Center on Rural Parenting's Fundraiser
Creating spaces for rural community members to convene, create and execute solutions for rural families across the Midwest
Donate to the Center on Rural Parenting now
Parenting is a process that involves the entire community. From relatives to churches to school systems and beyond, every thread of a community’s fabric is integral in upholding the dignity and respect of the parenting process. Not everyone will become a parent, but we all share the experience of childhood. Which is why help from every corner of the community is paramount.
At the Center on Rural Parenting, we believe that by enhancing the overall parenting experience, we also enhance the general community’s quality of life.
We aim to foster safe and sustainable rural communities by building on the opportunities and assets currently offered while also sharing authentic stories from real country folks — especially from Black and queer rural communities.
Fund our critical work today:
Rural Parenting Action Network (RPAN)
Rural folks face unique parenting challenges, so the Center on Rural Parenting is building a strong support network of leaders and organizations focused on serving rural communities.
The Rural Parenting Action Network was created for community leaders or organizations that provide resources, information and encouragement to rural parents, from local services to statewide programs.
The Blackroads Project
For far too long, the myth of the white rural monolith has covered the truth: that Blackness, queerness and other identities exist in rural communities. This cultural suppression has worked to erase us from history and silence our voices.
The Blackroads Project aims to change this narrative and highlight the voices of real rural folks across the Midwest and uplift the unique opportunities and assets that lie in our communities by sharing our stories and shedding light on the rich spectrum of identities Midwestern rural communities hold.
Research
Rural communities offer unique opportunities to support folks along their parenting journey, but lack of rural-specific data can make it difficult to find funding and partnerships to build on these community assets.
The Center on Rural Parenting is committed to advancing rural research that highlights the strengths of our rural communities. In parntership with the Washington University School of Medicine and the University of Missouri Rural Research Center, we are working to uncover new ways to support rural parents and families.
By focusing on what makes rural communities resilient, this research will better inform policies, practices, and programs.
We use an expansive definition of parenting to include folks who are in active caregiving roles. Additionally, we understand that although not everyone chooses to engage in an individual parenting journey, we share the universal experience of childhood and are all impacted by the parenting processes and systems in our communities. Thus, all are welcome to lend their voice, experiences and opinions on parenting in their communities.
We are seeking funding to support efforts to grow the RPAN, hosted on the Missouri Rural Health Association's MRHA Connect Tool, and provide educational resources to learn restorative healing practices and organizing strategies for community members to create parenting environments they hope to see.
You can also mail checks to:
Build Missouri Health
4254 Vista Avenue
St. Louis, MO 63110
Please be sure the check is made to Build Missouri Health; you may put "Center on Rural Parenting" on the Memo line