Creating Community and Empowering Change in Rural Missouri

Rural America is often celebrated for its tight-knit communities and rich traditions, yet many of these areas still grapple with profound challenges. Limited access to healthcare, dwindling economic opportunities, inadequate infrastructure, and educational disparities persist, creating a landscape of struggle for many residents. Among those facing these hurdles, the experiences of Black individuals in rural communities are particularly complex.

The intersection of Black identity and rural life brings challenges that are often missing from national discussions on racial and economic equity. Yet, Black rural leaders are pushing forward, building more just systems through resilience, self-determination, and strategic action. In this article, we highlight Shay Jefferson, President of the Family Resource Center of Cass County, Missouri, as she shares her lived experience and her continued perseverance to overcome obstacles and challenges that many marginalized populations face in rural areas.

Originally hailing from Chicago, Jefferson was accustomed to a diverse community with access to a variety of services such as food pantries, health clinics, housing programs, and city-wide transportation. However, after relocating to rural Missouri, she became keenly aware of the limited and sometimes nonexistent access to essential services and how much of a gap existed between urban and rural living.

Jefferson’s exposure to her rural community’s limited access to essential services underscores a critical issue that affects countless families. What was a simple request to assist a few friends in finding resources to support families in need quickly revealed a broader and more alarming reality.

The stark scarcity of family resources leaves many vulnerable individuals struggling to put food on the table, access affordable housing, maintain healthy habits, and access resources for children. This lack of services not only jeopardizes the health and well-being of these families but also exacerbates economic hardships. Moreover, the isolation of rural areas often means that families must travel long distances to seek care and other support, which can deter them from getting the help they need.

The emotional toll of worrying about essential family resources without adequate support compounds the challenges faced by rural residents, leaving entire communities at a disadvantage. What started as a small effort for Jefferson soon expanded, with more and more women and families reaching out to her for assistance.

While juggling a full-time job, Jefferson established the Family Resource Center of Missouri, an effort to address the needs of the community, which she realized stemmed from poverty, lack of access and resources. “When you’re poor in a rural community, it’s a completely different aspect… If you get sick, you might drive 30 minutes or more just to see a doctor. If you don’t have access to transportation, getting the care you need is nearly impossible,” said Jefferson.

The Family Resource Center provides solutions to address the needs of working/disabled individuals, families, and senior citizens facing hardships due to poverty, low income, homelessness, and food insecurity.  Demonstrating her organization’s value to a predominantly white rural population, securing funding, and partnerships proved to be challenging as Jefferson struck out to improve her community.

“We started in 2013, helping 15 mothers, then in 2015, 35 to 40, and in 2018, we were helping thousands of families, but finding the funding to support that immense growth came with its struggles. I definitely ran into some obstacles because of the color of my skin. Even to the point where I’ve been pulled aside to be told that it’s not just that I was Black, but that I was a woman, and I also happen to be Black. It’s difficult to get funding for Black organizations already, and it didn’t help that I was being judged based on the fact that I was a Black woman.”

Shay Jefferson, President and Founder

She did not let that deter her from pushing for the funding and support she needed to help the families in her community. Jefferson’s approach when it comes to her organization and herself is to keep moving forward regardless of the obstacles or opinions about her and the color of her skin. She continues to push forward to demonstrate that her organization can be trusted to do good for the community by improving the lives of fellow rural residents, even if it meant she would need to get a second job and fund it herself.

Jefferson believes strongly in what she calls the “Black tax,”. A reference to the emotional and financial burdens that many Black Americans face in comparison to their white peers. “I call it the Black tax, because we, as Black individuals, must work ten times harder just to be better and good enough to be seen and valued. One of the biggest struggles when you’re Black in a rural community is having to prove yourself, again and again, especially when you’re not originally from the community. My team and I are focused on building trust, being transparent, and proving that our intentions are good and for the betterment of the community, not just for the Black population but for everyone,” said Jefferson.

When navigating life as a Black woman who is consistently challenging the status quo of the health and well-being of families in the community, Jefferson stated that “It’s not always easy. I’ve faced racism, and I still do today, but that doesn’t stop me from continuing to push forward, if anything, overcoming the challenges and still stay standing is what makes us resilient.”

She believes strongly in holding herself to a higher standard, knowing that she, as a Black woman, has a responsibility to do what she can to pave the way for younger Black leaders to have an opportunity to be seen, heard, and respected. “I understand that many people in rural areas may not have previously interacted with a Black individual. Therefore, when they partner with me, I realize that my actions and the way I conduct business as a Black woman reflect on the wider Black community for my white constituents. Because of this, it’s essential for me to show up authentically, extend grace, and bridge gaps in understanding regarding Black culture and society whenever possible in hopes that the generations after me would have fewer racial challenges and obstacles to overcome.”

Today, the Family Resource Center of Missouri serves thousands of families across Cass and Jackson counties through their Bridge Over Troubled Water Food Pantry, Heart of Our Community, The Spot Cafe, senior outreach program, Baby Pantry, Survive the Night homeless outreach program, Resource One Health Connection, Mobile Assistance Vehicle, and teen programming.

The organization continues to grow and is currently working to provide a community-based women’s wellness clinic, focused on preventive care and treatment for diseases and conditions affecting women’s physical and emotional well-being.

“We wouldn’t be here today if we didn’t keep pushing forward regardless of the racial challenges and rural limitations. It’s also because we have foundations and organizations that value racial equity and access to care that we can continue providing these critical programs and services to the community.”

Shay Jefferson, President and Founder

When asked what she hopes others take away from this interview, Jefferson stated, “Show up. Show up in all the places and spaces where we, as Black people, are typically overlooked, under-supported, and misunderstood. Show up authentically as yourself, in the most unexpected places, and give people an opportunity to understand the perspectives and lived experiences of people of color.”

Jefferson strives to exemplify the resilience of Black leaders in rural communities, highlighting the vital need for equitable access to services and resources. She hopes that funding partners continue to advocate for racial equity in all aspects and find more creative ways to financially support programs to address the gaps that exist in rural areas.

 “While funding opportunities remain a significant necessity, we also need to enhance services such as affordable and accessible internet for telehealth, transportation services, affordable housing, and economic development. These improvements are essential for rural residents to secure employment and support their health and well-being,” said Jefferson.

By creating the Family Resource Center of Missouri, she seeks to address the immediate needs and challenges of systemic barriers that hinder the opportunity for all rural residents to live healthy and well-balanced lives. Jefferson’s dedication reflects a broader movement among Black rural leaders striving to cultivate change and empower their communities despite the odds.