U.S. Bank is donating $20,000 and investing $2 million in the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis’ new Ferguson Empowerment Center, which is under construction at the former QuikTrip at 9420 W. Florissant Ave. that burned in August 2014. The center will provide 65 construction jobs and 18 permanent jobs.
The $5.8 million center will house multiple nonprofit organizations, providing employment assistance and training, financial literacy and asset building, counseling services and entrepreneurship training. In addition to the Urban League’s Save Our Sons program, tenants include the Lutheran Church of Missouri, Better Family Life, the University of Missouri Extension, Provident Inc. and the Salvation Army.
U.S. Bancorp Community Development Corporation, a division of U.S. Bank, invested the $2 million in equity raised from New Markets Tax Credits provided by Heartland Regional Investment Fund.
“This funding from U.S. Bank was essential for us to reach our goal of a larger building to house more agencies that could meet a greater range of needs, not just in Ferguson but in surrounding municipalities and beyond,” said Michael P. McMillan, president and CEO of the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis.
