A mid-March deadline for rescuing the 2025 Annie Malone Parade is quickly approaching, and while the agency received good news this week in the form of a $1 million grant, the money cannot be used for the parade crisis.
The St. Louis Development Corporation has awarded Annie Malone Children and Family Services a $1 million grant to help pay for repairs at its headquarters in the Ville neighborhood of north St. Louis. A press conference to announce the grant was scheduled for Friday morning at the SLDC offices but was called off shortly before it was slated to begin.
Annie Malone, which has struggled to raise enough funds to stabilize its finances, has called off its May Day Parade, scheduled for May 18. The annual parade is the organization’s primary fundraiser.
SLDC has allotted an additional $10,000 from its sponsorship fund to Annie Malone if the organization chooses to hold the parade. The organization has not raised the necessary funds to do so and is calling for more donations.
“Annie Malone thanks SLDC for the $1 million grant towards much-needed building renovations for its headquarters,” said Angelia Bill, a spokesperson for Annie Malone.
Deion Broxton, vice president of communications and public affairs for SLDC, said, “It’s a coincidence the SLDC Board approved this grant just days after Annie Malone announced the parade was cancelled for 2025.”
“The money comes from the North City Grant Program. We know that Annie Malone is going through a tough financial period right now, but we hope that this million dollars will help with the building, and it will also encourage other people to help out as well.”
Annie Malone originally applied for $15 million, but the SLDC worked with the organization to revise its application so it could receive a smaller sum rather than be rejected.
The SLDC has to spend the remaining $37 million allotted to the North City Grant Program by the end of 2026 and is in the process of awarding the rest of the money to local organizations.
The program is funded by money from the American Rescue Plan Act passed during the Biden administration in 2021.
Annie Malone launched a capital campaign called “Annie Malone: 136 Years of Impact — Join US in Changing Lives.” It calls for a million people to donate $136 each.
Last week, the agency called on “corporations, philanthropists, and community leaders to rally behind this mission, knowing that next year, the parade will come back stronger and better than ever before.”
“It’s very simple,” said John Bowman, president of the St. Louis County NAACP and former Annie Malone board member.
“Please step up. Let’s not wait on budget cuts to affect this organization; let’s make sure we take care of our own needs in our community.”
While Broxton used the word “cancelled” in regard to the parade, Lee continues to say it has just been “postponed.” Should a benefactor step forward to save the parade, which estimates say would be about $250,000, it could still take place in May.
Lee noted last week that she and fellow board members are discussing perhaps hosting another “less expensive” community, fund-raising event later this year.
According to an Annie Malone press statement, with “rising inflation, housing instability, and increasing food insecurity, families need more support than ever before. As the need continues to grow, we must shift our focus to raising the critical funds that help stabilize and strengthen our community.”
Sylvester Brown of the St. Louis American contributed to this report.