Midtown Community Services

Since opening our doors, Midtown has strived to break down barriers created by poverty, isolation, and prejudice through community-centered programming that serves every member of the family, from newborns to their great-grandparents. Our programs include:

1. Youth Development – With 67 percent of children in St. Louis having no parent at home after school, Midtown offers a safe place where they can learn, grow, and play all year long. In Fall 2022, 25 children enrolled in our afterschool program to receive free tutoring and homework help as well as participate in STEAM activities. In addition, our Teen Club is focused on ACT coaching, college and career prep workshops, and college trips.
   
   For six weeks in the summer, we also host our annual Summer Academy Day Camp for 80 children kids at risk between the ages of 5-12. Camp helps stop the summer slide to ensure kids are ready for school come August. During two three-week sessions, our campers are able to enjoy sports, arts and crafts, and field trips.  
   
   According to the Harvard Family Research Project, when children have sustained access to afterschool programs that offer strong programming, quality staffing, and partnerships with other community institutions, they experience positive learning and development outcomes. These include higher test scores at school, improved self-esteem and self-confidence, better overall physical and mental health, and the avoidance of risky behaviors. In addition, afterschool programming improves school attendance and academic aspirations while reducing the likelihood that a student will drop out of school (Huang, Leon, La Torre, Mostafavi). 
2. Family PRIDE – In St. Louis, infant and maternal mortality rates rival those of many developing countries, especially in Black communities due to a lack of access, high healthcare costs, and implicit bias in the medical field. Through outreach, well-baby care information, and support groups, Family PRIDE empowers new parents to advocate for their families and create healthier outcomes for their babies. 
   
   In 2023, 100% of babies born to the program were born healthy.  Many mothers we serve experience overwhelming mental health issues related to post-partum depression, anxiety, and intimate partner violence, but often can’t find counseling related to their needs. If they can find it, many can’t afford it due to financial constraints or a lack of insurance. Today, Midtown partners with Equal Shares Parenting to provide free, culturally-attuned virtual group and individual counseling sessions with Black therapists.
   
   Midtown also provides free, certified doula care to expectant parents. Services include developing birth plans, ensuring prenatal care is followed, helping parents advocate for themselves and their infants in a healthcare setting, and providing post-natal care and services. 
   
   Said one mother, “You can always depend on Midtown for anything you need, whether it’s diapers, gas cards, or just someone to talk to. But more important, Midtown helps you focus on your growth. They are here to set us up to be stronger women, stronger mothers, and stronger people.” 
3. Senior Programming – One of the greatest health risks for older adults, especially in the Black community, is loneliness. Social isolation can lead to poor health outcomes including cognitive decline, heart disease, and diabetes—all of which already affect African Americans at higher rates than the general population (The National Resource for Engaging Older Adults). 
   
   With health issues and transportation constraints making it difficult for those in at-risk communities to connect, Midtown’s Midtown Mamas and Men’s Club help improve health outcomes through socialization. Last year, 30 seniors had free access to health and financial workshops, field trips, and community events. 
4. City Greens Community Garden – Midtown runs a ¼-acre community garden in a food desert where volunteers grow fresh produce to be sold at City Greens Market at or below cost. Fresh fruits and vegetables are also provided free of charge along with food boxes to elderly and disabled residents. The Garden has become a key outdoor classroom for our Youth Development programs, giving kids the chance to grow their own fruits and vegetables and turn them into delicious, healthy dishes they prepare themselves.