From Scott Walker, President/CEO of LifeWise StL: 

We are writing to you today because of the increasingly dire situation facing immigrant families in our community. In recent months, the level of fear, uncertainty, and disruption experienced by our immigrant neighbors—including many of the participant families and staff within the LifeWise StL community—has surpassed a point that demands our collective attention, compassion, and action.

Across the St. Louis region, we face a challenge that has shaped our civic conversations for more than a decade: population decline. One of the clearest findings from local and national research is that immigrants play a vital role in stabilizing and revitalizing communities like ours. In St. Louis, immigrants are more likely to start businesses, more likely to be of working age, and contribute billions in taxes and spending power to our regional economy. They fill essential roles in caregiving, healthcare, construction, hospitality, and many other sectors. Our region is stronger, more vibrant, and more economically resilient because immigrants choose to call St. Louis home.

But immigrants are not only essential to our economy—they are our neighbors. They are our friends, faith community members, and co-workers. They are part of our shared human family. And at LifeWise StL, we believe we are called to love our neighbors and stand with them in times of uncertainty.

Right now, far too many of them are living in profound fear.

Henry Sloan, our founder, started Kingdom House (now LifeWise StL) 123 years ago to assist the families of immigrants working in the shoe factory where he was an executive. Today forty-five percent of the adults we serve at LifeWise StL are immigrants. A significant number of our staff members are as well. Our community includes Latino families, Afghan families, and Somali families. They have come here seeking safety, stability, and a better future for their children, as did those shoe factory workers and many of our own foremothers and forefathers.

But the current climate has created daily fear for many of these families. Parents worry that if they send their children to school, they may not be there at pickup time. Children fear that they could come home to find a parent missing. Families hesitate to gather in community spaces—even when they desperately need support.

These are strong, resilient people—working long hours, raising children, building credit, starting businesses, and contributing to the fabric of our neighborhoods. They deserve safety and stability. They deserve compassion and respect. They deserve the same sense of belonging we all want for our families.

Many people have asked us what they can do. Here are meaningful ways to stand with our immigrant neighbors:

Call your elected officials—and keep calling them.
The 5 Calls website makes it easy to find your representatives and provides scripts for timely issues.

Engage in local advocacy efforts.
The MICA Project Advocacy Calendar is an excellent resource for staying informed about local actions, educational opportunities, and ways to support immigrant rights in Missouri. Sign up for their newsletter or follow them on Facebook.

Volunteer with the St. Louis Rapid Response Hotline
or as an Immigrant Accompanier
Volunteers help document incidents, provide support during emergencies, and ensure that individuals and families are not left alone in critical moments. Administrative roles are also available and you don’t need to be bilingual.

Educate yourself on the issue.
Know your history, your community and yourself. Find out how to be an effective bystander and how to respond when someone is being threatened or harassed. This guide is a strong starting point.

At LifeWise StL, we remain steadfast in our commitment to walk alongside immigrant families with dignity, compassion, and a belief in their inherent worth. We will continue to provide financial coaching, food access, emotional wellness services, early childhood education, youth development, and resources for seniors—programs that offer stability and hope in uncertain times to newly arrived immigrants as well as long-time residents.

Thank you for standing with us, for supporting our participants, and for helping to build a St. Louis where every family has the opportunity to thrive.

With gratitude,

Scott Walker
President/CEO
LifeWise StL