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Business
December 1, 2021 • Community News – St. Louis County • www.mycnews.com
The Home Depot Foundation and Rebuilding Together St. Louis partner for rebuilding day for local veterans
On behalf of the Home Builders Charitable Foundation (HBCF), 2021 HBA President Bill Wannstedt (Consort Homes) (left) presented a $10,902 donation to Independence Center chief program officer Jennifer Higganbotham and resident John French. The donation will be used to fund the installation of new vinyl flooring at one of Independent Center’s apartment buildings for adults with serious mental illness. Independence Center is a community-based rehabilitation program for adults with severe and persistent mental illnesses in the St. Louis area. Its mission is to provide all the services and resourc-
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es a person with a serious and persistent mental illness needs, to manage their symptoms, find belonging and purpose, and gain the independence to live a healthy, quality life.
Ameren Missouri and United Way 211 partner to help active military and veterans
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On Nov. 11, The Home Depot Foundation partnered with Rebuilding Together St. Louis to provide critical home repairs for six local veterans. Team Depot, The Home Depot’s associate volunteer force, worked alongside Rebuilding Together to complete the project, following all CDC and government safety guidelines. As part of The Home Depot Foundation’s national Operation Surprise campaign, local Team Depot volunteers made vital home repairs for local veterans with the goal of improving the homeowners’ safety, security and comfort. Repairs were specific to each veteran’s home but included a variety of critical updates like plumbing or electrical repairs, window or door repairs, ramp or lift installation and landscaping. More than 70 volunteers came together for this project, which is part of
HBA donates $10,902 to Independence Center
The Home Depot Foundation’s Operation Surprise campaign, an annual celebration of The Home Depot’s commitment to giving back. The Foundation’s seasonal giving campaign, kicking off on Veterans Day and running through the end of the year, features life-changing surprises for communities and individual recipients. In addition, each Home Depot store nationwide will give back locally and support projects in the community where they operate. Giving back to veterans is personal to The Home Depot as more than 35,000 of the company’s associates are veterans or military spouses. About a month ago, The Home Depot Foundation teamed up with Paraquad St. Louis, a nonprofit focused on helping children and adults with disabilities. Volunteers built six wheelchair ramps at the homes of six local veterans.
Active local military families and veterans throughout Missouri are eligible for additional utility assistance from United Way 211 and Ameren Missouri. Together, the organizations are providing up to $25,000 in assistance through partnership with statewide Community Action Agencies. “United Way 211 is proud to continue our long-standing partnership with Ameren Missouri and grateful for their efforts to help military families and veterans who have served and protected our country,” said Michelle Tucker, president and CEO of United Way of Greater St. Louis. “Through this partnership, we can help even more families across our community and state meet their basic needs.” Since launching in 2018, the Ameren Missouri Veterans Fund has assisted 431 veteran and military households, totaling
more than $121,000 in utility bill assistance statewide. “Our veterans, active-duty military members and their families sacrifice so much in the name of protecting our country. We are humbled by their service and proud to support these families who may need help paying their utility bills,” said Tara Oglesby, vice president of customer experience for Ameren Missouri. Veterans, active military members or their spouses are eligible to apply for assistance today. Eligible customers must be without service or have a disconnect notice for their Ameren Missouri utility bill. Interested applicants should call United Way 211 at 2-1-1 or 1-800-427-4626 to apply. A maximum of $600 per household is available to be used toward unpaid Ameren Missouri utility bills with proof of veteran or active military status.
St. Louis Oasis teams up with Humana to offer members benefit St. Louis Oasis, a local nonprofit educational organization dedicated to enriching the lives of adults ages 50 and older, is teaming up with Humana Inc. to offer Humana members a health benefit designed to increase cognitive and physiological health in adults. Humana Medicare Advantage HMO and LPPO members on plans H002814 and H5216-033-002 in St. Louis will receive an $80 credit toward St. Louis Oasis in-person programs and Oasis Everywhere virtual programs. Class prices range from $6–$18 for single sessions and $20–$85 for multi-session classes, which typically range from 2–24 sessions. “Humana is thrilled to be working with St. Louis Oasis to bring a new adult learning benefit to our Medicare Advantage members in the St. Louis area. This live, interactive program gives members the
opportunity to take exciting virtual and in-person classes,” said Dr. Elizabeth Peterson, Regional Vice President Health Services for Humana. Humana members enrolling for plans H0028-14 and H5216-033-002 during the open enrollment period through Dec. 7 will receive information about the Oasis programs benefit and can begin registering for classes beginning Jan. 1, 2022. Affordably priced classes are open for registration through the St. Louis Oasis at https://st-louis.oasiseverywhere.org/ for in-person and hybrid classes. Registration for Oasis Everywhere online classes is available at www.oasiseverywhere.org. Courses cover a variety of topics ranging from art and history to science, theology, cooking, technology, current events, health and more.