Forward with Ashrei: Access, Dignity, and the Road Ahead

At Ashrei, everything we do begins with a simple truth: access changes lives.

When someone can obtain an ID, answer a hotline call in a moment of crisis, or receive support to rebuild after displacement, the trajectory of their future shifts. Ashrei exists to meet people at those pivotal moments, when a single barrier can determine whether stability is possible.

Founded on the belief that every person deserves dignity, justice, and the freedom to build a safe and joyful life, Ashrei works across systems to ensure access is not a privilege, but a right.

In 2025, together we strengthened access across Missouri through our Photo ID Clinic and statewide coalition work, expanded rapid response and emergency support for immigrant families facing detention and deportation, walked alongside a newly arrived refugee family as they rebuilt their lives, and supported LGBTQ+ youth through fiscal sponsorship. At our Annual Meeting, we will report on these core areas of work, share lessons learned, and reflect on the impact made possible by our community.

Looking Ahead: The Roadmap for 2026

Our 2026 Annual Meeting is both a reflection and an invitation.

Together, we will look honestly at the systems that continue to deny access and imagine what it means to move forward with intention, courage, and care. We will share Ashrei’s roadmap for 2026, including how we will deepen our core programs, respond to escalating harm, and strengthen statewide partnerships that make access durable and sustainable.

As we move into the new year, we invite you to continue Forward with Ashrei, toward a Missouri where identity never limits access to housing, education, healthcare, or economic stability.

We hope you’ll join us to reflect, reconnect, and help shape what comes next.