Edward Jones Managing Partner Penny Pennington (center) with Alzheimer's Association CEO Harry Johns and Chief Science Officer Maria Carrillo, Ph.D.
In January 2016, the Alzheimer's Association announced a historic strategic alliance with Edward Jones, a St. Louis-based financial services firm with 45,000 associates who serve more than 7 million clients across North America. Edward Jones committed cash, in-kind support and associate fundraising that exceeded $5 million over two years to enhance the Association's care and support programs, provide educational seminars and materials on brain health and Alzheimer's disease for Edward Jones' associates and clients in branch offices nationwide, and fund critical Alzheimer's research. The firm extended the alliance in 2017 to a five-year, $12.5 million commitment — earning a Gold Halo Award for Corporate Responsibility and Cause Marketing at the 2018 Engage for Good Conference.
In 2020, Edward Jones renewed its strategic alliance with the Association, committing another $25 million over the next five years to match the $25 million raised since 2016. The total investment — $50 million over 10 years — is the largest commitment ever pledged by a corporate partner to the Alzheimer’s Association.
The multifaceted partnership also includes support of research through the creation of the Edward Jones Alzheimer's Research Fund to accelerate science toward methods of treatment, prevention and, ultimately, a cure. As part of the alliance, Edward Jones has invested with the Association in the Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer Network Trials Unit (DIAN-TU) Next Generation, High-Dose Escalation and Primary Prevention studies and supports the International Research Grant Program. Additionally, Edward Jones is a sponsor of the Alzheimer's Association International Conference® (AAIC®).
To maximize its full-mission support of the Association, Edward Jones signed on as the first-ever National Presenting Sponsor of Walk to End Alzheimer's and joined the Walk to End Alzheimer's National Team Program where individual associates and clients participate with the firm's support. The firm also has made a gift to the Association's advocacy arm, the Alzheimer's Impact Movement — a separately incorporated advocacy affiliate of the Alzheimer’s Association.
"Our purpose at Edward Jones is to improve the lives of our clients, their families and our communities," says Edward Jones Managing Partner Penny Pennington. "Alzheimer's disease devastates relationships and finances - two things we work so hard to protect. We are going to keep walking, educating and advocating until we put an end to this terrible disease."
Step Up the Pace is a special initiative to increase philanthropic investment in four key dementia research outcomes areas: Discovery Science, Early Detection, Treatment and Prevention.
