On April 8, the Regional Response Team (RRT) was founded; Dr. Jason Purnell served as Managing Director alongside 43 founding social service and government partners.
In May 2020, the Collaborative Action Network (CAN) was established as a convening structure.
The RRT’s Steering Committee was established as the organization’s governing body, representing the geographic region, sectors, and industries.
Serena Muhammad was the RRT’s first Managing Director, working with Co-Chairs, Dr. Jason Purnell and Riisa Rawlins-Easley. Beginning in 2020, various initiatives worked to improve our community. Areas of focus included PPE (personal protective equipment), vaccine education, eviction prevention, and support for the unhoused.
In September 2021, Dr. Andrea Jackson-Jennings was selected as the RRT’s new Managing Director.
Throughout 2022, in addition to campaign activities and ongoing COVID-19 response, new crises, flooding, Monkeypox, and a pediatric “tripledemic,” underscored the need for ongoing RRT efforts.
February 2022 marked the start of a strategic planning process to determine the RRT’s long-term vision and impact, carried out under the leadership of Dr. Jackson-Jennings.
October 2022 saw the completion and approval of the RRT’s new three-year Strategic Plan outlining the long-term vision for the RRT. A pilot structure was unveiled which will be a tool for the RRT to use to understand how to best tackle a pressing issue.
In October, the RRT also published its Comprehensive Report (link), documenting the team’s history and achievements.
2023: Dr. Jackson-Jennings led the RRT to replace its original Steering Committee with a new governance structure. In 2023, members voted in an Advisory Council to govern the RRT, aligning with the Strategic Plan.
The Collaborative Action Network now operates as a smaller network of organizations aligned with the RRT’s mission and vision. Meeting quarterly, it supports the Advisory Council on regional issues and crises in greater St. Louis.
2024
Heritage House Response: We led a collaborative response to major flooding of a 19-story low-rent apartment complex in downtown St. Louis, where 170 elderly residents lived. (Link to Project Sheet)
2025
Housing Immigrant Families Program: In response to the urgent calls from immigrant service providers for culturally responsive housing solutions, we launched a transformative three-month pilot program. By strategically partnering with 17 organizations, we empowered decision-making, orchestrated comprehensive development, addressed critical community needs through targeted planning, and ensured lasting impact through our collaboratively designed sustainability framework. (Link to Project Sheet)
Brightpoint, a leading child and family service organization in Illinois, engaged us in a pilot program to improve access, usability, and impact within the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) within a specific subset of eligible families under the Protective Services Child Care provision. Families often find the CCAP process complex and difficult to navigate. (Link to Project Sheet)
Gateway Housing First: Housing and Mental Health brought together key partners to assess behavioral/mental health and housing service collaboration, a great need in the region. Through a three-session workshop led by the RRT, participants evaluated current partnerships, identified systems change opportunities, and developed strategies to enhance collaboration and community impact. (Link to Project Sheet)
Tornado Recovery: On May 16, a tornado and severe storms struck St. Louis, killing five, injuring many, and damaging over 5,000 homes and businesses. Our staff visited affected areas, built support systems, and connected those impacted with resources to help with immediate needs. We leveraged our Regional Response Team Fund to bring traditional disaster response groups together with grassroots organizations to serve impacted communities.