Community Partners
Community Partners are the foundation to facilitating change in our community.
Imagine With A Mission (IWAM) is an architect of community transformation in North County, North City St. Louis and East St. Louis - and we rely on our network of community partners.
We move families from crisis to wealth- building through our ‘SET’ framework: Stabilize, Equip, and Thrive.
Rather than duplicating services, IWAM operates as a central hub, vetting and funding expert partners across ten critical pillars – from housing and health to economic development.
We provide the vision and the capital – our community partners provide the direct service. Our model moves beyond addressing isolated symptoms of poverty. We coordinate all ten pillars to tackle the root causes and create long-term stability.
At Imagine With A Mission, we identify Community Partners who provide expert services within these areas and fund them through contractual means to ensure comprehensive, sustained impact.
Housing
Food
Health & Wellness
Transportation
Public Safety
Education
Workforce Development
Financial Empowerment
Small Business Development
Economic Development
Why We Exist: The Need for Change
IWAM operates where the need is greatest. These statistics highlight WHY our work is essential in the St. Louis region:
3x Poverty
20% of city residents live in tracts where 40%+ of neighbors are in poverty, with 31.7% of Black residents facing concentrated poverty (3x the rate of white residents).
18 Years Life Expectancy
Varies by as much as 18 years across zip codes in North St. Louis.
24k Housing & Infrastructure
Over 24,000 vacant buildings are concentrated in St. Louis City. In some North City areas, 30% of households have no vehicle access, and 30%+ lack a computer.
30% Food Insecurity
30% of Black St. Louis City residents are faced with food insecurities.
69% Education
Only 69% of students graduate from St. Louis Public School District, which is 20% below the statewide average.
43% Home Ownership
Only 43% of homes in Jennings are owner-occupied, well below the statewide average of 67.9%.
24.7% Poverty Rate
24.7% of Ferguson residents live below the poverty line (over double the nationwide average).
At Imagine with a Mission®, we build change in partnership with the people and communities we serve. Progress takes trust, shared purpose, and the right people around the table — which is why we don’t try to do everything ourselves.
Our Community Partner vetting process includes:
See Our Community Partners In Action
FAQs
Where does my donation go?
Every donation supports our trusted community partners, local families, and long-term solutions – not quick fixes.
How does Imagine With A Mission vet partners?
Our extensive community partner vetting process includes initial meetings, reviewing resumes, financial and insurance records, a legal search, and interviews with leadership and the IWAM Board of Directors. We follow this process to ensure that funding they receive goes to benefit our community, and support local change within the IWAM framework.
What do Imagine With A Mission partners do?
Imagine With A Mission community partners provide expert services within our ten areas of focus, which include housing, food, health & wellness, transportation, public safety, education, workforce development, financial empowerment, small business development, and economic development.