‘For the Sake of All’ project receives $100,000 gift from Wells Fargo

(From left) Kirksy Williams, co-chair of the Wells Fargo Advisors (WFA) Black/African American Connection; Regina McWilliam, outreach chair of the WFA Black/African American Connection; Jason Purnell, PhD, assistant professor at the Brown School; Elaine Curry, co-chair of the WFA Black/African American Connection; and Kennard Tucker, vice chair of the WFA Black/African American Connection during the check presentation of a $100,000 gift to For the Sake of All, for which Purnell is lead researcher.

“For the Sake of All,” the multidisciplinary project begun in 2013 that examined and now aims to improve the health and well-being of African Americans in St. Louis, has received a $100,000 gift from Wells Fargo Advisors. The gift will further the project’s reach into the community by facilitating conversations with, and giving voice to, young people in the region.

The project, now in its second phase, is headed by lead researcher Jason Q. Purnell, PhD, assistant professor at the Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis.

“Dr. Purnell’s research on the economic, educational and health disparities in the St. Louis area is astounding and an important step in bettering our community,” said Vanessa Cooksey, senior vice president of community affairs with Wells Fargo Advisors. “We are proud to support ‘For The Sake of All,’ as it engages the community in making his recommendations become reality.”

Having spent much of the last two years working on engaging key stakeholders in the community and developing a comprehensive report, Purnell and his team have moved into the proactive phase of the project. They are engaging community and business leaders and policy makers to mobilize support for implementation of the project’s recommendations.

These are:

  • investing in quality early childhood development;
  • creating economic opportunities for low-to-moderate income families;
  • investing in coordinated school health;
  • investing in mental health awareness, access, and surveillance;
  • investing in health-promoting neighborhoods; and
  • enhance chronic and infectious disease prevention and management.

“We are very grateful for this generous gift from Wells Fargo,” Purnell said. “It will help us to continue to make the case for targeted investments in our community and bringing this project to the attention of a broader audience.”

For more information on the “For the Sake of All” project, including the discussion guides, toolkits and resource lists, visit forthesakeofall.org.