My Recent Tour of the Urban League's New St. Louis Headquarters

I recently had the opportunity to tour the Urban League's new St. Louis headquarters in North City. Their new headquarters was once home to Sears, Roebuck & Co., which by the 1960s, was one of the region's major department stores. It was an iconic beacon and great equalizer in many ways, providing residents in the active and dynamic neighborhoods of North St. Louis access to goods and services through the Sears catalog.

Today, the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis offers opportunity and hope at this same location, this time, of a more sustainable nature. From providing COVID vaccines, housing assistance and lifesaving PPE to offering neighborhood safety programs and food, the Urban League makes an investment in human beings, in families, in neighborhoods and in our St. Louis community.

One such investment is the Urban League's Save Our Sons program, which provides job training, career opportunities and ongoing skill building for African American and Black men in our community. During the pandemic alone, Save Our Sons has helped 300 men find local jobs and careers.

Michael McMillan, Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis President & CEO, shared with me the difference wrap-around services including skill building and job placement can make for men in this program. And with a professional look, the Save Our Sons program is helping to restore someone's dignity – another great equalizer.

Partnering for positive impact is about more than programs, it's about investing in people, and making a difference in their lives for the long term. Our relationship with the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis dates back more than 40 years, and I look forward to our continued partnership in service of making a difference for years to come.