The 2020 General Election has come and gone, although the vote counting and legal actions over a variety of issues are apt to continue for…
Platinum Level Co-Sponsors: Registration for the Racial Equity Summit is free to all, thanks to a generous Platinum Level Co-Sponsorship from Maxine Clark and Bob…
The 2025 Missouri legislative session ended last week with some controversy and tension as the Senate invoked Previous Question, or “PQ”, to cut off debate.…
For the past several months, a growing coalition of tenant leaders, housing advocates, legal experts, and community leaders in Springfield has been working toward a…
Among Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs are the lowest and arguably most important necessities humans require to exist; physiological needs. These include basic essentials such as…
In 1996, Congress passed the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA), sometimes known as the welfare reform bill. Buried deep within that sweeping…
First coined by sociologist Ruth Glass in the 1960s, gentrification has been part of the lexicon for those working in both economics and the affordable…
Last week Empower Missouri was joined by almost 200 advocates, community members, and supporters for our Day of Action at the State Capitol. It was…
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…
In many ways, housing advocacy should be easy. Everyone needs housing to thrive, therefore it should be as easily attainable as possible. However in reality,…
It is the last week of Missouri’s legislative session, which brings a flurry of activity to Jefferson City, so our entire team is heading to…
The Affordable Housing Coalition is a multi-sector team of dedicated advocates who understand the importance of stable housing on health, community, safety, and more. We…
The Community Justice Coalition (CJC), is a multi-sector team of dedicated advocates who envision a future without mass incarceration. Through deep policy research, field work and…
At its core, Empower Missouri is an anti-poverty organization. You often hear about our priority issues areas; affordable housing, criminal legal system reform, and food…
The legislature is taking their annual Spring Break this week, which is widely considered to be “halftime” of the legislative session. We’ve spent the last…
As Joseph Llobera from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities stated in his report Child Support Cooperation Requirements in SNAP Are Unproven, Costly, and…
Submitted by: Traci Gleason | Vice President, External Relations at Missouri Budget Project Note: This morning (July 1st), the U.S. Senate passed the reconciliation bill,…
The Housing Crisis: A Community Issue Affordable housing is one of those phrases that is often seen as a problem for families earning low incomes;…
Empower Missouri is an organization with a storied history and deep roots in Missouri. Founded in 1901, we’ve been advocating for the people of this…
As our population ages, one issue that increasingly demands attention is food insecurity. Lacking consistent access to enough nutritious food for an active, healthy life,…
Governor Parson’s decision to end the $300 federal unemployment assistance on June 12th, 2021 is an affront to Missouri workers and could prove harmful to…
Imagine a food system that breaks down silos, fosters innovation and collaboration, and creates sustainable food access for all Missourians that is supported through a…
With the holidays quickly approaching, many turn their attention to the joys of sharing meals with those closest to them. Often, preparation for holiday meals…
Last week, I offered testimony against a pair of bills in the Missouri House and Senate aimed at reducing homelessness. I first celebrated with the…
Since the founding of America, our constitution has been an important guiding document for the country and each state. The Bill of Rights demonstrates a…
Homelessness and poverty are not crimes. However, in many communities across Missouri, it is treated like one. Police involvement in the form of ‘camp sweeps’…
Every year, bills are filed in Missouri that would increase prison sentences. Politicians' commitment to being perceived as tough on crime is evergreen, as popular…
Tonight, I’m catching a flight to Washington, D.C. to meet with staffers of Missouri’s congressional delegation and express Missourians’ opposition to the $300 billion in…
The governor has called a special session next week for the legislature to debate the largest income tax cut in Missouri’s history. The governor’s proposal…
On Wednesday, May 11th, Empower Missouri, Criminal Justice Ministry, the Jewish Community Relations Council of St. Louis, Metropolitan Congregations United, the Missouri Catholic Conference, Missouri…
The pandemic and its impact on our economy hit all of us hard, and illuminated the struggles low-wage workers face in ways that we had…
Since 1901, the pinnacle of Empower Missouri’s work each year has been its Annual Conference. In fact, for the first decade, that was the bulk…
On October 16th, the world recognized World Food Day. Starting in 1945, the United Nations outlined and recognized food as not a privilege, but as…
Empower Missouri started in 1901 as an annual conference focused on helping support Missourians who were living in poverty, and over 120 years later, the…
On November 12th and 13th Empower Missouri will host its annual Anti-Poverty Advocates Summit, bringing together advocates from across the state to explore the many ways…
