A Red Circle Receives $200,000 Grant

ST. LOUIS - July 8, 2024 - PRLog -- The St. Louis County Port Authority recently awarded a $200,000 grant to A Red Circle, a nonprofit dedicated to the advancement of racial equity in North St. Louis County, Mo. The nonprofit plans to utilize the grant to finance architectural expenses for its North County Community Nexus initiative.

A Red Circle is one of 21 recipients serving St. Louis County and the region to receive a grant. According to the St. Louis County Port Authority, the grant's goal is to fund community development projects that train people to improve their employment opportunities, create new jobs, and redevelop areas in St. Louis County to improve economic conditions.

The North County Community Nexus – the biggest project in A Red Circle's history – will provide both programming and critical links to strengthen the revitalization of North County's healthy food infrastructure. This initiative involves the renovation of an existing 43,000-square-foot strip mall and two-story office building located at 9300 Lewis and Clark Blvd. that was purchased by the nonprofit in March 2023 and will be completed in 2025.

The Nexus will consolidate A Red Circle's headquarters, a community-owned grocery store, the Learning and Opportunity Center, a bistro, a demonstration garden, and options available for rent including a storage shed with communal farm equipment, cold storage so farmers can preserve their crops, a commercial kitchen, and office space for health providers to use with clients.

"Nexus is meant to be a multifaceted center addressing food insecurity and so much more," said A Red Circle's Founder and Executive Director Erica Williams. "This funding enables us to move forward with a transformative project that will revitalize our region and foster economic growth."

Founded in 2017, A Red Circle creates economic and community betterment solutions through education, employment, and empowerment. A Red Circle has four Missouri locations – Healthy Flavor Community Garden in Riverview, North County Agricultural Education Center in Pine Lawn, The Creative Spot in Ferguson, and North County Community Nexus in Bellefontaine Neighbors – to best serve the community and improve wellness opportunities for its citizens who experience healthy food access disparities in the region.

For more information, call (314) 328-2286 or visit www.aredcircle.org.