Earlier, Emerson said it would donate $4.4 million for scholarships and youth employment efforts for residents of Ferguson and other North County communities. The company, one of the region’s largest, has its headquarters in Ferguson.

Through its new “Ferguson Forward” initiative, Emerson will contribute $300,000 a year for five years to the University of Missouri-St. Louis’ Opportunity Scholars Program for science, technology, engineering and math students who are minorities or whose parents didn’t attend or graduate college.

And Clayton-based Centene Corp. said it will build a new claims processing center with up to 200 jobs in the city.

“Centene views this as a way to help the community and we have the confidence in the residents of Ferguson,” Centene’s chairman and chief executive Michael Neidorff said in an earlier statement. “This is the right thing to do for the community, state and our shareholders. It is time for action, not talk.”

Centene, a Fortune 500 managed care company, said the center will process claims from its Missouri-based State Health Plan, along with overflow from contracts in other states.

The location for the center has not been selected, but the company hopes to have it open next year.

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