Jefferson Franklin Community Action Corporation is proud to support East-West Gateway’s efforts to build a regional Greenhouse Gas Reduction Plan that reflects the voices of all our communities—including yours! This is your opportunity to share what matters most when it comes to clean air, affordable energy, and sustainable solutions.

Please read the message below from East-West Gateway and take a few minutes to complete their community survey. Every 10th respondent wins a $10 gift card!

Help Shape Our Region’s Greenhouse Gas Reduction Plan! 

We’re excited to share progress on the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Plan, a community-driven strategy to reduce pollution, improve public health, and save money on energy across the region.

This plan will reflect input from residents, community leaders, and technical experts and will outline a path toward a healthier and more sustainable future. Your voice matters, and we want to hear from you!

This Plan Aims To:

• Improve air quality and reduce pollution-related illnesses
• Cut household and municipal energy costs
• Promote energy efficiency in homes and businesses

How to Get Involved Take Our Survey for a Chance to Win $10!

The survey takes about 10 minutes and is anonymous unless you choose to share your contact information. Every 10th respondent wins a $10 Visa gift card! The survey will close on Memorial Day, May 26th. 

Take the Survey Now → https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/EWG-WG

​What We’ve Heard So Far:

• People care deeply about clean air, reliable transportation, and affordable energy.
• Many residents are willing to take action but need resources, guidance, and motivation.
• Equity and accessibility must be at the center of our solutions.

Celebrate Together in Mid-June! Join us for a public open house to get feedback on the draft Greenhouse Gas Reduction Plan and kick off implementation! This family-friendly event will include dinner, door prizes, and energy-saving resources. (More details to come!)

Together, we can create a healthier, more resilient future for the St. Louis region.

Learn more: https://www.ewgateway.org/community-planning/sustainability-planning/pollution-reduction/

Helping Our Neighbors Recover After the March 14 Tornadoes
On March 14, 2025, powerful storms and tornadoes swept through Franklin and Jefferson Counties, leaving behind a path of destruction. Homes were damaged, families displaced, and thousands lost access to essential services like electricity and safe housing.

At Jefferson Franklin Community Action Corporation (JFCAC), we believe that recovery starts with community — and we are here to help.

The Impact on Our Community
The storms caused widespread damage across both counties:

• In Franklin County, over 13,000 households experienced power outages, with homes and barns significantly damaged in Villa Ridge, and Union.
• In Jefferson County, more than 17,000 homes lost power, and tornadoes damaged over 400 structures in areas like Arnold, Kimmswick, Imperial, and Barnhart.
• Hillsboro, Cedar Hill, and surrounding communities also reported dozens of homes impacted.

The devastation was so severe that Missouri officials requested federal disaster assessments — a clear sign of how urgently our communities need support.

How JFCAC Is Helping
Thanks to a $50,000 Disaster Relief Grant from the Missouri Housing Development Commission (MHDC), JFCAC's Community Services team is providing housing assistance to those impacted by the storms.

Our Housing Assistance Program can help eligible households with:

• Security deposits and application fees for new housing
• Up to six months of rental or mortgage assistance
• Payment of rental, mortgage, and utility arrears (including late fees and court costs)
• Utility deposits for gas, electric, water, and sewage services

In addition to financial assistance, our case managers will provide personalized support to help families stabilize their housing situation and connect to other vital resources like transportation, mental health services, and food assistance.

Our Mobile Outreach Office will also bring services directly to hard-hit neighborhoods, making it easier for impacted residents to get the help they need.

How to Get Help
If you or someone you know was impacted by the March 14 storms and needs housing assistance, please contact us:

📞 Call: 636-789-2686 Option 4
🌐 Visit: www.jfcac.org
🏢 Office Locations: #2 Merchant Drive, Hillsboro, MO, 63050
​
Our case management team is ready to meet with you, assess your needs, and help you navigate the recovery process.

Dear Community Members,

Due to the threat of severe weather, we made the decision to postpone the Poverty Simulation event for the safety of our participants, volunteers, and staff is our top priority.

