Dear MFH Grantees, Partners, and Friends,

I am excited to serve as chair of Missouri Foundation for Health’s Board of Directors for the year 2020, and I am eager to share a recap of the Foundation’s work with you in the form of our 2019 annual report. During my tenure on the Board, I have witnessed the Foundation transition from grantmaker to changemaker. As a result of our evolving strategy of breaking down the systems that serve as obstacles to achieving health equity, we’ve been able to impact the lives of others for the better.

To further make ourselves more accessible in our expanded convening role, we packed up our long-time offices at St. Louis Union Station and moved to our current location near The Grove. Relocating our headquarters to the Forest Park Southeast neighborhood has allowed us to take our convening strategy to new heights. By bringing partners and key players to the table, we’re fostering relationships and starting conversations that will ultimately help us generate and accelerate positive changes in health. We like to think of it as, “Convening for the Common Good.”

But for MFH, convening is one tool in a toolkit of many, as you will see from this collection of stories and highlights. Whether it’s empowering women and people of color, reducing violence, increasing coverage and access to health services, or closing the life expectancy gap, these are commonly shared aspirations for all Missourians. As we pursue our work, we are mindful and intentional about eradicating the structural and social barriers preventing us from thriving and believe that our greatest opportunity to influence change is to understand that we rise by lifting others, especially those living and working in the most challenging situations in our state.

My time at MFH has changed me and my perspective of health and well-being. If you had asked me six years ago when I joined this Board, what it was that MFH did, I would have undoubtedly responded, “We fund health organizations.” Ask me that now, and my answer is simply, “We change things.”

Andwele Jolly
Board Chair