Connections to Success Expands Presence to Columbia, MO With Grand Opening of Newest Office

Connections to Success, a non-profit organization with locations in St. Louis, St. Charles, and Kansas City, has announced the grand opening of its newest office in Columbia, Missouri. 

The branch office opening was celebrated with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on April 3, 2025, which attracted members of the Columbia Chamber of Commerce, local business leaders, and staff and friends of Connections to Success. The event included featured speakers, refreshments, and a tour of the new office after the ribbon was officially cut.  

“We’ve been doing the work here in Columbia for five years, and interest from the community has only increased over that period of time. With the opening of our new operations in this space, we are excited to make it official,” said Brandi Jahnke, CEO of Connections to Success. “Now our focus is on spreading the word that we’re here, our services are available, and we’d love for people to get engaged with what we’re doing.” 

Several proud alumni of the Connections to Success program – formerly incarcerated men who have found success since their release – were on hand to share their powerful stories of transformation, among them Mataka Askari. 

“I’ve been working for Connections to Success for five years, and that’s the longest job I ever had in my life,” said Askari, Training Facilitator for the organization. “The only thing I did more than five years was prison time. But they taught me early on how to answer that felony question and address that work-history gap in my résumé.” 

Connections to Success began working with citizens returning home after incarceration over 20 years ago. The collaboration and pre-release work done in conjunction with partners such as the Missouri Department of Corrections helps individuals who are able to go through training, get connected, and have ongoing support upon release. The organization’s reach has expanded over the years, and now has a wide variety of services they offer to families and individuals. 

Jennifer Williamson, Columbia Chamber of Commerce Ambassador and Vice President/Market Operations Manager for First Midwest Bank, was on hand to assist with the ribbon-cutting ceremony. “We are so happy to welcome Connections to Success to my hometown. Columbia is a growing community, and as any city grows, so do its needs. We are truly lucky to have an organization like Connections to Success that actively supports individuals looking to break the cycle of poverty.” 

About Connections to Success: 

Founded in 1998, Connections to Success is a nonprofit organization based in Missouri, with locations in St. Louis, Columbia, and Kansas City. Connections to Success offers comprehensive support to families working toward economic stability and growth by providing practical resources, career preparation, and a strong foundation for lasting success. The organization provides a comprehensive network of services and referrals to help people achieve economic independence after facing challenges such as generational poverty, incarceration, and violence. The Connections to Success model integrates training opportunities, life transformation coaching, support services, and job development to set participants up for long-term success. This evidence-based model delivers a measurable ROI, resulting in sustainable change that positively impacts all areas of a person’s life while also having a positive influence on the community. 

Since its original start in 1998, the organization has served over 25,000 individuals throughout Missouri, Kansas and Illinois.