There’s Assistance, We Must Help Meet the Challenge by Connecting People to It
By TD El-Amin
Last year’s tornado tore through St. Louis with a force that left more than physical damage in its wake. It disrupted lives, displaced families, and exposed vulnerabilities that too often sit just beneath the surface in our communities. But out of that disruption, something else has emerged—opportunity.
Not opportunity in the abstract, but real, tangible pathways for people who are ready to work, ready to rebuild, and ready to move forward—if we make sure they can access it.
We are surrounded by programs designed to prepare and place individuals into meaningful employment. Organizations like the St. Louis Agency on Training and Employment (SLATE), MoKan Construction Contractors Assistance Center, and Save Our Sons/Daughters through the Urban League are not theoretical solutions—they are operational pipelines. They train, certify, and connect people to jobs. They remove barriers. They open doors.
Most recently, SLATE’s Disaster Recovery Jobs Initiative has stepped into the moment, offering employment tied directly to the cleanup and rebuilding efforts from the tornado. These are not distant opportunities—they are immediate. Paid. Accessible. Purpose-driven.
SLATE is currently hosting daily information sessions:
Now through April 24, 2026
Monday–Friday at 2:00 p.m.
SLATE Missouri Job Center
1520 Market Street, Suite 3050
There is no single fix for the challenges we face. But we do know this: when people have opportunity, structure, and purpose, outcomes change.
Thomas Carlyle is often credited with saying, “Poverty is the parent of revolution and crime.” When opportunity is present and accessible, communities stabilize.
If you know someone who is willing—connect them. Bring them. Walk them into the opportunity.
Resources:
SLATE: 314-589-8000
MoKan Construction Contractors Assistance Center: www.mokanccac.org | 314-454-9675
Save Our Sons/Daughters (Urban League): 314-615-3600
The question is simple:
Will we connect our people to the opportunity—or let it pass them by?
