Walmart and NAACP Join Forces To Create Educational Pathways – CSRwire.com

Published 3 hours ago

Submitted by Walmart

Many of us have witnessed inequitable outcomes for people of color in the criminal justice system. The long-term, cumulative impact that criminal justice disparities have on communities of color can have lasting, damaging effects. When individuals enter the system, there are significant obstacles for them to return to society after they have paid their debt. Obtaining an education or trade skills to secure gainful employment is often one of the biggest challenges. At Walmart, we believe access to education is a pathway to opportunity and should be open to everyone.

Thats why Walmart and NAACP are proud to announce theEmpowering a Better Tomorrow scholarship powered by Walmartto assist in the creation of pathways for those returning citizens who want to further their education as they re-enter society. The scholarship will provide 20 recipients with a $5,000 award, for a total of $100,000 in scholarships paid.

This is the first time a public company and the NAACP have teamed up to offer a scholarship of this kind, with the award sponsored by Walmart. The scholarship will be available to the formerly incarcerated or those who have recently been convicted and who have completed their sentence. Returning citizens who are awarded the scholarship will have exhibited qualities of leadership, commitment to change and a desire to give back to their community.

This scholarship initiative is just one way Walmart is investing in and advocating for transformational programs and policies. Our aspiration is to reduce bias, incarceration and recidivism by using our scale, influence and access to stakeholders to drive long-lasting racial equity in the criminal justice system.

There are tall barriers to creating new pathways for formerly-incarcerated citizens. With few support services available, coupled with lingering bias that many hold against them, its not surprising that citizens have a difficult time returning to society. Many face challenges in obtaining housing, employment and other critical social services, which can result in significant financial struggles.

What exacerbates these struggles is that many returning citizens leave the system without the skills or education to obtain stable, gainful employment. While learning a new trade or obtaining a college degree are strong enablers to success, the cost can often be out of reach.

Intentional and strong support is needed for returning citizens and communities to thrive. A lack of support systems for formerly incarcerated individuals has contributed to long-term unemployment and recidivism. According to theAmerican Civil Liberties Union and the Prison Policy Initiative, 75% of re-entrants are unemployed one year after being released. Further, 75% of re-entrants are back behind bars within five years, according to theDeloitte Center for Government Insights.

According to a report published byThe Prison Policy Initiative, the disparities are starkest for Black Americans, who make up 40% of the U.S. incarcerated population, yet represent only 13% of U.S. residents. Additionally, research fromThe Sentencing Projectsuggests that Black Americans are incarcerated at roughly five times the rate of white Americans.

Changing these outcomes will not just benefit returning citizens, but society as a whole. In doing so, we also seek to make a positive impact in support of returning citizens, their families and the communities we serve.

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT) helps people around the world save money and live better - anytime and anywhere - in retail stores, online, and through their mobile devices. Each week, nearly 260 million customers and members visit our 11,535 stores under 72 banners in 28 countries and e-commerce websites in 11 countries. With fiscal year 2016 revenue of $482.1 billion, Walmart employs approximately 2.2 million associates worldwide.

Walmart continues to be a leader in sustainability, corporate philanthropy and employment opportunity.

Additional information about Walmart can be found by visiting http://corporate.walmart.com, on Facebook at http://facebook.com/walmart and on Twitter at http://twitter.com/walmart.

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Walmart and NAACP Join Forces To Create Educational Pathways - CSRwire.com