BUSINESS AND ACADEMIC LEADERS NATIONWIDE JOIN CAMPAIGN TO HELP NONPROFIT REACH MILESTONE GOALS AHEAD OF FIFTH ANNIVERSARY
June 16, 2021, St. Louis, MO — Concordance, a non-profit re-entry program headquartered in St. Louis, commemorated its fifth anniversary of providing services to participants today by announcing several achievements, including receiving peer accreditation and making significant progress towards multi-city expansion.
When Concordance began supporting participants in 2016, it began delivering the country’s first integrated, holistic, and evidence-informed services to individuals returning to society from prison. After five years, Concordance has lowered reincarceration rates among its participants by 44% – exceeding its original goal of 33%. By contrast, typically 77%, or four out of five people released from prison, are rearrested within five years.
Concordance was founded by Danny Ludeman, former president and CEO of Wells Fargo Advisors, and is supported by notable business executives, prominent civic leaders, and respected academics nationwide. This past fall, Concordance launched a $50 million campaign to expand its services nationally, opening centers in 11 additional cities over the next five years. Today Ludeman announced that Concordance has already received more than $15 million from prominent business leaders nationwide.
“We’re proud to commemorate our fifth anniversary knowing that this is just the beginning,” Ludeman said. “We are humbled and inspired by the support we’ve received from leaders across the country who have shown up with passion to help us take the next steps in expanding Concordance’s proven solution to other cities throughout the nation.”
Concordance’s First Chance campaign is chaired by David Steward, chairman and founder of World Wide Technology, the largest minority owned enterprise (MBE) in the world. More than 75 business leaders support the campaign as co-chairs, including John Thompson, chairman of Microsoft; Jim Crane, chairman, Crane Worldwide Logistics and owner and chairman, Houston Astros; Jim Fish, Jr., president and CEO, Waste Management; Steve Phelps, president, NASCAR; Arnold Donald, CEO, Carnival Corporation; Wayne Frederick, president, Howard University; David A. Thomas, president, Morehouse College; Mary Schmidt Campbell, president, Spelman College; Emily Procter, actress, entrepreneur and activist; and others.
“I have been a supporter of Concordance since it was an idea on a piece of paper. Over five years later, I am honored to be a part of this team making such a difference in our community. As partners of the First Chance campaign, we have assembled a truly impressive group of co-chairs who are dedicated to the mission of Concordance and to making a listing impact in our communities. Thanks to their support, Concordance can advance its expansion plans, targeting cities with the need, demographics, and policy landscape to best ensure continued success in dramatically reducing the recidivism rate,” said Steward.
Ludeman also announced that Concordance has received accreditation from CARF, the international accrediting body that establishes and evaluates standards for health and human service programs and services. Concordance achieved its CARF Three-Year Term of Accreditation through rigorous peer review and onsite assessments.
“We’ve been able to witness the results of our program every day since Concordance began service to its first participants five years ago, and this CARF accreditation proves that our program meets the highest standards in mission and methodology, as this is the highest level of accreditation an organization like ours can receive,” Ludeman said.
CARF accreditation surveyors reported in its Accreditation Decision Final Report, “The CEO of Concordance is a former corporate executive who combines a business mindset with a heart for the work of helping persons who have been incarcerated to re-enter society. The result is a high-performing organization that bases its entire reputation on the level of impact. With a successful track record of care since 2016, Concordance is well positioned to achieve its strategic goal of national expansion.”
“We are taking a proven solution with demonstrated results in lowering reincarceration rates and expanding it to additional cities throughout the nation,” said Ludeman. “It is our hope – and our expectation – that as we scale, more participants, families, and communities will feel the ripple effect from the Concordance program.”
About Concordance
Concordance is a St. Louis-based CARF-accredited non-profit that offers the country’s first set of integrated, holistic, and evidence-informed services to individuals returning to society from prison. The program assists participants in three primary areas: behavioral health and wellness; education and employment; and community and life skills. Concordance starts working with individuals six months prior to release and continues assisting for up to a year after their return to the community. Founded by President and CEO Danny Ludeman, Concordance is committed to restoring individuals, reuniting families, transforming communities, and advancing the field of re-entry services. For more information, visit www.concordanceacademy.org.
About CARF
CARF is an independent, non-profit accrediting body whose mission is to promote the quality, value and optimal outcomes of services through a consultative accreditation process that centers on enhancing the lives of the persons served. Founded in 1966 as the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities, and now known as CARF, the accrediting body establishes consumer-focused standards to help organizations measure and improve the quality of their programs and services.