The following is a recap of a presentation by Jeannine Midgett, Executive Director at Welcome Wellness Center, given to the Kansas City Coalition for Digital Inclusion on February 21st, 2025.
Welcome Wellness Health Education and Resource Center began as a CERNER Population Health Initiative in 2011. Located in Belton, Missouri, the center occupies 4,500 square feet of space in a church building, though it operates independently from the church. The program evolved from providing basic biometric health screenings to offering a comprehensive range of wraparound services, classes, and programs aimed at improving health literacy and helping people navigate healthcare systems.
When COVID-19 hit, Welcome Wellness quickly pivoted to virtual programming, transitioning their in-person services to online formats within 48 hours. This shift highlighted the significant digital divide affecting many of their participants who lacked either access to technology or the knowledge to use it effectively.
In 2023, CERNER concluded the program’s funding. Rather than shutting down, the small remaining team established Welcome Wellness as an independent nonprofit organization that continues to provide all services free of charge.
Health Programming
Welcome Wellness offers several evidence-based health literacy programs, including:
- “Disfrutando La Vida Con Diabetes”: A seven-week culturally appropriate program created by nurse practitioners to help Hispanic participants manage diabetes. The program includes meals, peer support, and weekly lessons on topics like wound care and vision health. Research shows 66% of participants lowered their A1C levels.
- Chronic disease self-management: in partnership with Mid-America Regional Council, Welcome Wellness offers a six-week class on managing chronic pain, diabetes, and balance issues.
- Fitness classes: The center provides space for individual workouts, group exercise classes, and activities like pickleball. This year, they’ve had 4,900 visits for fitness classes, with many participants attending multiple classes per week.
- Health Screenings: Welcome Wellness has screened 528 unique individuals through on-site and mobile health screenings at six locations throughout the Kansas City area. Their comprehensive health screenings include labs, vision screening, and nutritional guidance.
- Vision Services: In partnership with Access KC and a mobile provider, Welcome Wellness has hosted 11 vision clinics, providing 993 vision exams this year. As an issuing partner for Access KC, they can provide vouchers for eligible individuals to receive glasses, hearing services, dental care, and prescriptions. This year, 142 participants have received glasses through this program.
Welcome Wellness currently serves 685 active participants from 56 different zip codes. The median age of daytime class attendees is 64, while evening fitness participants tend to be younger. The center has taken their health screenings and health literacy classes mobile, extending their reach beyond Cass County to other areas including the historic Northeast.
Tech Tutors and Digital Inclusion
One of Welcome Wellness’s most innovative programs is Tech Tutors, inspired by the Canadian “Cyber Seniors” model. This program pairs high school students with older adults for one-on-one technology tutoring.
Working with Belton High School’s Academies program (funded by Ford Motor Company’s Real World Learning initiative), they select students interested in health, human services, or technology to serve as mentors. The six-week program has graduated 128 older adults through eight classes over four years.
Based on student feedback, they developed their own enhanced program called Tech Tutors, which includes lessons on cyber security, social media, and email. The program now includes three components:
- Tech Tutors: One-on-one mentoring between high schoolers and seniors
- Device Distribution: Providing Chromebooks to participants in need
- IT Support: Offering in-home technical assistance
Through Digital Inclusion Fund grants, Welcome Wellness has secured 15 Chromebooks for distribution to income-eligible participants. Recipients also receive 30 hours of in-home tech support to help with Wi-Fi connections, printer setup, and other technical needs.
They’ve also developed a structured learning framework with 101-level classes for beginners, intermediate classes for those wanting to create photo albums or read books online, and advanced classes for participants interested in Excel or website security.
Impact statistics show that 90% of Tech Tutors graduates report improved comfort with using their devices, while 80% report feeling less isolated and more connected to friends and family.
Welcome Wellness continues to evolve this program, recently hosting a graduation ceremony at Belton High School that was particularly meaningful for senior participants who had never experienced a formal graduation.