We are pleased to announce that the event has been rescheduled for Tuesday, May 7, with the same time (1:00 PM–4:00 PM) and location (Jefferson College Fieldhouse Gym).

We hope you'll join us on the new date. Please register here:https://www.zeffy.com/ticketing/rescheduled-poverty-simulation

If you would like to volunteer for this event. Please sign up here: https://www.jfcac.org/volunteer.html

Thank you for your understanding and continued support!

In January and February, the Greenheart Community Program, in partnership with Franklin County MU Extension, hosted a Family Cooking Class at our St. Clair location. Despite some challenges with the weather impacting our schedule, three dedicated families joined us for this hands-on experience, gaining valuable skills in the kitchen and learning how to prepare nutritious, budget-friendly meals together.

Each week, families participated in interactive cooking demonstrations, physical activities, and food tastings designed to encourage healthy habits. Parents and children worked side by side to create meals they could easily recreate at home, reinforcing the importance of nutritious food and family mealtime. Some of the favorite recipes from the class included fruit pizza and fresh salsa, which were both big hits with kids and parents alike!

Beyond cooking delicious meals, families also gained valuable kitchen skills through educational lessons on hand washing, knife safety, and measuring both liquid and dry ingredients. These lessons helped build confidence and independence in the kitchen, ensuring that cooking remains a fun and safe activity for the whole family.

To support families beyond the class, participants received free goodies, recipes, and resources to continue their cooking journey at home. Now, they are equipped to make cooking a regular family activity, strengthening bonds while making healthier food choices.

While the class has come to an end, the impact of these lessons will continue in the homes of those who participated. We hope to bring more nutrition education opportunities to our community in the future!
Thank you to MU Extension, our wonderful participants, and everyone who helped make this program possible. Stay tuned for more upcoming events and workshops!

Franklin County - MU Extension: https://extension.missouri.edu/counties/franklin
JFCAC Greenheart Community Program: https://www.jfcac.org/greenheart.html

​What does it really feel like to live in poverty? To struggle with paying rent, keeping food on the table, or making impossible choices between healthcare and childcare? While statistics can tell us the numbers, true understanding often comes from experience. That’s why we invite you to participate in the Poverty Simulation at Jefferson College on April 2, 2025—an event designed to give you a glimpse into the everyday struggles of those living with financial insecurity.

What Is a Poverty Simulation? 

A poverty simulation is more than just an event—it’s a powerful, immersive experience that helps participants step into the shoes of families facing poverty. Each person is assigned a unique role within a low-income household, with limited resources and increasing demands. Over the course of the simulation, participants must navigate everyday tasks such as paying bills, providing for their families, accessing transportation, and seeking assistance—all while facing the obstacles and stress that real families encounter daily.

Why Participate? 

Many of us want to help those in need but may not fully grasp the depth of challenges they face. This simulation offers:
Awareness & Empathy – Gain insight into the frustrations and barriers faced by individuals and families struggling with poverty.
Understanding of Community Needs – Learn about the difficulties in accessing social services, transportation, employment, and childcare.
A Call to Action – Use this experience to drive meaningful change in your community, workplace, or organization.

What to Expect

During the simulation, you will take on a new identity—perhaps a single parent working multiple jobs, a senior citizen on a fixed income, or a child trying to stay in school despite unstable housing. You’ll need to budget, find transportation, deal with unexpected emergencies, and interact with local agencies, all within a limited timeframe that mirrors the pressures of real life.
Expect to feel frustration. Expect to feel stress. But most importantly, expect to walk away with a deeper understanding of how poverty impacts families and what can be done to make a difference.

Join Us for This Eye-Opening Event

📅 Date: April 2, 2025
🕐 Time: 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM
📍   Location: Jefferson College, 1000 Viking Way, Hillsboro, MO 63050

​Registration is required, and space is limited. Secure your spot today. 
To register for this event, please click HERE. 

