Ashley Winters

Cars wrapped around the block outside the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis this week as volunteers handed out Thanksgiving meals. For many families, the drive-through line offered more than food — it offered reassurance. Hope. A reminder that someone still sees them. President and CEO Michael P. McMillan stood amid the bustle, greeting volunteers […]

For too many Black mothers in St. Louis, pregnancy and childbirth carry risks that should never exist. Black women in Missouri are 2.5 times more likely to die from pregnancy-related complications than white women — a stark reminder that where and to whom you’re born can still determine whether you survive motherhood. Behind those numbers […]

When most people think about adoption, the focus often falls on new beginnings — adoptive families welcoming a child into their home and children finding stability and love. But behind every adoption is another story, one shaped by courage, uncertainty, identity and loss. This November, as the nation observes National Adoption Month, Lutheran Family and […]

On May 16, 2025, a ruthless tornado tore through parts of St. Louis City, County and the Metro East. In less than 30 minutes, the storm carved a 20-mile scar across North St. Louis, flattening blocks in Fountain Park, Penrose, The Ville and Kingshighway West. Nearly 5,000 homes, churches and businesses were destroyed, with damage […]

In an area of BELIEVE Academy equipped like a hospital room, high school students use real  stethoscopes and other medical tools to examine “patients,” often a classmate or a lifesize simulation doll. These north St. Louis teens aren’t just learning about health care; they’re training for careers while earning college credit. At BELIEVE Academy, a […]

New gathering spaces, greenway connections and small business incubators are coming to several St. Louis neighborhoods, fueled by $1.14 million in city grants supporting community-led visions. The Neighborhood Plan Implementation Awards, announced Wednesday by the city’s Community Development Administration (CDA), will support projects in Skinker DeBaliviere, the West End, Downtown, Downtown West, Covenant Blu-Grand Center, […]

When students at Moline Elementary gather for reading lessons, their teachers now use strategies that go beyond memorization — helping children connect sounds, letters, and meaning.  It’s part of a growing shift in how reading is taught in St. Louis, one that emphasizes proven practices to help more students read fluently by third grade. That […]

Dr. Shaista Rashid stresses that oral health is inseparable from overall well-being. For her, the connection is both professional and deeply personal. Growing up in Pakistan, Rashid watched extended family members lose most of their teeth by their 30s and 40s. While her parents’ military insurance gave her access to dental care, many of her […]

After more than a month on strike, Boeing workers in the St. Louis region may soon return to the job. The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) District 837 announced Wednesday that its negotiating committee has reached a tentative five-year labor agreement with Boeing Defense. “It remains the best deal we’ve ever offered […]

The small patch of soil that eventually grew into Rustic Roots Sanctuary recently received a funding commitment that places it in a much stronger position to combat food insecurity in North St. Louis County. The 16-acre nonprofit community hub in Spanish Lake will receive nearly $1 million to expand its programs and deepen its impact, […]