Jill Capps, Executive Director of St. Louis Avian Rescue (STAR), didn’t quite know what to expect when one of the larger pet rescues in St. Louis reached out to her about a bird that was surrendered to their organization. “Mia was lunging, attacking, and was facing euthanasia because she wasn’t adoptable in that environment.” STAR was Mia’s last chance, so they acted quickly to find a foster home for the brightly colored bird. Mia, who was once facing euthanasia, now has a loving home and is living her best life. Because STAR specializes in birds, they were able to identify the reason for Mia ..read more

Only two-and-a-half percent of science, technology, engineering, or math (STEM) bachelor’s degrees are awarded to Black women. Cynthia Chapple wants to change that. Not only are STEM occupations among the most lucrative, but there is a need for capable and innovative scientists and engineers. After applying the problem-solving skills that helped her earn a master’s degree in chemistry and succeed as a research and development chemist, she developed a program to encourage Black young women to study STEM. Cynthia explains that “Black Girls Do STEM (BGDSTEM) takes a very equitable, centered, inte ..read more

In the fall of 2023, Bonnie Harper, Executive Director of Open Space STL (OS STL), was working with volunteers restoring the Gravois Creek conservation area. A group of school children were helping to remove the many invasive species encroaching on the conservation area and obstructing the view of the water. One young girl was working alongside Bonnie as they wound their way toward the creek. When they finally reached a spot where the water was visible, Bonnie heard her companion take a sharp intake of breath and then exclaim, “That’s so cool! I’ve never seen a creek before!” Bonnie, who has s ..read more

Diverse and abundant flora, rich history, a sense of tranquility—these are just a few of the delights that await you at the Missouri Botanical Garden. The Garden welcomes more than one million visitors per year, inviting them to experience the beauty of plants, attend fun and educational events, and learn the science behind plant conservation. Thousands of these visitors take their support of the Garden a step further by becoming members or donors. These individuals play a vital role in furthering the mission of the Garden: “To discover and share knowledge about plants and the environment in o ..read more

In January, the St. Louis Community Foundation hosted an in-person discussion with nonprofits to identify ways Give STL Day, the Community Foundation’s online day of giving, can better serve BILPOC*-led and –benefitting organizations. In its 10-year history, Give STL Day has raised more than $30 million for nonprofits serving the Greater St. Louis Metropolitan Area. While this generosity and support is astounding, we must acknowledge that organizations with diverse leadership are funded at levels drastically lower** than their white-led counterparts. More than 40 nonprofits convened at the Com ..read more

ST. LOUIS, March 4, 2024 — In an effort to more closely align its discretionary giving with community needs and the interests of its donors, the St. Louis Community Foundation will now concentrate a portion of its discretionary grantmaking and resources in two priority areas — Economic Mobility and Youth Connections, Foundation officials announced today. The move is part of the organization’s new five-year strategic plan entitled “A Foundation for the Future.” The Economic Mobility priority area is defined as organizations and initiatives that address housing, financial empowerment, and job cr ..read more

About the Regional Response Team: The RRT’s Mission The St. Louis Regional Response Team (RRT) improves the health and well-being of underserved communities by mobilizing the non-profit, philanthropic, and public sectors to address life-threatening crises and systems’ dysfunctions collaboratively. History When the COVID-19 pandemic rocked the St. Louis region in early 2020, cross-sector leaders knew they needed to collaborate in new ways to meet the needs of our most impacted neighbors. The Regional Response Team (RRT) developed as a centralized system for collective problem-solving, shared de ..read more

“I think it’s important to create a safe space like Frizz Fest to where we are just allowed to have fun and enjoy ourselves.” Have you ever walked past Tower Grove Park on a warm September Day and witnessed bright colors, people laughing, and loud music? You might have just strolled past Frizz Fest, a community-favorite event that takes place in the park each year. Frizz Fest is a yearly natural beauty festival hosted by Frizzy By Nature, a nonprofit whose mission is to encourage self-love and inspire confidence among  women of color. Frizz Fest features vendors, food trucks, music, youth ..read more

In an educator-led initiative aimed at fostering joy and cultivating genius in schools and classrooms, school leaders across the St. Louis area recently gathered for the inaugural session of a book club series. The focus is the book “Unearthing Joy” by Dr. Gholdy Mohammed, which delves into the profound journey of embracing, finding, and nurturing joy and genius in educational settings.  The first book club session brought together 15 passionate educators from 6 school districts who dedicated time to dive into the pages of “Unearthing Joy.” Participants not only immersed themselves in the ..read more

Former teacher Marsha McCleod believes each child deserves a quality education, no matter the circumstances. In 2004, she noticed many students were not receiving the tutoring services they needed, mainly due to financial reasons. Her passion for education and teaching motivated her to open Inner City Youth Tutoring (ICYT), a nonprofit that specializes in serving at-risk K–12 students. Inner City Youth Tutoring offers one-on-one, hands-on tutoring to students from all over the region at little to no cost. ICYT serves students living at or below federal poverty guidelines, providing them with l ..read more