Dollar-for-dollar match up to $200,000 doubles community impact as the St. Louis Area Foodbank celebrates five decades of service
ST. LOUIS (Nov. 4, 2025) – This November, Ameren is kicking off its Thanks for Giving Community Challenge Grant to help feed families across Missouri and Illinois. Ameren will match all donations made to the St. Louis Area Foodbank, up to $200,000.
This will be a substantial step towards the Foodbank’s ambitious goal of raising $500,000 for the holiday season. Achieving this target will provide approximately 2 million meals for people in the community.
“Year after year, Ameren stands with the St. Louis Area Foodbank because this partnership helps families right here at home,” said Gwen Mizell, senior vice president, chief sustainability officer at Ameren. "Our partnership is designed to accelerate the Foodbank’s ability to do what matters most: get healthy food to families with dignity. This year especially, as many households face added uncertainty, the Foodbank’s mission has taken on even greater urgency.”
Hunger in our region
One in seven residents in the bi-state area needs food assistance, including one in six children. To meet rising needs, the St. Louis Area Foodbank and its network have expanded distributions and hosted more food drives. Each year, the Foodbank and its 600+ partners distribute tens of millions of meals across 26 counties through Mobile Distributions, school markets and pantry distributions – bringing food directly to those who can’t easily access it.
Why monetary donations?
The Foodbank is able to purchase food items at significantly reduced costs, allowing a donation of just $100 to feed one family for a whole month. With Ameren’s matching contribution, each donation from community members will have twice the impact.
Ameren will match donations made between now and Nov. 30, or until donations reach $200,000, whichever comes first. Donate now at stlfoodbank.org/thanks4giving.
"“As we commemorate 50 years of nourishing our neighbors, the St. Louis Area Foodbank remains a beacon of hope for the bi-state region,” says Meredith Knopp, President and CEO of the St. Louis Area Foodbank. “This holiday season, many households in our community are making difficult decisions between paying for food or other necessities. Through our continued partnership with our friends at Ameren, we will be able to provide comforting meals and support to local families at a time when so many are in need.”
The Ameren Corporation Charitable Trust was established in 1944 to serve as a principal source of the company’s philanthropic investments in community projects and programs. Allocations from the Trust's AmerenCares program come entirely from corporate earnings.
About the St. Louis Area Foodbank
The St. Louis Area Foodbank began its service to the community in 1975. Through a robust network of community partners and programs throughout 26 counties in Missouri and Illinois, the Foodbank helps provide access to food and resources to individuals facing food insecurity. More than 400,000 people in the bi-state region rely on the Foodbank for assistance each year. For 50 years, the St. Louis Area Foodbank has been there for people dealing with crisis, be it a natural disaster, a global pandemic, or the everyday crisis of food or nutritional insecurity. To learn more about the work of the St. Louis Area Foodbank or for resources for those in need, call (314) 292-6262 or visit STLFoodbank.org or follow us at @STLFoodbank, https://www.facebook.com/stlfoodbank or https://www.linkedin.com/company/st-louis-area-foodbank/.
About Ameren Corporation
St. Louis-based Ameren Corporation powers the quality of life for 2.5 million electric customers and more than 900,000 natural gas customers in a 64,000-square-mile area through its Ameren Missouri and Ameren Illinois rate-regulated utility subsidiaries. Ameren Illinois provides electric transmission and distribution service and natural gas distribution service. Ameren Missouri provides electric generation, transmission and distribution services, as well as natural gas distribution service. Ameren Transmission Company of Illinois develops, owns and operates rate-regulated regional electric transmission projects in the Midcontinent Independent System Operator, Inc. For more information, visit Ameren.com, or follow us at @AmerenCorp, Facebook.com/AmerenCorp, or LinkedIn.com/company/Ameren.