FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:
Jia Lian Yang
314-396-2953
jia@forwardthroughferguson.org
St. Louis Regional Racial Healing + Justice Fund Awards $70,000 to seven organizations for tornado recovery efforts
ST. LOUIS (May 18, 2026) — The Community Governance Board (CGB) of the St. Louis Regional Racial Healing + Justice Fund (RH + JF) reconvened at the end of April to select grantees who have demonstrated exceptional leadership and commitment to healing and justice in the St. Louis region.
In their discussions, FTF and the CGB members centered the North City residents who are still dealing with the aftermath of last year’s May 16 EF3 tornado. The CGB awarded seven organizations with a one-time crisis response grant for their leadership in healing justice, community organizing, and community-led systems change in North St. Louis communities. The grantees are: 314Oasis, 4theVille, Action St. Louis, Black Healers Collective, Dream Builders for Equity, Chosen For Change, and St. James AME Church.
“Serving on the Community Governance Board for the Forward Through Ferguson Racial Healing and Justice Fund continues to be one of the most meaningful ways I stay connected to the heart of our community,” remarked Dr. Shonda Ambers-Phillips, CGB member. “Right now, we remain focused on supporting families impacted by last year’s devastating May 16 tornado.
Nearly a year later, many are still navigating recovery, rebuilding, and stability.
Intentionally investing in organizations whose contributions to recovery and resilience have been life-changing for Black and brown residents in the hardest-hit areas, communities that were already navigating systemic inequities long before the storm.”
The flexible one-time crisis grants provide recipients with the necessary resources to fill gaps in capacity, cover overhead costs, build out existing programs, and respond quickly and effectively to community needs. The CGB selected the seven grant recipients for their success in organizing large-scale cleanup, relief efforts, and support structures, despite the lack of sufficient assistance from government entities.
The Racial Healing + Justice Fund “strengthens our mission to provide holistic grief support, mentorship, crisis response and resources to families in the St. Louis region who have experienced the unimaginable loss of a child,” explained Michael Brown Sr. and Cal Brown, Co-Founders of the Michael Brown Sr. Chosen for Change Organization.
“By standing with us, you help turn pain into purpose and ensure that our community has the tools to heal and move forward.”
The Racial Healing + Justice Fund was launched in 2020 to prioritize community healing. Black and brown residents in the St. Louis region (including the Metro East and surrounding counties) are the decision-makers, and the Fund’s allocations are centered around healing the core of the community from racial trauma and changing the conditions of systemic racism that endanger lives. This most recent grant distribution marks the early stages of creating an endowed Racial Healing + Justice Fund that will resource frontline healing and justice organizations for years to come. Forward Through Ferguson is hosting a Racial Healing + Justice Fund Kickoff on Wednesday, June 10th at 6-8 pm at Northside Movement Center (5939 Goodfellow Blvd, St. Louis, MO 63147). The kickoff will celebrate the selection of tornado recovery grantees by the Community Governance Board, discuss the future of the Fund, and share next steps for getting involved. The event is free and open to the public, but registration is encouraged.
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About the Racial Healing + Justice Fund
In 2020, Deaconess Foundation, Forward Through Ferguson, and Missouri Foundation for Health collaborated to establish the Racial Healing + Justice Fund to invest in racial healing as a core component of achieving racial equity and to make space for affected Black and brown residents to have direct power over the distribution of resources for healing, justice, and transformation. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation supported the launch of the Fund with a matching grant. Local and national foundations then joined the pool of participating organizations.
Between 2020 and 2023, the Fund pilot invested over 1.4 million dollars into 80 unique local efforts that champion the Ferguson Commission’s mandate. Through these investments, the Racial Healing + Justice Fund aligns local and national philanthropy, community-set priorities, and community-led grantmaking that put racial equity and healing justice at the center, creating a future St. Louis region where all residents have the opportunity to thrive.
