Author: Leslie Schraeder

National Culinary Month – Food Deserts

By Trista Stout-Walker, Vice President of Community Impact

Have you ever returned home from the grocery store and realized you forgot an important item or ingredient? It can be the most frustrating thing at times. Especially, when we spend time preparing for the trip, traveling to the store, shopping for goods, and returning home. For some in our catchment area that requires hours, substantial money, and resources. This is because they live in a “food desert”. According to Wikipedia, a food desert is an area that has limited access to affordable and nutritious food, in contrast with an area with higher access to supermarkets with fresh foods, which is called a food oasis.

A Reflection on Juneteenth

By LaToya Stevens is the Marketing and Communications Director at Heart of Missouri United Way

Juneteenth (June 19) is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the ending of slavery in the United States. Today, Juneteenth commemorates African American freedom, and emphasizes education and achievement.

It’s celebrated across America with block parties, cookouts and educational events. You may not know the history of Juneteenth because until today, it has not been recognized as a federal holiday. If it’s not part of your culture, this may be your first time hearing about Juneteenth.

For United Way, Vaccines Are Part of Recovery & Rebuilding

By Dr. Juliette Tuakli, Founder and Medical Director of CHILDAccra

Good start, right direction, but more to do.

That’s how United Way leaders see the job ahead when it comes to recovery and rebuilding in the wake of COVID-19.

While the world’s largest privately-funded nonprofit raised an unprecedented amount of money last year for COVID-19 relief, the pandemic’s multiple waves around the world remind us that our work is far from over.

PRIDE Month – We All Belong

By Trista Stout-Walker, Vice President of Community Impact

I recently had the pleasure of traveling with my family out West for a wedding. Growing up, I would shudder to admit that I was from Alabama, especially rural Alabama.  My fear would focus on how I was perceived or society’s perception of how we talk or live. My recent travels showed me that Alabamians are very proud. We wear our RTR hats or War Eagle t-shirts proudly. All you have to do is say “Roll Tide” in a crowd and immediately find a new friend. We visited three different states and I encountered numerous residents of Alabama. In Gardiner, Montana, the Iron Horse Bar & Grill is owned and operated from a native of Tuscaloosa. It was decked out with Alabama memorabilia and even had a license plate from Washington County.