What's Happening at Employment Connection: December 2025

Happy 2026 from Employment Connection! We ended 2025 strong, and after our holiday break, we're eager to see what 2026 brings. We look forward to serving our clients and communities in the New Year!

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Celebrating the Holidays with EC

EC hosted our annual Winter Wonderland event and served a capacity room of clients and their families who received complimentary toys,  food, experienced a live magic show, and got a chance to win great attendance prizes, including gift cards and a brand-new television! Special thanks to our major supporters, US Marines Toys for Tots and the Blattel family!

We were honored to co-sponsor Rep. Kimberly-Ann Collins' 77th District Christmas Extravaganza at the O'Fallon Park YMCA, where gifts and holiday cheer were shared with many St. Louisans!

Carlette, our DOCY Program Manager, attended the annual Winter Wonderland Gala in support of Dutchtown's Neighborhood Innovation Center, where she celebrated with Ald. Shane Cohn and EC's partners at Dutchtown Main Streets!

Also in Dutchtown, we were proud to support Dutchtown Main Streets' annual Dutchtown Holiday Help program, which provided toys, meals, and household items for over 300 families!

Back at the office, Team EC  held another Spread the Love gift exchange this holiday season! It's a simple way to brighten each other’s days and end the week with something special, and it's become a holiday tradition at Employment Connection HQ. After selecting a random team member, each person brings their person a small gift on Monday through Thursday. On Friday, bigger gifts are exchanged, and the gift-givers are revealed!

World of Work in 2025

2025 was another year of growth for our cornerstone World of Work job readiness training program! 948 graduates completed World of Work in 2025–an increase of 49 graduates since 2024, with this year's clients graduating at a rate of 91%, up from 87% in 2024. We're delighted to serve so many motivated clients who commit to taking this vital first step toward self-sufficiency, and we're grateful to our amazing staff for guiding these clients along the way!

Impacted Tenants Fund

Employment Connection has partnered with the City of St. Louis Department of Human Services and the City’s Building Division to launch the Impacted Tenants Fund. This project assists eligible City renters who have been forced from their residences due to condemnation as of January 1st, 2025, including those displaced by the May tornado.

If you or someone you know has been forced to relocate due to storm damage or condemnation, visit the City's website to learn more about the Impacted Tenants Fund. 

Thanks to Micheal Morrow

Thanks to Micheal Morrow for serving as our 2025 United Way of Greater St. Louis/Washington University Olin School of Business Board Fellow! Mike joined us to help grow our Green Jobs program by conducting key research and data analysis. We wish him well as he continues his studies!

Out and About 

Sal recently caught up with Elizabeth George, Director of Economic Mobility for the St. Louis Community Foundation!

Mike W. visited the Salvation Army to discuss EC's many services that can help their clients overcome barriers and return to self-sufficiency!

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There's much more going on at Employment Connection! Make sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn to stay up to date with all of our programs and events in St. Louis City, St. Louis County, and St. Clair County.

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