Ameren announces community challenge grant in support of St. Louis Area Foodbank

Help feed families across Missouri and Illinois by donating today

With one in every seven people in the bi-state region facing hunger, the Ameren Thanks for Giving Community Challenge Grant is matching all donations made to the St. Louis Area Foodbank, up to $200,000, to help provide meals for families in Missouri and Illinois.

“Hunger and food insecurity are often unseen challenges in our region, and we are fortunate to have the St. Louis Area Foodbank and its network of more than 600 soup kitchens, food pantries and shelters to provide support,” said Gwen Mizell, senior vice president, chief sustainability, diversity & philanthropy officer at Ameren. “A large focus of AmerenCares is helping nonprofits in the critical needs space. We know that when food, housing, health care access and transportation needs are met, we can empower greater progress and prosperity in our communities.”

Making a monetary donation to the St. Louis Area Foodbank can have a much bigger impact than donating shelf-stable food. The foodbank is able to purchase food items at significantly reduced costs, so a donation of just $50 can stretch far enough to feed a family for two weeks. With Ameren’s matching contribution, each donation from community members will have twice the impact.

Ameren will match donations made through the end of November or until donations reach $200,000, whichever comes first. Last year, Ameren's challenge grant propelled the foodbank to raise an additional $289,000. Donate now at stlfoodbank.org/thanks4giving.

"Everyone should have the opportunity to gather with family and friends to celebrate the holidays together surrounded by healthy and nutritious food, and this year, far too many families are working even harder each day to make ends meet," said Meredith Knopp, president and CEO of the St. Louis Area Foodbank. "Thanks to the incredible generosity of our friends and partners at Ameren, thousands of families across the bi-state region will be able to celebrate the holidays with a table full of food, family and friends."

Each year, the St. Louis Area Foodbank distributes between 40 and 50 million meals to neighbors in need across 26 counties in Missouri and Illinois. Unfortunately, the need continues to grow, and the foodbank distributed 11% more food in 2022 than 2021. For more information on the St. Louis Area Foodbank, please visit stlfoodbank.org.

The Ameren Corporation Charitable Trust was established in 1944 to serve as a principal source of the company’s philanthropic investments in community projects and programs. Allocations from the Trust's AmerenCares program come entirely from corporate earnings.