Blog

February 2, 2023

The current economic climate has left many individuals and families worried about their future. Inflation and the ongoing impacts of the COVID-19 crisis have made it difficult for a lot of people to afford basic necessities, and those struggling before are finding it even more challenging. United Way of Greater St. Louis provides education, training […]

January 13, 2023

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a force for good in the world at a time when our society was incredibly divided and polarized. Dr. King believed we ought to set aside our differences and judge people by the content of their character, and not the color of their skin. Many were opposed to this […]

October 12, 2022

United Way came into Dr. Glenn Miller’s life at a time when he needed help providing for his family so that he could focus on his goals. Fortunately, United Way has a strong safety net that gives thousands of people across the St. Louis region like him a chance to pursue success.   Growing up […]

July 19, 2022

In late June, United Way brought the community together through a hosted panel discussion on ways to address important issues throughout the St. Louis region.   This discussion focused on the need for our region to work together collaboratively to effectively drive impact and change in how our neighbors receive help and access resources to […]

When he looks back now, Nicholas realizes that his childhood was anything but “normal”. Like many kids, he enjoyed playing sports, especially basketball, being with his friends, and he loved speech and debate class. But, he had a single mom who was taking care of him and his five siblings and struggling to make ends […]

April 21, 2022

It was during the first phase of the COVID-19 crisis that Lakeezia realized she was struggling with her finances. Her credit card debt had piled up and she knew she needed help getting back on track. That’s when she was introduced to United Way’s Access-Savings-Support-Education-Training (ASSET) Program through our partner agency, Parents as Teachers.   […]

March 14, 2022

United Way of Greater St. Louis awarded 26 nonprofits who serve Missouri and Illinois residents with emergency response grants totaling $252,400. The funding was earmarked for United Way member and non-member agencies serving people in Jefferson, Warren, Lincoln, and Franklin Counties in Missouri and Calhoun, Jersey, Madison, and Randolph Counties in Illinois.   Funding through […]

March 10, 2022

Among some of the most pressing challenges facing the black community today are disparities in education, economic mobility, and healthcare. Identifying effective strategies to help address inequities in these areas is extremely important to our local community and the work underway across multiple sectors. We spoke with three local leaders, currently partnering with United Way, […]

March 9, 2022

This year marks United Way of Greater St. Louis’ 100-year anniversary, and empowering women and girls across the St. Louis region is an important part of our history. As we celebrate Women’s History Month, we’re taking a look at some of our partner organizations whose missions and programs are dedicated to helping women and young […]

February 8, 2022

United Way 2-1-1 is partnering with local tax coalitions to provide free tax preparation services to St. Louis-area families with a household income of $58,000 or less in 2021. Local residents can dial 2-1-1 or visit 211helps.org to find their nearest tax preparation site, learn how to make an appointment, or get more information. […]

October 6, 2021

People You’re Helping Here in Greater St. Louis   The St. Louis region is our home. We all want to be a part of a thriving community and your support plays a big part in Helping Here. Your support of United Way helps 1 in 3 people across 324 ZIP codes. That’s 1 million people […]

April 15, 2021

  How United Way invests in the St. Louis region’s financial stability   Rose’s* journey toward financial empowerment started when her family was at a crossroads.   Their landlord asked her family to move so that the landlord could move back into the house. Rose had a steady job cleaning houses, but she had no […]

January 27, 2021

  NEWS RELEASE Free Tax Preparation Available for Local Low-Income Households   ST. LOUIS (January 26, 2021) — United Way 2-1-1 is partnering with local tax coalitions to provide free tax preparation services to St. Louis-area families with a household income of $57,000 or less in 2020. Local residents can dial 2-1-1 or visit 211helps.org […]

January 19, 2021

    Paving the path to stability – together   For young adults, a career in a high-demand industry can pave the road to financial stability. But those facing barriers such as poverty, instability at home or lack of access to critical resources experience additional challenges in a new job.   United Way safety net […]

July 24, 2020

    Helping build bright futures   Since the start of the COVID-19 crisis, communities across the country have experienced widespread job loss, with the unemployment rates in Missouri and Illinois jumping to 10.1% and 15.2%, respectively. For families who were already struggling to meet their basic needs, a sudden loss of income can add to their challenges.   […]

June 5, 2020

  Economic Impact Payments are being sent to millions of Americans to help during this economic and health crisis. Over 2 million people in Missouri and 4.8 million in Illinois will receive an Economic Impact Payment.   But you may be wondering: what should you do when you get your payment? The answer will be […]

March 27, 2020

    A note to you A note to you from Michelle D. Tucker, our president and CEO   Dear Greater St. Louis region,   When 2020 began, I, like many of you, was full of hope and excitement for the future of our region. While I continue to be full of hope and optimism, […]

March 6, 2020

    How United Way is breaking the cycle of poverty through tax refunds     For many people, filing income taxes can feel like an intimidating task. But low-income families and individuals face unique risks during tax time.   Many low- and middle-income working families qualify for tax credits, which can off-set taxes and […]

December 5, 2019

  7 Best Moments from 2019   It’s been another incredible year helping our community through United Way!   With 2019 coming to a close, we rounded up some of our favorite memories and biggest impacts.     171,155 United Way 2-1-1 calls Answered Our 2-1-1 call specialists answered 171,155 calls for a total of […]

November 19, 2019

Our region’s thriving small business scene is one of the things that makes our community great. But what you may not realize is it’s even more diverse than you think.   According to the St. Louis Mosaic Project, immigrants in our region are 60% more likely to start new businesses than native-born Americans, with a […]

July 10, 2019

  A Reason to Fight     Four-year-old Mila wants to be a doctor when she grows up, so it’s no surprise that’s her favorite thing to play with her mom, Maya.   “Mommy, let me take your temperature,” Mila says as she pulls out her toy thermometer and puts it in her mom’s mouth. […]

April 12, 2019

There were some months when Maria and Daryl barely had enough to pay the rent on the quadruplex where they lived with their three children.   Both worked hard to provide for their family yet never seemed to be able to make ends meet. Living paycheck to paycheck with no savings to fall back on, […]

December 17, 2018

This summer was no vacation for Brandon. In fact, it was a whirlwind.   In just ten weeks, the Missouri State University junior had the opportunity to shadow physical, occupational, respiratory and speech therapists, physician assistants, a radiologist, a cardiologist and a few surgeons at SSM Health De Paul Hospital. He’s learned to apply ice […]

December 6, 2018

In the St. Louis metropolitan area, 489,817 households struggle to have adequate income to meet basic living expenses like housing, food, transportation, health care, child care, taxes and miscellaneous expenses.   This number includes Jerri*, a single mom with two kids in St. Clair County, Illinois, who works full time but still does not make […]

November 6, 2018

Deric Mills, 52, had the drive to build his dream career in construction — he just needed the right tools. He’d lived out of state for several years, and when he moved back to St. Louis, he couldn’t afford a car to get to training and work sites.   Deric’s situation is not uncommon, especially for […]