ToRCH Be Well Leadership Board awards grants to two Pettis County organizations

The Transformation of Rural Community Health (ToRCH) Be Well Leadership Board recently awarded funding to Mercy Services United Coalition and DeFeet.org for projects that will improve health and well-being for residents in Pettis County.

The ToRCH program is sponsored by the Missouri MO HealthNet Division, which manages the state’s Medicaid program. ToRCH is a model of care that directs resources to rural communities committed to addressing health influencers such as safe housing, transportation and access to healthy foods that impact the overall health of eligible Medicaid recipients. Bothwell Regional Health Center is one of six statewide hospital community hubs leading a ToRCH program. 

Allison Brosch, ToRCH Be Well board chair and State Fair Community College Health Sciences dean, said granting funding requests allows the board to extend resources to community-based organizations for existing or new programs.

“These organizations are already set up to help people in our community in a variety of ways,” she said. “The grants are injections of support so they can continue and expand the great work they are already doing.” 

Mercy Services United Coalition (MSUC) received $49,500 to hire a part-time development director who will be responsible for developing a fundraising strategy to sustain the position and expand the organization’s services. The funding request includes salary, a computer, donor relations software and an advertising budget. 

MSUC oversees Mercy Services United, a centralized walk-in location where people and families in need can access a network of local social service agencies, as well as laundry and kitchen access, showers and mailing and communication services. Since opening in April 2025, the location has averaged 17 walk-ins per day and served more than 850 people. 

Bill Turner, MSUC past board president, said that needs continue to increase for many people and families who use services at Mercy Services United and that benefit programs are either being reduced or don’t meet the growing needs of many eligible households. 

“Hiring a part-time development director will open up opportunities for us to serve more people,” Turner said. “The person will devise strategies for securing individual private donations, plan special fundraising events, develop sponsorship levels and apply for relevant grants. All with the goal of sustaining the organization and hiring case managers who will help clients find and navigate services.” 

Founded in 2015, DeFeet.org is a Pettis County nonprofit dedicated to mental health education and suicide prevention. It received $25,000 to support its Mental Health Prescription Assistance program that currently provides people up to $50 a month for six months for their mental health medications.

“This grant award will allow us to increase the monthly amount of assistance from $50 to $100 and extend the number of months as needed,” said Robin Balke, DeFeet board president. “We will also have the capability to increase the amount over $100 on an as-needed basis at the recommendation of our community partners, significantly increasing the number of people we can help.”

Including these grants, the ToRCH Be Well Leadership Board has awarded more than $590,000 to 11 organizations since September 2024.

“In less than two years, we’ve put more than half a million dollars to work across Pettis County,” Brosch said. “That pace reflects the depth of need we have here and our community’s resolve to meet it.”

Community-based organizations interested in learning more about ToRCH grant funding can find information online at brhc.org/torch or email torch@brhc.org.