09/15/25

RBC Grantee Spotlight: Lafayette Preparatory Academy

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Lafayette Preparatory Academy (LPA) is using its $5,000 Reinvention by Community (RBC) grant to expand the reach of its Family Support Program, a cornerstone initiative that removes non-academic barriers for students and families. From school supplies and transportation to food assistance and extracurricular support, the program ensures that children can thrive in school despite the challenges of housing instability, financial hardship, or natural disasters like the May 2025 tornado that devastated parts of St. Louis City and County. LPA’s efforts reflect a broader truth: when schools support the whole child, they strengthen entire communities.

Supporting Families, Strengthening Community

The Family Support Program at LPA provides responsive, needs-based assistance to families facing financial, medical, or personal hardship. Support may include food cards, gas or utility assistance, scholarships for extracurriculars, household items, medical needs, and other individualized help, such as rent or bereavement support. The goal of the program is to remove non-academic barriers to student success by ensuring families have access to essential resources in times of need.

“Our family support program came from one of our staff members realizing that there was a gap between parents and the school,” explained Deidra Arms, Director of Development and Communications. “Now she is the liaison making sure that we have a personable person that parents can go to in a time of need, to check in, or honestly, just to have a relationship with.”

That connection has allowed LPA to meet families where they are, providing responsive, individualized help, whether it’s rent support, groceries, or uniforms. For example, when the tornado forced many families from their homes, LPA family support staff was able to step in quickly.

Some of our families have changed their living situations because of the tornado, so we just want to make sure our kids are set up for success.

Deidra Arms, Director of Development and Communications

For LPA, this work is about more than responding to emergencies; it’s about creating a consistent environment where students can succeed. The Family Support Program ensures that no child is prevented from learning, participating, or thriving because of unmet needs. “I think the biggest thing is making sure we are a community-based school, and that’s how we serve our community, is by making sure the kids are ready to go,” Arms emphasized. “We care about them as individuals, not just to educate them.”

Parents have noticed the difference. As Arms recalled, one parent told her, “It just feels like you all are well-rounded. You know, we’re serving the whole kid.” That philosophy is central to LPA’s approach: supporting families so that students can focus on learning, growth, and belonging.

How You Can Help

This grant is part of The Opportunity Trust’s Reinvention by Community initiative, which empowers the community to choose where and how funding is allocated. Now in its fifth cycle, RBC has invested nearly $300,000 in addressing urgent challenges in and beyond schools. Lafayette Preparatory Academy is one of six grantees in the 2025 cycle focused on housing insecurity—a need made even more acute by the May 2025 tornado’s aftermath.

By supporting LPA’s Family Support Program — whether through donations, partnerships, or advocacy — the community can ensure that every child has the everyday support they need to thrive, no matter their circumstances. Visit lafayetteprep.org to learn more about how you can help.

Follow The Opportunity Trust on LinkedIn for more updates on the 2025 Reinvention by Community grantees.

Read more about Reinvention by Community

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