Business

Urban League Breaks Ground at Burnt-Out QuikTrip Site

Published

11 years ago

July 23, 2015

Michael McMillan, president and CEO of the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis, wielded a shovel alongside Marc Morial, president and CEO of the National Urban League, at the groundbreaking for a new community center at the site of the burnt-out QuikTrip in Ferguson. (Wiley Price/St. Louis American)

By Mariah Stewart
Special to the NNPA from the St. Louis American

The burnt-out QuikTrip convenience store that became a symbol of racial unrest after a police officer killed an unarmed black teenager nearby almost a year ago will soon reopen as a community center focused on job-training for African Americans.

The store was looted, burned and spray-painted “R.I.P. Mike Brown” before civilians pitched in and cleaned up the site. As rioting along West Florissant Road intensified, heavily armed police with armored vehicles pointed rifles at protesters and fired tear gas and “less lethal” projectiles into crowds.

The Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis held a groundbreaking ceremony at the site on Thursday, July 9. Under a white tent sheltering dignitaries, Michael McMillan, president and CEO of the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis, said the organization aims to train and find employment for 500 young people in the region by the end of summer.

“After Michael Brown’s death, many young people in the community said they were not being listened to and their voices were not heard,” McMillan told the audience.

“We decided to go out and walk the streets of Ferguson and talk to people to find out what we could do as the Urban League to make a difference. Every single one of those young people said they needed jobs and economic opportunity in this area.”

Data collected by the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis show unemployment among African Americans in the St. Louis region at 9.5 percent, compared with 4.8 percent for whites.

After talking with Ferguson youth, McMillan created the Urban League’s Save Our Sons initiative. McMillan said the program has already helped 100 young men find jobs. The new center built on the site of the torched QuikTrip will house Save Our Sons, as well as three other social services organizations: Provident, Better Family Life and Lutheran Church Missouri Synod.

McMillan also announced that the construction crew for the new center will be a 100 percent African-American. Kwame Building Group will manage the construction, which is expected to be completed in early 2016.

QuikTrip donated the land and paid to demolish the ruined building and remediate the site. Enterprise Holdings and the Taylor Family gave a combined $1.8 million, and Centene Corporation donated $650,000. Another $1.5 million came from several other St. Louis-based companies, including Ameren, Emerson, Edward Jones, Armstrong Teasdale, and several civic organizations.

Marc Morial, president and CEO of the National Urban League, attended the groundbreaking and said it points toward hope for the future in Ferguson. Morial said, “Building the Community Empowerment Center represents movement in a positive direction.”

This story is published as part of a partnership between The St. Louis American and The Huffington Post.

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Oakland Post: Week of March 18 – 24, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of March 18 – 24, 2026

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March 22, 2026

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Financial Wellness and Mental Health: Managing Money Stress in College 

While everyone’s financial situation is unique, several common sources of stress have the potential to strain your financial health. These include financial and economic uncertainty, existing debts, unexpected expenses, and mental or physical health changes. Financial stress may differ from situation to situation, but understanding the factors contributing to yours may help you begin to craft a plan for your unique circumstances.

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3 weeks ago

March 17, 2026

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As a college student, managing financial responsibilities can be stressful.

If you’ve found yourself staying up late thinking about your finances or just feeling anxious overall about your financial future, you’re not alone. In one survey, 78% of college students who reported financial stress had negative impacts on their mental health, and 59% considered dropping out. While finances can impact overall stress, taking steps to manage your finances can support your mental, emotional and physical well-being.

When it comes to money, the sources of stress may look different for each student, but identifying the underlying causes and setting goals accordingly may help you feel more confident about your financial future.

Consider these strategies to help improve your financial wellness and reduce stress.

Understand what causes financial stress

2. Determine your financial priorities

Start by reflecting on your financial priorities. For students this often includes paying for school or paying off student loans, studying abroad, saving for spring break, building an emergency fund, paying down credit card debt or buying a car. Name the milestones that are most important to you, and plan accordingly.

3. Create a plan and stick to it

While setting actionable goals starts you on the journey to better financial health, it’s essential to craft a plan to follow through. Identifying and committing to a savings plan may give you a greater sense of control over your finances, which may help reduce your stress. Creating and sticking to a budget allows you to better track where your money is going so you may spend less and save more.

4. Pay down debt

Many students have some form of debt and want to make progress toward reducing their debt obligations. One option is the debt avalanche method, which focuses on paying off your debt with the highest interest rate first, then moving on to the debt with the next-highest interest rate. Another is the debt snowball method, which builds momentum by paying off your smallest debt balance, and then working your way up to the largest amounts.

5. Build your financial resilience

Some financial stress may be inevitable, but building financial resilience may allow you to overcome obstacles more easily. The more you learn about managing your money, for instance, the more prepared you’ll feel if the unexpected happens. Growing your emergency savings also may increase resilience since you’ll be more financially prepared to cover unexpected expenses or pay your living expenses.

6. Seek help and support

Many colleges have resources to help students experiencing financial stress, like financial literacy courses or funds that provide some assistance for students in need. Talk to your admissions counselor or advisor about your concerns, and they can direct you to sources of support. Your school’s counseling center can also be a great resource for mental health assistance if you’re struggling with financial stress.

The bottom line

Financial stress can affect college students’ health and wellbeing, but it doesn’t have to derail your dreams. Setting smart financial goals and developing simple plans to achieve them may help ease your stress. Revisit and adjust your plan as needed to ensure it continues to work for you, and seek additional support on campus as needed to help keep you on track.

 JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. Member FDIC