Community Partnership of Southeast Missouri

Community Partnership of Southeast Missouri (CPSEMO) is a regional nonprofit serving a 14-county rural service area in Southeast Missouri. Its stated purpose is to maximise available resources and develop programmes through collaborative, informed decision-making in order to improve the lives of individuals, children, and families while strengthening neighbourhoods and communities.

The organisation runs a portfolio of nine named programmes spanning affordable housing, homelessness, youth services, food assistance and workforce development. Housing provision includes Liberty Apartments, which offers apartment housing in the region, and Lindenwood Senior Apartments, which provides senior apartment housing. A Youth Homelessness Demonstration Project addresses prevention of and response to youth homelessness, while Red Star Food Pantry supplies food to individuals and families in need.

Workforce and community programmes include YouthBuild, which combines education, job training and community service for young people; EDGE and SEMO RISE, both of which connect participants with employment and workforce resources; and AmeriCorps VISTA, a national service programme focused on building capacity to fight poverty in the region. The NeighborHUB serves as a point of connection, linking participants with housing, employment, education and other essential resources. Other areas of activity include disaster relief and home repair.

CPSEMO works in partnership with government agencies, employers, training providers, nonprofits and community organisations, with an emphasis on listening to community needs. Its stated vision is of a unified community in which everyone thrives. Further information is available at cpsemo.org.