House Bill 2256 and House Bill 2637 would drastically increase minimum prison terms in our state, keeping people behind bars for significantly longer. Research shows that this will increase costs with no reduction in crime. Please use this form to urge the members of the Missouri House Judiciary Committee to vote no on expanding prison sentences.Read More

House Bill 1616 establishes an oversight body for Missouri prisons that is independent, responsible to incarcerated people and their families, and fully staffed and funded. This bill will be heard in the House Corrections and Public Institutions Committee next week, and our legislators need to hear that Missourians want accountability and transparency for the Department...Read More

A sample of programs from Empower’s annual conference throughout the years. This week is a big one for Empower Missouri: the start of another legislative session and the start of our 125th Anniversary year. From our origins as a conference of 41 people in January of 1901 (the Missouri Conference on Charities and Corrections), through...Read More

On Thursday, July 3rd, the House of Representatives passed the reconciliation bill with a 218-214 vote. President Donald Trump is expected to sign the bill into law tomorrow, July 4th. Empower Missouri condemns the passage of this bill, which will threaten healthcare coverage and food assistance for thousands of Missourians, all while providing huge tax...Read More

Position Title: Community Representative Position Summary: The Missouri Rural Food Access Partnership (MRFAP) seeks passionate and engaged community members to serve as Community Representatives on our advisory board.This role offers a meaningful opportunity to advocate for improved nutrition security inrural Missouri, share local perspectives, and help shape initiatives that strengthen thestate’s food systems.Our goal is...Read More

Empower Missouri is seeking dedicated leaders who are deeply committed to our work to change laws and policies that perpetuate cycles of poverty. Applications are now open for our 2025-2026 Board of Directors. Board meetings are mostly held virtually, with occasional in-person events, so this opportunity is a good fit for someone located anywhere in...Read More

The U.S. House Agriculture Committee has proposed a $300 billion cut to SNAP, nearly 30% of the federal funding for the nation’s largest anti-hunger program and the largest cut in the 85-year history of the program. One out of ten Missourians use SNAP benefits to put meals on their table. These cuts to SNAP will...Read More

As an organization focused on ending poverty in our state, Empower Missouri is deeply aware of the individual costs of a criminal record. Limited housing, employment, and education options can leave a person with a lifetime struggling to overcome a past mistake, long after they have served their time. But in Missouri alone, there are...Read More