ST. LOUIS—Beyond Housing is excited to announce that Ameren is pledging $1 million to
support Once and for All, an effort led by Beyond Housing, to invest in the St. Louis region’s
most under-resourced communities to move all of St. Louis forward.
A longtime partner of Beyond Housing, Ameren’s increased commitment is born from both
organizations’ belief that investing in the region’s most under-resourced communities is the key
to addressing the area’s longstanding challenges — from school accreditation challenges to
troubling crime rates, slow economic growth and steady decline in prosperity and national
prominence.
“Addressing the high concentrations of poverty in our under-resourced communities is the most
direct path to improving the well-being and success of the entire region,” says Gwen Mizell, vice
president and chief sustainability, diversity & philanthropy officer for Ameren. “Doing that
effectively requires us all to think more strategically. We are focusing our philanthropic
resources on organizations that are creating real movement at scale where our customers need
it most.”
Ameren is working to support communities, aligning philanthropy more strategically toward
successful endeavors that focus on inclusive economic empowerment, building thriving
communities and helping solve for critical human needs. The Once and for All initiative drives
inclusive economic growth in a historically under-represented community that shows great
promise for continued development.
To continue momentum in the footprint, Ameren provided a $150,000 donation toward restoring
one of the oldest golf courses west of the Mississippi, Normandie Golf Club, which had fallen
into disrepair. The course will be redesigned by Jack Nicklaus’ Nicklaus Design Group —
transforming an aged, neglected community facility into a premiere golf destination that will be a
source of pride, draw tourism and an influx of associated dollars to the community.
Mizell cited Beyond Housing’s track record of results and comprehensive model as key reasons
for Ameren’s commitment. “Their model provides a real solution because it addresses every
piece of the puzzle needed to transform lives and communities.”
Once and for All leverages Beyond Housing’s comprehensive, holistic model for creating real
change and more than $175 million has already been raised and invested. The organization’s
work within the Normandy school’s footprint in North St. Louis County — which has the highest
concentration of poverty on the Missouri side of the metro region — is one of the most
comprehensive transformation efforts in the U.S.
“If we want to achieve a different result, it’s time for a new approach,” says Beyond Housing
CEO Chris Krehmeyer. “We’re looking for other leaders like Ameren to join us in creating a
lasting legacy of change for our region.”
The Ameren Corporation Charitable Trust was established in 1944 to serve as a principal
source of the company’s philanthropic investments in community projects and programs.
Allocations from the Trust come entirely from corporate earnings and are not charged to
customers as a business expense.
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About Ameren
St. Louis-based Ameren Corporation powers the quality of life for 2.4 million electric customers
and more than 900,000 natural gas customers in a 64,000- square-mile area through its Ameren
Missouri and Ameren Illinois rate-regulated utility subsidiaries. Ameren Illinois provides electric
transmission and distribution service and natural gas distribution service. Ameren Missouri
provides electric generation, transmission and distribution service, as well as natural gas
distribution service. Ameren Transmission Company of Illinois develops, owns and operates
rate-regulated regional electric transmission projects. For more information, visit Ameren.com,
or follow us on Twitter at @AmerenCorp, Facebook.com/AmerenCorp, or
LinkedIn/company/Ameren.
About Beyond Housing
Beyond Housing is a nationally recognized community development organization that works to
strengthen families and transform under-resourced communities to create a stronger, more
equitable and prosperous St. Louis region for all. Beyond Housing’s comprehensive model is
built on the understanding that strengthening families and transforming underserved
communities isn’t simple — it’s complex and requires a comprehensive, multi-pronged effort.
Beyond Housing has created an infrastructure of staff, partners, programs and relationships that
is essential for fulfilling its comprehensive model in order to create a stronger St. Louis — once
and for all. Visit beyondhousing.org for more information.
About Once and for All
Once and for All is an effort to bring St. Louis together to address the root source of the St.
Louis region’s challenges by investing in St. Louis’ under-resourced communities to move all of
St. Louis forward. The effort is led by Beyond Housing, a nationally recognized community
development organization, and utilizes an innovative model for creating real and lasting change.
Learn more at onceandforall.org.
