World Wide Technology Founder & Chairman, Dave Steward, Leads First Chance Campaign for National Expansion
FEBRUARY 17, 2022, St. Louis, MO — Concordance, a CARF accredited, re-entry nonprofit headquartered in St. Louis, announced today it has increased the goal of its First Chance campaign from $50 million to $100 million. Chaired by David Steward, Chairman and Founder of World Wide Technology, the largest Black-owned business in the country, the First Chance campaign is raising the funds needed to scale the Concordance Re-entry Model in St. Louis to eventually serve 1,000 participants annually and expand nationally, opening centers in 11 new cities over the next five years.
“There is an overwhelming need for the holistic re-entry services that Concordance provides to its participants as they re-enter society,” said Steward. “We have increased the First Chance campaign fundraising goal to better align with the need for these services in communities across our country, specifically Black and Hispanic communities that are disproportionately impacted by reincarceration. Increasing the campaign goal will provide Concordance with resources to expand further, faster.”
With the support of 44 major gift investors, the First Chance campaign has secured gifts and commitments totaling $25 million to date. The campaign has 90 co-chairs, including influential business leaders, university presidents, and philanthropists from across the country, including:
- Elcio Barcelos, Senior Executive VP and Chief Human Resources Officer, U.S. Bank
- Craig Cuffie, Executive VP and Chief Procurement Officer, Salesforce
- Arnold Donald, CEO, Carnival Corporation
- Harold Ford, EVP, Vice Chairman of Corporate & Institutional Banking, PNC Financial Services Group Inc.
- Wayne Frederick, President of Howard University
- Emily Procter, Actress, Entrepreneur, and Activist
- John Thompson, Venture Partner at Lightspeed Venture Partners
As of December 31, 2021, Concordance has lowered the rate of reincarceration among its participants released from prison within the last three years by 56 percent. That success can be contributed to the holistic, integrated Concordance Re-Entry Model that provides 12 essential services under one roof, including mental health, behavioral health, and substance use treatment, housing, pro bono legal services, education and job readiness training, and employment.
“The work we do at Concordance changes lives and creates a ripple effect in the community,” said Danny Ludeman, Concordance Chairman and CEO. “Individuals are given a safe space to work through trauma and find meaningful employment. Families are reunited, and communities are stabilized. The generosity of investors is what has helped make that possible, and I am so incredibly humbled for their support both here in St. Louis and from across the country. I’m grateful to Dave Steward for leading this campaign and challenging us to raise even more to help justice-involved individuals and their families all across this country.”