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 SB 4 Empower Missouri has spent more than 120 years fighting poverty in Missouri. Today, we come to present testimony on a bill which specifically targets our neighbors with the...Read More

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – 11 March 2025 — On Monday, March 10, HB 595 was passed by Missouri’s Senate Committee on Local Government, Elections, and Pensions, moving us one step closer to enshrining discrimination against Missouri’s poorest tenants into state law. HB 595, and its companion bill, SB 507, would prevent municipalities in Missouri from...Read More

Date: February 25, 2025 To: Representative Stinnett and Members, House Committee on Health & Mental Health From: Mallory Rusch, Executive Director, Empower Missouri Re: Our support for HB 398 Empower Missouri is the largest and oldest anti-poverty non-profit in our state. We view the experience of poverty holistically, with impacts in all areas of an...Read More

Date: February 26, 2025To: Senator Brown, Chairman and Members, Senate Economic Workforce and Development CommitteeFrom: Amanda Berry, Food Security Policy Manager, Empower MissouriRe: Our support for SB 57 Empower Missouri is the largest anti-poverty advocacy organization in the state. As part of our work, we organize a statewide Food Security Coalition. This coalition is made...Read More

Growing up, it was just expected that kids in Jessica’s neighborhood would eventually end up involved with the legal system. Poverty and limited opportunities led many to drugs and alcohol, and eventually to crime. At age 16, she had her first child and dropped out of school to be able to provide for them. Selling...Read More

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: Our support for SB 64 Empower Missouri has spent more than 120 years fighting poverty in Missouri. Today, we come to present testimony on a bill which specifically targets our...Read More

In 2024, 770,000 people were experiencing homelessness in the United States—an 18% increase from 2023. This is almost 1 million people without homes. And while policymakers from every level of government—federal to local—are working on solutions, we continue to underfund the one solution that would end the homeless epidemic: more housing. The reasons behind this...Read More

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: Our opposition to HB 758 and 958 Empower Missouri has spent more than 120 years fighting poverty in Missouri. Today, we come to present testimony on bills which specifically targets...Read More

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...Read More