Larry Thomas, partner at Edward Jones, has always found time to be involved in supporting his community.
“When we were kids, every year the school district where my aunt taught had a March of Dimes fund drive,” Thomas said.
“My sister and I always looked forward to filling the envelope full of dimes. We tried to be the first to get everything turned in.”
As a student at Washington University in St. Louis, Thomas gave back with his time. He said, “I volunteered with the Campus Y. We tutored kids in Kinloch in reading and math. I looked forward to it and the kids looked forward to it.”
After graduating from university in 1977 and joining the workforce, Thomas not only volunteered his time, but started giving back financially to causes.
“One of the key ways I got to Washington University was on a scholarship,” said Thomas. “Education is so important to get ahead. I started participating in scholarship giving at Washington University in 1986.”
Hailing from Vicksburg, Mississippi, Thomas decided to stay in St. Louis and continue to pursue his career in the financial world.
“St. Louis is now home. St. Louis is a great city to live in. There are so many caring people here, but there are also people who need care and help,” Thomas said.
“Edward Jones gives generously to this community we live and work in. And United Way is one of Edward Jones’ top picks to support. Look at the amount of help you can provide through United Way and its agencies.”
Thomas gave early in his career at Edward Jones to United Way. He began giving at the leadership level ($1,000 or more annually) in the 1990s.
“United Way gives 40 percent of its money to agencies that primarily serve African-Americans,” Thomas said.
“When the African American Leadership Giving Initiative [Charmaine Chapman Society] began in 1994 at United Way, I paid more attention to United Way.”
The more Thomas became involved in the community, the more entrenched he became.
With his quick, broad smile and a twinkle in his eye, Thomas will tell you about the time “when David called.”
Thomas is referring to David Steward, founder and chairman of World Wide Technology, and he’s speaking of when Steward showed up at his door to ask him to chair the Charmaine Chapman Society fundraising campaign for United Way.
That was a little more than two years ago, and Thomas continues to be intimately involved in his third CCS campaign, which he now co-chairs with Deborah Patterson, president of Monsanto Fund.
“At first I dodged David, but he caught me,” Thomas readily admits.
“David was campaign chairman and then chairman of the board of United Way. He wanted United Way’s campaign to succeed, and you don’t say no to David Steward. So I became the chair of the Charmaine Chapman Society.”
Under Thomas and Patterson’s leadership, the Charmaine Chapman Society has maintained and grown its position as the largest African-American giving initiative among United Ways in this country with a membership of 800 plus and more than $1.7 million raised in 2007.
The target for 2008 is to raise $1.85 million toward the overall $65.5 million goal for United Way.
Thomas is also involved in several other organizations, including being on the boards of Forest Park Forever, Herbert Hoover Boys & Girls Club and the St. Louis Zoo. He is also a member of the St. Louis Securities Traders Association.
“There’s a time to take and a time to give. I’ve had wonderful help from family and friends and from those who believed in my passion. Now it’s my time to give,” Thomas said.
“I believe it’s important that African Americans serve on boards to make sure places are accessible to all. It’s important to try to make a difference. It’s important to give money, but also to give time.”
The value of United Way is apparent to Thomas.
“I can’t write 200 checks,” Thomas said, referring to the nearly 200 local agencies United Way helps fund. “United Way is efficient and provides a vehicle to those in need.”
The Charmaine Chapman Society is the largest African-American initiative of its type in the country. In 2008, nearly $20 million will be efficiently invested into 48 agencies that primarily serve African Americans throughout United Way’s 16-county service area. In 1994, Dr. Donald Suggs, president and publisher of The St. Louis American, founded the African American Leadership Giving Initiative to enable “a growing segment of the community to be visible and gain recognition for their support of health and human services through the United Way.” To honor former United Way CEO Charmaine Chapman’s legacy of compassion and care, in 2002 the initiative was renamed the Charmaine Chapman Society.
To contribute to the United Way at the leadership level, call Orvin Kimbrough at 314-539-4249 between now and November 12.
