ST. LOUIS – One St. Louis organization is funding millions of dollars into the community in support of public safety, food, security and workforce development.

Area Resources for Community and Human Services has invested over $27 million in 39 agencies and organizations across St. Louis. This includes Habitat for Humanity, Employment Connection and more. Over $7 million went to community support.

“Some of that funding is going to support employment and training programs to create pathways for individuals to move out of poverty into employment,” Les Johnson Jr., vice president of Grant Initiatives at ARCHS, said.

An additional $1 million was put into the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis’ public safety initiatives.

“Whether it be due to gang violence or issues that have occurred in the community, they’ll dispatch violence disrupters to go into those communities. Meet with those individuals, bring them to the table and try to develop a truce,” Johnson Jr. said.

In less than three years, over 370 dangerous conflicts were de-escalated due to the violence prevention initiative.  

“This is a workforce development program designed to train men and women (with) empowered skills and life skills,” Tydrell Stevens, regional director of Urban League Save Our Sons program, said. “After that, we plan to place them in gainful employment with many of our hiring partners. We have over 150 partners throughout the state of Missouri.”

All the Urban League St. Louis locations collectively have enrolled over 3,200 men and women in their program and placed over 700 individuals into employment.  

“If these individuals kept those jobs for over a year, we’re looking at over $7 million of revenue pumped back into the community,” Stevens said.

For more information on the ARCHS organization, visit Area Resources for Community and Human Services. For more information on the Save Our Sons and Sisters program, you can visit SOS – Save Our Sons – ULSTL and Save Our Sisters – ULSTL or call 314-626-9972.