A fresh start after being released from prison and becoming a returning citizen should be an amazing feeling; however, that isn’t the case for many of Missouri’s formerly incarcerated individuals. The reality is that most formerly incarcerated individuals face a major barrier in finding housing and stability. This is an even more challenging experience due...Lee mas

Date: January 22, 2025 To: Rep. David Casteel, Chair, and members of the Commerce Committee From: Misha Smith, Affordable Housing Policy Manager, Empower Missouri Re: Our opposition to HB 595 and HB 343 Founded in 1901, Empower Missouri is the largest anti-poverty advocacy organization in the state. As part of our work, we convene a...Lee mas

On the Edge: A Single Mother’s Fight in the Housing Crisis Jessi has experienced both the highs and lows of housing, finding temporary stability only to have it stripped away by forces beyond her control. Born into housing instability, her mother lived in a tent while pregnant. A period of stability came when Jessi and...Lee mas

If you’re like me, you weren’t familiar with the term ‘preemption’ before the 2024 legislative session (or maybe you’re still not familiar with this concept). In legislative terms, preemption means that the state government can create laws that override laws and ordinances at the local level—basically, the opposite of local control. Mallory did a great...Lee mas

Below is a quick summary of key issues for Empower Missouri in the upcoming legislative session. If you would like to learn more, please register for our Legislative Preview Webinar on December 17th from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.  I am quickly approaching my first legislative session as Chief of Policy Staff with Empower Missouri,...Lee mas

A Voice for Justice: Kai’s Fight Against Discrimination and Housing Injustice Kai’s story is shaped by a childhood marked by poverty and later battles against racial discrimination. After the passing of her great-grandmother, she lived full-time with her mother in California before moving to Chicago. “Chicago is where I grew up,” she reflects. “I was...Lee mas

You hear from us often about the complexities of poverty and the need for a variety of policy solutions to address the housing crisis, food insecurity, access to justice, and the inaccessibility of adequate healthcare. Poverty and its effects are far-reaching and impact nearly every aspect of a person’s life, at every phase of life....Lee mas

This November, our Anti-Poverty Advocates Summit will feature Andrea Elliott, author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel Invisible Child, as one of our keynote speakers. Our staff has been reading (or re-reading) Invisible Child in preparation, and we are excited to delve deeper into the book and the implications of Dasani’s story. Today our Communications Manager,...Lee mas

As we recently shared, Empower Missouri has just begun a new phase in our growth, the start of our next strategic plan. Our team is especially excited about our plans to recommit and deeply invest in our work of supporting nonprofit organizations throughout the state in building their capacity to advocate for policy change that...Lee mas