It’s the third week of May, which means that you’re hearing crickets from hundreds of lobbyists and advocates across the state who are taking a…
As I look back in my life, one specific policy has impacted nearly every decision I’ve ever made: Healthcare. I was a single mom during…
The latest issue to face intense debate in the Missouri Senate is paid sick leave. HB 567, which would remove paid sick leave for workers,…
This past spring, as the school year was winding down, nonprofits across the country began working on plans to implement their summer feeding programs for…
Members of Empower Missouri’s Criminal Justice Coalition have been discussing Missouri’s use of private probation and the impact on our communities. Missouri is one of…
In part one of this series, we provided a brief introduction to the concept of private probation - the practice of outsourcing probation services for…
Over the last six weeks, we have described Missouri’s practice of outsourcing probation and supervision services to private businesses and introduced why it is a…
In less than five days, Missourians will head to the polls for what promises to be the most important election in decades. Five statewide executive…
Last Saturday, June 11th, Empower Missouri supporters, coalition members, staff and other guests gathered at the Piper Palm House in St. Louis to honor our…
In 2018, I read Peter Temin’s book The Vanishing Middle Class. He got a lot of press coverage when the book was released, in large…
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is the nation’s largest anti-hunger program and helps millions of people who are at risk for food insecurity every…
For the hundreds of thousands of Missourians struggling to afford the basics — such as food, shelter, and medicine — cash income is vital to…
We knew going into the legislative session that it would be a wild year. Unfortunately, wild years where very little gets done has become the…
Today the Missouri House of Representatives gave final passage to five of six bills heard by House committees on August 17. The bills were crafted…
During the age of COVID-19, many of us are doing our duty to protect ourselves and others. We stay home, wash our hands, and wear…
Date: January 23, 2024 To: Chairwoman McGaugh and Members, Elections and Elected Officials Committee From: Trina Ragain, Lead Policy Strategist, Empower Missouri Re: Opposition for…
Founded in 1901, Empower Missouri is the largest anti-poverty advocacy organization in the state. As part of our work, we convene a statewide Affordable Housing…
Date: February 7th, 2024To: Chairman Bromley and members of the Utilities CommitteeFrom: Trina Ragain, Lead Policy Strategist, Empower MissouriRe: Opposition to HB 1435, HB 1804…
Date: February 5, 2025 To: Rep. David Casteel, Chair, and members of the Commerce Committee From: Lucas Caldwell-McMillan, Chief of Policy Staff, Empower Missouri Re:…
Date: February 6, 2024 To: Chairwoman McGaugh and Members, Elections and Elected Officials Committee From: Trina Ragain, Lead Policy Strategist, Empower Missouri Re: Opposition for…
Date: March 10, 2025 To: Chairman Bromley and Members, House Utilities Committee From: Lucas Caldwell-McMillan, Chief of Policy Staff, Empower Missouri Re: Our opposition to…
Date: February 19, 2025 To: Chairman Brown and Members, Senate Economic and Workforce Development Committee From: Lucas Caldwell-McMillan, Chief of Policy Staff, Empower Missouri Re:…
This past week Empower Missouri held its Annual Week of Action. In addition to 3 virtual days, this year we were able to be back…
For months, Empower Missouri and our allies in Missouri have been urging our federal representatives to pass the Build Back Better Act, an opportunity to…
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,…
At Empower Missouri, we subscribe to a daily political newsletter that lists who has recently registered as a lobbyist. A quick search on the Missouri…
Earlier this month, the Food Assistance and Hunger in the Heartland Report was released. This is a first of its kind-a comprehensive research study about…
In this year’s State of the State address, our new Governor, Mike Kehoe urged legislators to pass a “comprehensive crime bill that includes increasing penalties…
While the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in financial instability and economic hardship for many households, unprecedented supports – including a national emergency rental assistance program and…
Food Insecurity in the U.S. and Here at Home in Missouri More than 34 million people experience food insecurity in the United States. That includes…
With the November election less than one month away, it seems likely that you’re being inundated with news and opinions related to upcoming federal, state,…
Empower Missouri started over 100 years ago as an annual conference, making the job of planning and executing our annual Anti-Poverty Summit even more significant.…
Just a few weeks into the new school year, many families are learning that after two years of all Missouri public school children receiving free…
It is clear that major changes are coming with the November 3 election, but none of us is able to say with certainty exactly what…
At Empower Missouri, we know that we can change lives through effective and targeted policy change. Too many of our neighbors struggle to get their…
This week, committees in the U.S. House of Representatives released major reconciliation proposals with cuts to Medicaid, SNAP, and other programs. As the title suggests,…
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