U.S. Bank Foundation commits support for St. Louis based re-entry non-profit.
ST. LOUIS, June 22, 2021 – Concordance announced a partnership with U.S. Bank Foundation to end the cycle of reincarceration, which was bolstered by a significant contribution to Concordance’s First Chance campaign. In addition to U.S. Bank Foundation’s generous investment in Concordance, U.S. Bank Chief Human Resources Officer, Elcio Barcelos, will join Concordance’s Board of Directors and Employer Advisory Council in addition to serving as a First Chance campaign co-chair.
“Concordance is humbled by U.S. Bank Foundation’s generosity and commitment to racial equity,” said Danny Ludeman, President and CEO of Concordance. “We are so appreciative of their support for our mission. I look forward to partnering together and having Elcio’s leadership as we expand Concordance nationally and work together to end the cycle of reincarceration in our country.”
Concordance is working to dramatically reduce reincarceration rates by providing a holistic, integrated, evidence-informed re-entry program. Since its founding in 2015, Concordance has served approximately 900 participants and has lowered the reincarceration rate among participants by more than 40 percent. The First Chance campaign is a $50 million national fundraising effort to scale the Concordance Re-Entry Model to 11 additional U.S. cities by 2025 and double the number of participants served in the St. Louis Region.
“We are honored to have Elcio and U.S. Bank walking alongside us on this journey of healing, as we work toward racial equity in our country. I am deeply grateful for U.S. Bank’s courage and leadership at this pivotal moment in history,” said David Steward, First Chance campaign chair. Steward is the Founder and Chairman of World Wide Technology, the largest Black-owned company in the United States. “U.S. Bank Foundation’s pledge will make a meaningful and lasting difference for families and communities around the country,“ Steward said.
Nearly 100 million people are affected by mass incarceration in the United States and within that population, reincarceration disproportionally affects Black and Hispanic communities. Not only does reincarceration have a devastating impact on incarcerated individuals, but also on families, communities, and our society. The ripple effect includes increased unemployment, homelessness, mental health and substance use disorders, need for child support services, crime and more. Most incarcerated individuals experience trauma at a young age, a result of being born in neighborhoods devastated by inequity and often lacking in social capital and positive support systems.
“At U.S. Bank, we are focused on creating access for families and individuals to reach financial stability, which includes affordable homes, jobs and to be part of a stable and thriving community,” said U.S. Bank Chief Human Resources Officer, Elcio Barcelos. “We are proud to support Concordance and its First Chance campaign to help create access to those at risk of reincarceration, especially in diverse communities, which are disproportionately impacted. Expansion of these critical services ultimately will benefit all communities.”
Concordance and U.S. Bank Foundation’s partnership focuses on the important work that both organizations are doing to emphasize the need for racial equity and to end the cycle of reincarceration nationwide.
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. Founded by President and CEO Danny Ludeman, the organization 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. Concordance is committed to restoring individuals, rebuilding families, transforming communities, and advancing the field of re-entry services. For more information, visit www.concordanceacademy.org.
ABOUT U.S. BANK
U.S. Bancorp, with nearly 70,000 employees and $553 billion in assets as of March 31, 2021, is the parent company of U.S. Bank National Association, the fifth-largest commercial bank in the United States. The Minneapolis-based bank blends its relationship teams, branches and ATM network with digital tools that allow customers to bank when, where and how they prefer. U.S. Bank is committed to serving its millions of retail, business, wealth management, payment, commercial, corporate, and investment customers across the country and around the world as a trusted and responsible financial partner. This commitment continues to earn a spot on the Ethisphere Institute’s World’s Most Ethical Companies list and puts U.S. Bank in the top 5% of global companies assessed on the CDP A List for climate change action. Visit www.usbank.com for more.