Empower Missouri Advocacy Family, Midday last Friday, Gov. Mike Parson declared a State of Emergency as the first cases of COVID-19 were diagnosed in Missouri. Life has significantly changed for most of us during the past eight days. Many are working from home, with the pleasure and challenges of having children home with us. Some...Read More

On Tuesday, March 3, HB 1691 was heard in the Judiciary Committee. Sponsored by Rep. Holly Rehder, this bill would modernize our outdated and harmful HIV-specific statutes that criminalize people for acts that pose no risk of HIV transmission. The hearing was scheduled for 4 p.m. or “upon adjournment” of floor debate. With the floor...Read More

(Jefferson City, MO)….. Missouri lawmakers, health professionals and long-term HIV survivors are calling for the state legislature to change Missouri’s HIV criminalization laws which they believe are outdated and medically inaccurate.  On March 3, the House Judiciary Committee held a hearing on House Bill (HB) 1691 to address the state’s criminal codes dealing with the...Read More

In 2017, Empower Missouri’s annual conference theme was Persisting and Organizing to Win. During the week of February 10, 2020, coalitions staffed by Empower Missouri demonstrated determination to make that theme reality by taking meaningful action for social justice on each day, Monday-Friday. On Monday, February 10, the Affordable Housing Coalition met to review the...Read More

Imagine your next door neighbor calls to invite you to a dinner party. The date and time work for you, and you enjoy your neighbor’s company, so you say yes. As the neighbor ends the call, she says, “Oh, I’m going to seat Jack next to you. He has coronavirus. Is that okay?” What would...Read More

Think about a great customer experience you had recently. For me, it was when I was shipped the wrong-sized winter boots. I called the company and explained the issue, and within two business days, a new pair of boots and a return shipping label were sent to my apartment. Easy. In our digital age, it’s...Read More

“Surely as the Show Me State, where our namesake inherently promotes action and results over words, we have a higher sense of obligation to work together.” -Mike Parson, State of the State, January 15, 2020 Different organizations use all sorts of tactics for team building. At Empower Missouri this week, about half of our staff...Read More

TANF, or Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, is a federal cash assistance program for low income families with children that provides for basic needs. Families who qualify receive money on a debit-like card that they can use to help cover their monthly expenses, like food, rent, clothing, and transportation. TANF’s History In 1911, a version...Read More

Each year as Legislative Session begins, there is a lot of “crystal ball gazing” in our state capital. The rumors come fast and furious, and various pundits try to anticipate how things will turn out when the General Assembly adjourns in May, even before a single bill is heard before a committee. There’s a temptation...Read More

It seems as if many of the issues today that are being debated in our state and federal legislatures are seen as partisan, but criminal justice reform is an exception. Criminal justice reform is a great example of how bipartisanship can really work! Legislators and advocates from both sides of the political spectrum are working...Read More