$300,000 to Strengthen Community Services, Behavioral Health, and Transportation

Jefferson County residents facing financial challenges will benefit from a two-year, $300,000 grant awarded by the Jefferson County Community Mental Health Fund Board. This funding, administered by Jefferson Franklin Community Action Corporation (JFCAC), will expand programs that improve community services, behavioral health access, and transportation for those in need.

• Community Services - $10,000 will help fund crisis prevention programs for low-income residents, supporting access to necessities like housing and telehealth services. 

• Behavioral Health - $100,000 will enhance mental health resources, providing increased accessed to counseling, crisis intervention, and support services. 

• EZMO Transportation - $190,000 will strengthen transportation services for low-income residents without reliable transportation to access basic needs such as medical, employment, education, and food.  

This grant will create meaningful change by helping families and individuals live healthier, more independent lives. Over the next two years, these funds will expand access to resources that help Jefferson County residents thrive.

For more information about these programs, how to qualify, or to get connected, please use the contact details below:
• Community Services: Call: 636-789-2686, option 4, [email protected]
• Behavioral Health: Call: 636-789-2686, option 7, Complete an inquiry form: jfcac.org/behavioralhealth
• EZMO Transportation: Call: 877-743-3966

For general program details, visit www.jfcac.org

December 5TH, 2023 AT 10:00 AM CST

NOTICES IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT:
Jefferson Franklin Community Action Corporation will conduct the regular board of Directors Meeting on Tuesday, December 5th, 2023 at 10 AM. Please refer to our website for additional information – www.jfcac.org.

​REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NEWS MEDIA MAY OBTAIN COPIES OF THIS NOTICE BY CONTACTING:
Name: Caitlin Korte
Address: P.O. Box 920, Hillsboro, MO  63050
​Phone: (636) 789-2686

​FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
 
Jefferson Franklin Community Action Corporation (JFCAC) announces continued WIC contract

Hillsboro, MO – Jefferson Franklin Community Action Corporation announces a contract continuance to provide WIC services for federal fiscal year 2024 has been signed with the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.

Women, Infants and Children (WIC) is a special supplemental nutrition program providing services to pregnant women, new mothers, infants and children up to their 5th birthday based on nutritional risk and income eligibility. The primary services provided are healthy, supplemental food, risk assessment, nutrition education and counseling, breastfeeding promotion and support, health screening and referrals to health care. To be eligible for WIC, applicants must have an income of less than or equal to 185% of the poverty level and be at nutritional risk. Migrant families are also eligible.

WIC supplemental food packages are specially chosen to provide foods high in protein, iron, calcium, and vitamins A and C. Eligible women and children receive fortified milk and cheese, eggs, whole grain bread products, hot or cold cereals, 100% fruit juices, and fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables. The WIC program recommends breastfeeding, provides breastfeeding support, baby foods, and infant cereal. For women who cannot or choose not to breastfeed, infants may receive supplemental, iron fortified formula. WIC participants obtain their foods by using their eWIC cards for specific items at participating local grocery stores and pharmacies.

Studies confirm that pregnant women who enroll in WIC during the early months of pregnancy have fewer low birth weight babies, experience fewer infant deaths, see the doctor earlier in pregnancy and eat healthier.
WIC is administered in Jefferson County by Jefferson Franklin Community Action Corporation (JFCAC). Persons interested in applying or who are in need of more information should contact JFCAC at 636-789-2686 Option 5. WIC clinics are offered at 105 Municipal Drive Hillsboro, MO. 63050 on Mondays and Thursdays and at 1818 Lonedell Road Arnold, MO. 63050 on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.  The Hillsboro location is open from 8 am to 5:30 pm on Mondays and Thursdays and the Arnold location is open from 8 am to 5:30 on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Both locations close from noon to one for lunch.  JFCAC WIC clinics are closed on Fridays and State holidays.

In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.

Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339.

To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/USDA-OASCR%20P-Complaint-Form-0508-0002-508-11-28-17Fax2Mail.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:

mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
1400 Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or
fax: (833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or
email: [email protected]

This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

To view the current Missouri WIC Income Guidelines, click here.