ETC Retreats and Gatherings

ETC Yearly Retreat Video

The November 19, 2025, meeting featured introductions and updates from various community organizations focused on food security, sustainable farming, transportation planning, and aging services. Participants shared personal and professional joys, affirming their commitment to community work and highlighting collaborative efforts across different sectors. The group discussed updates on the CDC REACH grant initiative, including nutrition strategies and mini-grants distribution, while exploring future plans for healthy eating research, community design for physical activity, and family-based behavioral treatment programs.

Video and Visuals

A bit of the ETC story in video and visuals.

Flyers and Information

ETC Informational Paper

Download two-page flyer — Empowered Thriving Communities (ETC) is a collaborative food and health network responding to major SNAP and WIC benefit losses affecting more than 150,000 people in St. Louis. The coalition strengthens local food sovereignty through capacity-building and has served 84,000 residents.

Free Food Sign

Download sign — Help guests navigate your food distribution with this clear, visual sign featuring icons of a food box, bread, and canned goods. Available in English and Spanish. Consider providing a small donation if this helps you.

Free clothing here in English and Spanish

Free Clothing Sign

Download sign — Simple sign designed for clothing distribution events, featuring visual icons of a hat, coat, jeans, and socks. Available in English and Spanish. Consider providing a small donation if this helps you.

ETC Activity and Coloring Page

Empowered Thriving Communities (ETC) offers a free activity page. Download PDF here with the solutions here. Enjoy coloring, seek and find, and learning about healthy food and health equity in St. Louis! Consider providing a small donation if this helps you.

In the News

stlpr – St. Louis launches food insecurity fund to help fill the gaps during the shutdown

St. Louis Mayor Cara Spencer has launched the City Food Insecurity Fund to support residents facing hunger due to a pause in federal SNAP benefits. Managed by the United Way, the fund will channel donations to local food banks coping with a surge in demand for essentials like baby formula and produce. City officials urge community donations to help bridge the $11.5 million monthly gap affecting nearly 55,000 residents. Read more at St. Louis Public Radio

stlpr – A $3.8 million federal grant will help people in St. Louis Promise Zone improve their health

Washington University and the St. Louis Integrated Health Network have received a $3.8 million CDC grant to combat health disparities in North St. Louis and North County. The five-year initiative focuses on improving Black communities' wellness by expanding access to fresh produce at farmers markets and supporting culturally sensitive weight management programs. Read more

Voucher Program Launch at the Kingsway East Farmers Market

Fresh Produce, Free to Neighbors — Fair Pay to Farmers

June 27, 2026

Event Recap

ETC launched its Fruit & Vegetable Voucher Program at the Kingsway East Farmers Market, hosted with the Kingsway East Planning Committee. Neither heavy rain nor summer heat could stop it: 30–40 residents came through, and around 20 families took home fresh produce using ETC vouchers.

ETC team members smiling behind a produce table with kale, Swiss chard, and zucchini at the Kingsway East Farmers Market

ETC team members behind the produce table at the Kingsway East Farmers Market

Three coalition farms brought the harvest alongside three community vendors. Twenty $20 vouchers were redeemed, circulating $400 directly to local growers for kale, Swiss chard, zucchini, green beans, green and cherry tomatoes, and fresh mint.

A favorite moment: many neighbors almost walked past, saying they didn't have money to spend, and lit up when they learned the vouchers made everything free. ETC Community Liaison Gabi Cole rounded out the day with a live cooking demonstration so residents could taste the very foods on the tables.

ETC bilingual $20 Fruit & Vegetable Vouchers fanned out on a table

ETC's bilingual $20 Fruit & Vegetable Vouchers — learn more about the program

Thank you to the Kingsway East Planning Committee, our farmers, vendors, and every neighbor who weathered the rain with us.

National Farmers Market Week Webinar

The Joys and Challenges of Farming in Today's Climate:
Cultivating Health Equity

August 8, 2024

Event Recap

Empowering Thriving Communities (ETC) successfully hosted its first public-facing event on August 8, 2024, in celebration of National Farmers Market Week. This free webinar brought together growers, farmers, advocates, and defenders of health equity from across the region to discuss the vital intersection of agriculture, climate, and community health.

National Farmers Market Week Event Flyer

Official event flyer for the National Farmers Market Week webinar
Click to view larger flyer

The event created a meaningful space for community partners dedicated to cultivating and tending to our local food sources. Participants shared their personal experiences, discussing both the joys that sustain them in their work and the challenges they face in growing and farming under today's climate conditions.