Kids Win Missouri supports policies and organizations that allow children and families to be safe and healthy, ensuring children are safe in stable families in strong communities with support. Kids Win supports efforts that modernize and implement best practices when protecting children. Our partners, such as Kids First, help Kids Win achieve these goals.
Missouri KidsFirst’s vision is for all children to be treated with kindness, dignity and respect. Missouri KidsFirst empowers adults to protect children from abuse and neglect through community education, professional training, and child advocacy. Their work involves Child Advocacy Centers (CACs), SAFE-CARE management (Missouri’s medical response to child abuse), and prevention and education. Read more about their education, training, and advocacy here.
Kids Win Missouri works to ensure all Missouri youth have access to quality education and out-of-school supports and opportunities so they are prepared to succeed in life and ready to positively contribute to our state. We support initiatives designed to uplift students, and educational initiatives to encourage partnerships between schools, businesses, and other programs to prepare youth for college and career. Our partners, like the Missouri AfterSchool Network (MASN), help us to achieve this goal.
Missouri AfterSchool Network (MASN)
The Missouri AfterSchool Network builds partnerships and systems across the state that improve, support, and sustain high quality afterschool programs. Their vision is that “All school-age children and youth in Missouri have access to high quality, sustainable afterschool programs.” Their three shared goals are building partnerships at the state, local, and national levels, supporting policies that help sustain existing and start new afterschool programs, and ensuring quality by creating statewide systems for programs and professionals. To learn more about their work, visit their website here.