Urban League Named Health Advocacy Organization of the Year

Michael McMillan, President and CEO of the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis (St. Louis, MO), feels a war started in early 2020. “This virus has attacked us, and we have to do everything we can to fight back. It’s like we’re almost in a war and a war demands action that otherwise we wouldn’t have to do,” he said.

Stretching McMillan’s analogy further, he serves as the general of a unit tasked with protecting marginalized communities throughout the region. The Urban League’s headquarters in Jennings is one of three locations in the region. Its Ferguson location serves as a community empowerment center designed to help individuals improve their economic situations. 

The Urban League has provided food, mortgage, rental, weatherization, utility assistance, child support, unemployment assistance and other services for people in need. That need increased exponentially with the coronavirus outbreak. Through strategic partnerships with government and health organizations, the agency pivoted to provide mass scale food giveaways, toiletries and PPE distribution. It also offered testing and vaccination events throughout the region.

It is because of these COVID-related outreach efforts that the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis is the 2021 recipient of the St. Louis American Foundation Salute to Excellence “Health Advocacy Organization of the Year” award.

McMillan said he is humbled and encouraged by the recognition:

“We are truly honored to receive this award because of its history in our region. Anytime you receive an award, it’s a blessing because no one has to acknowledge you whatsoever. But, in my opinion, this is something to motivate us going forward as opposed to us resting on our laurels of the past.”

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