CoMo BLACK LEADERSHIP PROFILE: Granny's House founder Pamela Ingram

Pam IngramColumbia's Top Ten Black Leaders

 

COLUMBIA, 1/2/12 (Profile, Updated 2/19/26) -- The founder of Granny's House, an energetic mix of Christian educational programs for children with an apropos phone number -- 573-442-LOVE -- Pamela Ingram is a University of Missouri School of Journalism grad whose passion for the needs of children reflects the biblical adages of Jesus, who often referred to the innocence and humanity of the child as one of the Earth's greatest blessings. 

Born and raised in Kansas City, Missouri, Ingram lived in the T. B. Watkins public housing development for most of those years. With husband Ellis Ingram, M.D., a pathologist and long-time leader in medical education diversity at the University of Missouri, Pam Ingram embraces her young charges with a whole-person approach. She led Granny's House to a big arts win for the Columbia Arts League, for instance.

And through six programs for children of all ages at Granny's House, which is located in downtown Columbia a few blocks from Douglass Park, Ingram uses lived experience and role modeling as her primary learning tools.

She and Dr. Ingram started CALEB, a pre-medicine and science program for children "to gain interactive, hands-on experience and learn more about science, medicine, and healthcare," the program's website explains. 

Ingram's other programs at Granny House include God’s Precious Jewels, for 1st through 4th grade girls, exploring the Bible through scripture lessons, craft activities, and field trips. 

The Princess Academy for 5th, 6th and 7th grade girls who explore the meaning of honor, strength, dignity, purity and courage through field trips, guest speakers, and Bible studies. 
The Sons of the King for boys 10 years and older to learn what it means to be men of honor, integrity, responsibility, and strength, or in other words, to be authentic Christian men. 

Two other programs the Ingrams created help Granny's House students look toward a bright future.  

The Reel Stories Book Club goes from page to screen, with a party and the movie based on the book after weeks of reading the book.  

"In today’s tech-driven world, kids spend more time staring at screens than turning the pages of good books and, at Granny’s House, we want to change that! The #1 goal of the Reel Stories Book Club is to cause the kids to fall in love with books and reading," Ingram explains. 

The Leadership Academy helps Granny’s House kids create a road map for the future, teaching them about the character qualities that make great leaders, while hosting professionals who have careers that interest them. "Every guest speaker opens a new window of possibilities for Granny’s House kids," the website explains.

On a side note, The Princess Academy had its genesis in 2001, after a Granny's House volunteer overheard three girls (ages ten, eleven, and twelve) discussing what they believed to be the optimum age to have their first baby. “Thirteen!” was the age they all agreed on.

When encouraged to wait until they are older, more mature and have a husband, the girls responded, “Why would we want to do that…?” and cited several reasons why marriage before motherhood was not a viable option for them. Marriage, family, and childhood abstinence became the bases of The Princess Academy. 

Pam Ingram died in 2022 at age 70 of complications from cancer.