Treasures for the community

One initiative that is having a big impact on some local communities is the AmerenCares Creating Opportunities, Salvaging Treasures (or COST) program. In 2020, the program donated to 56 organizations providing goods and equipment valued at nearly $350,000 – despite COVID-19 restrictions that limited the outreach of the program.

Among those benefiting from the program was the City of Ellisville. The city's police station was built 26 years ago, and over that time it's had very few updates. Through the COST program, Ameren was able to donate repurposed office furniture, workstations, and a myriad of other work-related equipment to the police department. As a result, the department was able to replace all of the almost three-decade-old desks and office equipment. Best of all, this was all at no cost to the city or taxpayers. Additional furniture was also shared with Ellisville's city hall, allowing for somewhat of an interior facelift there as well. 

In addition to Ellisville, some other notable 2020 COST donations included providing 20 transformers to Linn State Technical College in Osage County; water bottles for the students of Patrick Henry Elementary School in St. Louis due to the closing of water fountains because of the pandemic; and 47 laptops, 42 monitors, and 63 computer towers to BWorks in St. Louis to assist the nonprofit's recovery from a fire that damaged its facility.