We’re thrilled to announce that Ameren is pledging $1 million to support Beyond Housing’s Once and for All, an effort to invest in the St. Louis region’s most under-resourced communities to move all of St. Louis forward.
A longtime partner of Beyond Housing, Ameren’s increased commitment is born from both organizations’ belief that investing in the region’s most under-resourced communities is the key to addressing the area’s longstanding challenges—from school accreditation challenges to troubling crime rates, slow economic growth and steady decline in prosperity and national prominence.
“Addressing the high concentrations of poverty in our under-resourced communities is the most direct path to improving the well-being and success of the entire region,” says Gwen Mizell, vice president and chief sustainability, diversity & philanthropy officer for Ameren. “Doing that effectively requires us all to think more strategically. We are focusing our philanthropic resources on organizations that are creating real movement at scale where our customers need it most.”
Ameren is working to support communities, aligning philanthropy more strategically toward successful endeavors that focus on inclusive economic empowerment, building thriving communities and helping solve for critical human needs. The Once and for All initiative drives inclusive economic growth in a historically under-represented community that shows great promise for continued development.
To continue momentum in the footprint, Ameren also provided a $150,000 donation toward restoring one of the oldest golf courses west of the Mississippi, Normandie Golf Club, which had fallen into disrepair. The course will be redesigned by Jack Nicklaus’ Nicklaus Design Group—transforming an aged, neglected community facility into a premiere golf destination that will be a source of pride, draw tourism and an influx of associated dollars to the community.
Mizell cited Beyond Housing’s track record of results and comprehensive model as key reasons for Ameren’s commitment. “Their model provides a real solution because it addresses every piece of the puzzle needed to transform lives and communities.”
Once and for All leverages Beyond Housing’s comprehensive, holistic model for creating real change and more than $175 million has already been raised and invested. The organization’s work within the Normandy school’s footprint in North St. Louis County—which has the highest concentration of poverty on the Missouri side of the metro region—is one of the most comprehensive transformation efforts in the U.S.
“If we want to achieve a different result, it’s time for a new approach,” says Beyond Housing CEO Chris Krehmeyer. “We’re looking for other leaders like Ameren to join us in creating a lasting legacy of change for our region.”
The Ameren Corporation Charitable Trust was established in 1944 to serve as a principal source of the company’s philanthropic investments in community projects and programs. Allocations from the Trust come entirely from corporate earnings and are not charged to customers as a business expense.
