Celebrating Black History Month

by Katie Tucker

February 22, 2023

While February is Black History month, we reflect, honor, and celebrate the many contributions by Black Americans not only this month but all year long.

Throughout United States’ history, Black Americans have consistently fought and pushed for equal rights, encouraging all to dismantle systems of oppression that are ingrained in our country. We recognize that the financial and banking industry has historically participated in economic oppression.

In response to this, Alltru Credit Union is committed to our community and are proud to partner with and support local nonprofits and organizations who are focused on closing the generational wealth gap and fostering prosperity for all. We will continue to work with partners to bridge those gaps by providing access to those who have been historically underserved.

Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis empowers African Americans and others throughout the region in securing economic self-reliance, social equality and civil rights.

Justine PETERSON is a Missouri Not-for-Profit Corporation with a mission to connect institutional resources with the needs of low-to moderate-income individuals and families. This helps them to build assets and create enduring change – not just for each individual or family that they assist, but the community as a whole. They prioritize learning, supporting and taking action to fight against all facets involving racial injustice and economic inequality.

College Kids program provides college savings accounts to all kindergarten students enrolled in City of St. Louis Public Schools. The mission of College Kids is to improve college access and attainment among youth, increase assets for low-to-moderate income families living within the city, and promote the use of safe and affordable mainstream financial services and products among students and their families. Alltru Credit Union is proud to be a founding partner for this program and together we have now opened more than 23,000 college savings accounts.

STL Youth Jobs mission is to bridge the divide between our region’s youth and the growing skills gap in our workforce. They envision a city where our youth have the opportunity they need to succeed, and our businesses have the workforce they need to compete.

Connections to Success provides a comprehensive network of services and support to help people living in poverty become economically self-sufficient. Their model, with lifelong mentoring at its core, delivers evidence-based results and impacts all areas of a person’s life. This builds upon our mission and values. They inspire families to realize their dreams and achieve economic independence by providing hope, resources, and a plan.

Mission St. Louis empowers individuals for social and economic growth through relationship and opportunity. With relationship in hand, they have made a strategic set of programs available to the people they serve. These programs work together to address critical stages in the cycle of poverty, like high school graduation + recidivism. They walk alongside people as they work their way through their programs, empowering entire families to break the cycle of poverty.

KidSmart Tools for Learning’s mission is to empower children in need to succeed in school by providing free essential tools for learning. They are the only free educational supply store in Missouri and they equip underprivileged students in more than 160 St. Louis area schools.

Launch Code knows that while talent is widely distributed among the population, opportunity is not. They aim to change that by making quality tech education based on job market needs free and accessible. They offer part- and full-time courses to take people from zero experience to tech job ready in months, not years.

St. Louis Community Development Financial Institution Coalition is a partnership among nine Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) of which Alltru Credit Union is a part of. They offer an array of capital, development, and consulting services and share a common mission to empower an economically healthy community and end the racial wealth gap in St. Louis through support for nonprofits, small businesses, and communities.

YWCA Metro St. Louis provides a variety of crucial services for women and their families: crisis intervention and housing for victims of sexual and domestic violence, Head Start and Early Head Start education and services that support families, and programs that promote economic stability as a strategy to end racial and social injustice.

Employment Connection is a nonprofit St. Louis community asset that breaks down barriers to self-sufficiency for individuals with limited opportunities including the homeless, ex-offenders, U.S. veterans, high school dropouts, women on welfare, and at-risk youth. Offering more than just a job, Employment Connection provides valuable resources, training, and support to inspire and empower clients to change their circumstances and become employed.

Operation Hope’s mission is to advance economic opportunity by providing the tools people need to reach their goals. They have a broad array of individualized services that level the playing field by offering customized one-on-one programs for youth, adults, and disaster survivors—on their own or through their employers—to equip them with the financial knowledge and tools they need to create a more secure future – all at no cost.