Invest STL

Bricks are stacked outside of a tornado-damaged home on Monday, May 19, 2025, in north St. Louis.

McDonnell Foundation donates nearly $3 million for St. Louis tornado relief efforts

Lacretia Wimbley

The funds are being dispersed to several organizations for rebuilding houses and family support efforts after the storm displaced hundreds and caused over $1 billion worth of damage.

InvestSTL's Dara Eskridge, right, volunteers at the 4TheVille Emergency Hub on Saturday, May 31, 2025, in north St. Louis — weeks after a deadly tornado ripped through the city.

Government, Politics & Issues

4TheVille Emergency Hub plans to keep assisting St. Louis tornado victims

Jason Rosenbaum

InvestSTL’s Dara Eskridge and 4TheVille’s Aaron Williams helped lead the 4TheVille Emergency Hub, which provided aid to thousands of north St. Louis residents after the May 16 tornado. Now Invest STL is raising money for cash assistance.

The Rooted program aims to help residents stay in their neighborhoods amidst rising concerns about nearby developments.

Economy & Business

Invest STL gets national attention by seeding $20K to residents in 2 neglected neighborhoods

Ulaa Kuziez

Invest STL’s Rooted initiative gives Black and low-income residents in the West End and Visitation Park neighborhoods $20,000 to invest in their homes and community.

(Left to right) April Walker, Dara Eskridge, Lisa Potts worked along side neighbors in the West End and Visitation Park neighborhoods to create a neighborhood plan approved by the City of St. Louis.

Economy & Business

How West End residents took control of their community's future development

Miya Norfleet

WeCollab was formed from community engagement and is led by residents from West End and Visitation Park with intention to avoid gentrification, lower crime, and raise the value of their neighborhoods.

Michael Woods, co-founder of the nonprofit Dream Builders 4 Equity, stands in front of an old daycare center, which is one of several vacant buildings the group is renovating to help transform the Hyde Park neighborhood in north St. Louis.

Economy & Business

St. Louis Community Development Leaders Argue Residents Need More Say After Decades Of Exclusion

Corinne Ruff

St. Louis has a long way to go to make good on its promise to refocus its development strategy around equity and inclusion, but many are hopeful this is a turning point.