About Welcome Wellness
Welcome Wellness was proud to serve our community as an inclusive, knowledgeable, respectful and collaborative health and resource center. No matter what a participant’s goals, needs or wishes were, we walked by their side every step of the way to help them live a healthy, fulfilled life.
Founded in 2011 and launching direct community services in 2012, Welcome Wellness served as a trusted bridge between health systems and the Cass County community for more than twelve years, reaching over 10,000 residents.
Through evidence-based wellness programs, chronic disease self-management, digital literacy initiatives, vision care, and community health access services, Welcome Wellness improved health outcomes, fostered digital inclusion, and strengthened community trust.
Even though Welcome Wellness has concluded program operations, we continue to participate in research initiatives through PCORI and collaborative partners. The insights gained from our work contribute to advancing community-participatory research and benefiting the communities we serve.
Core Components
Health Education and Coaching
Evidence-based self-management programs in diabetes, chronic pain, and general wellness built participant knowledge, skills, and confidence.
Community Health Access
Preventive screenings, A1C testing, eye exams, and follow-up care coordination delivered through Community Health Workers (CHWs) and partner organizations.
Digital Inclusion
Tech Tutors and Tech Café programs provided older adults with digital literacy skills through individualized support and intergenerational mentoring.
Youth Engagement
Teen Tech Tutors programming fostered leadership, empathy, and service learning while strengthening intergenerational connections.
Our Journey
2011 - 2016
Foundational Development
During its early years, the program established a foundation for accessible wellness education through partnerships with local clinics, schools, and community organizations. While alignment with the Blue Zones Project was explored, the estimated $25 million, five-year investment required exceeded local sustainability capacity. Leadership instead chose to develop a locally tailored “micro well-being environment” focused on practical, measurable impact grounded in community priorities.
2017- 2019
Program Expansion and Cultural Responsiveness
The program rebranded as Healthe Communities, transitioning from the St. Sabina Wellness Center identity. Chronic disease programming expanded, and bilingual health education was introduced, including Head to Toe, a 17-week Spanish-language healthy living program designed to support behavior change through education, physical activity, and practical wellness strategies.
2020 - 2021
Coaching Model and Pandemic Adaptation
A health coaching model was implemented, emphasizing participant-defined goals and progress tracking. Risk stratification approaches were introduced to guide referrals and program intensity. During the COVID-19 pandemic, services pivoted to virtual delivery to maintain engagement. In response to urgent technology access needs, the Cyber Seniors program was launched to support participants in navigating digital tools essential for healthcare, communication, and daily living.
2022
Organizational Transition and Evidence Generation
Following the planned sunset of the Oracle Health Foundation’s Healthe Communities initiative, Welcome Wellness was established as an independent 501(c)(3) to preserve program continuity, partnerships, and community trust. During this period, Disfrutando la Vida con Diabetes, a culturally tailored Spanish-language diabetes self-management program, demonstrated statistically meaningful improvements in glycemic control, with 66% of participants achieving sustained reductions in A1C.
Technology programming expanded with the launch of Tech Tutors and Tech Café, incorporating intergenerational mentoring from teen volunteers. Evaluation findings strengthened the organization’s evidence base and informed ongoing program refinement.
2023 - 2024
Integrated Services and Scaling Impact
Welcome Wellness expanded health screenings and wraparound supports, including Vision Care for Kids, Street Nursing, and AccessKC medical and dental vouchers. Findings from Disfrutando la Vida con Diabetes were published in the Journal of Community Health Nursing, contributing to national evidence on community-based chronic disease interventions. Based on evaluation results, Cyber Seniors was refined and formalized into the Tech Tutors model, now a core component of the Tech Café approach.
2025
Program Evolution and Planned Organizational Sunset
Welcome Wellness continued advancing its work alongside ongoing community-based research, including activity supported by a Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) grant award.
During this period, a previously awarded $498,000 federally funded Missouri Opportunity Grant was rescinded, with insufficient time provided to reorganize or restructure operations. Following careful review, leadership made the decision to sunset the organization with intention, transparency, and fiscal responsibility.
Through Q3 and Q4, Welcome Wellness focused on maximizing impact during its final operational months, expanding reach where possible and ensuring continuity of services for participants already engaged. This approach allowed the organization to conclude operations with integrity while delivering on its commitments and preserving program models and partnerships for future adaptation.