Urban League Getting $350K to Address Housing Needs

St. Louis County Executive Dr. Sam Page announced $28 million in new distributions from the county’s $173.5 million in federal stimulus grant funding for COVID-19 relief at a press briefing at the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis’ (St. Louis, MO) Ferguson Empowerment Center on Friday, July 17. Page said the pandemic is a public health, humanitarian and economic crisis. Humanitarian assistance for seniors, children, housing stabilization and technology are the focus of the latest distributions.

“For the humanitarian program, we are focusing on senior and homebound programs. This includes providing meals, cleaning supplies, protective equipment and medical transportation services,” Page said. Humanitarian grants are also focusing on housing stabilization, including rent and utility assistance, and legal services for foreclosure proceedings and domestic violence law.

Additionally, 60 recipients received a portion of $9 million in grants designed to address needs of the county’s most vulnerable residents. The local Urban League is getting $350,000 to address housing needs for individuals in the county.

“We are going to focus on seniors and children – so mothers with children who are trying to keep them in their homes, keep them in their apartments,” said Urban League President and CEO Michael P. McMillan.

“As we know, so many people have lost their jobs and they need food, they need housing, they need utility assistance, so we are working with our partners Heat Up/Cool Down St. Louis to provide resources so that the basic necessities that individuals need will be provided.”

In large distribution events at Jamestown Mall and other locations in the area, the Urban League has distributed food, masks and sanitizer to 42,000 families, in part from a previous half-million-dollar grant from the county.

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