Connections to Success, a non-profit organization with locations in Greater Kansas City, St. Louis, St. Charles, and Columbia, was selected by United Way of Greater Kansas City to be one of its Impact 100 Partners for 2025.
The annual list includes 100 vital health and human service organizations who are meeting community needs and creating positive change in the region, according to United Way of Greater Kansas City. To qualify, organizations must meet a high bar of financial responsibility and be actively working to address the critical challenges facing the Kansas City region today. As one of these Partners, Connections to Success will receive $15,000 in unrestricted funding to address its most pressing needs in its Kansas City offices.
“We are thrilled to receive this news,” said Brandi Jahnke, CEO of Connections to Success. “This is our first year to be included as an Impact 100 Partner, and it’s more than a recognition – it’s a reminder of why we show up every day. We’re honored to be included and excited to grow our impact right here in Kansas City.”
The funds will primarily support Pathways to Success, one of the organization’s core programs that provides wraparound services helping individuals and families achieve economic independence. The program offers personal and professional development training, job and career readiness, healthy relationship skills, critical thinking, and goal setting, and addresses the multitude of risk factors for those dealing with challenges such as generational poverty, incarceration, and domestic violence.
Pathways to Success is evidence-based, using key outcomes to measure the program’s success. For example, previously incarcerated individuals who participate in Pathways to Success experience significantly reduced recidivism – just 5.2% – compared to the national average of 44% at 12 months.
“Being named an Impact 100 organization gives us the opportunity to walk alongside more individuals as they build a brighter future for themselves,” said Rachael Meuser, Vice President of Community & Impact. “The bonds we make are truly for life. At Connections to Success, we never close a file. We’re here to celebrate the wins today, tomorrow, and all points in between.”
About Connections to Success:
Founded in 1998, Connections to Success is a nonprofit organization based in Missouri, with locations in St. Louis, St. Charles, 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 offers a wide-ranging 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.
