Parents as Teachers National Center will host an open house and dedication ceremony for the new Show Me Strong Families Christopher “Kit” Bond Center on Friday, Nov. 7, 2025, at 1905 S. Grand Blvd. in St. Louis, Missouri.
Sen. Christopher “Kit” Bond’s visionary leadership transformed Parents as Teachers from a Missouri innovation into a global model that now serves more than 188,000 families annually. The new center honors his legacy while creating a space that serves St. Louis families.
The Bond Center will serve as a dedicated, trauma-informed facility for early childhood and family support. The project marks a pivotal step in addressing the needs of families across St. Louis City and County by providing newly expanded space for enhanced family engagement and programming. Show Me Strong Families is the only Parents as Teachers affiliate in St. Louis City implementing the full evidence-based model designed to achieve seven research and data-proven outcomes for families.
Show Me Strong Families serves more than 350 families each year, 88 percent of whom face multiple life stressors such as housing instability, unemployment, and food insecurity. The Bond Center will serve as a model for innovation and resilience, offering prenatal and maternal health programming such as doula care, infant massage, and breastfeeding support; group connections and parenting education; developmental screenings; and referrals to local resources for housing, health, and early intervention.
“This dedication honors Senator Christopher ‘Kit’ Bond’s vision and renews our own: a St. Louis where every child grows up healthy, safe, and learning.” Said Constance Gully, President and CEO of Parents as Teachers National Center. “The Bond Center is a permanent, welcoming home for families that reflect the dignity and strength of our community and expands our ability to meet families early, consistently, and with the culturally responsive support they deserve.”
The dedication leads into Parents as Teachers Day, celebrated globally to honor families and home visitors, while recognizing the legacy of Mildred M. Winter, the educator who founded Parents as Teachers in 1984. This national event, observed on Saturday, Nov. 8, emphasizes the collaboration among parents, caregivers, home visitors, and advocates to ensure that every child has the best possible start in life. Additional contributions will support the evolution of space, which will feature Mildred’s Closet, a resource room for diapers, food, and clothing, as well as a family kitchen, outdoor play area, and a toy lending library.
The dedication ceremony will be held at noon, following an open house beginning at 10 a.m. The event will feature brief remarks from Gully, local and national early childhood advocates, community leaders, families, and supporters.
Members of the media who wish to attend should contact Jen Peters at peters@collaborativecommunications.com.
About Parents as Teachers National Center
Parents as Teachers builds strong communities, thriving families, and children who are healthy, safe, and learning. The organization matches parents and caregivers with trained professionals who make regular personal home visits during a child’s earliest years, from pregnancy through kindergarten. The internationally recognized, evidence-based home visiting model is backed by more than 40 years of research-proven outcomes for children and families. Parents as Teachers currently serves over 188,000 families annually in all 50 U.S. states, 138 Tribal organizations, and six other countries. The national center is headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri