The importance of the Ford school purchase.

The acquiring and development of the Ford school is the foundational key to B.R.A.C.E.’s next phase of success. The school presents on unification of the various components of B.R.A.C.E.- pre-school/after school programs, residential housing, recidivism mitigation; all in a cohesive logistic solution. B.R.A.C.E.’s mission is binary – prevent at risk youth from entering the Criminal Justice system; by offering immersing early education stressing math and language skills and providing breakfast/ lunch. Afterschool latchkey for K-12’s, featuring homework support and grade level focus on Science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). And as important, an emphasis on the at risk parents! Pre- and post natal support, nutrition guidance, obesity deterrence. Life skills and work and housing support not meant with the pre K-12 preschool and after school programs.

The second focus of B.R.A.C.E.’s mission, equally important, is reducing recidivism.

B.R.A.C.E. continues to expand its prison outreach. Developing systems that foreshadow the communities that inmates will return to. In the works are programs to introduce 3-d printing, basic robotics and coding. Post-release there is housing, jobs and a five year Transitional Community adjustment program integral into the Federal government’s Second Chance Act. Encompassing all of the above is the Ford Complex. A nearly 24 hour service center/site for North St.Louis; more important it represents a scalable paradigm for other regions hard hit by urban and rural malaise (Kansas City, the Jefferson City, Columbia corridor, the Bootheel, and the greater Springfield-Joplin area).