Reimagining Success
By Redifining Access

Making an eternal return on investment

David and Thelma Steward photo

David and Thelma Steward

Kimberly Steward

Kimberly Steward

Dave Steward II

About us

David and Thelma Steward, ever mindful of their blessings, were inspired to create the Steward Family Foundation in 2013. Today, it is one of the 50 largest private family foundations in the United States. Together with their children, Dave II and Kimberly, the Steward family is committed to an “eternal return on investment,” seeking always to serve the needs of those in underserved communities by championing the arts, education and health and human services. David Steward, Sr. is the founder and chairman of World Wide Technology (WWT), the largest Black-owned company in the United States. Established in 1990, WWT is a global technology solutions provider with $20 billion in annual revenue and more than 10,000 team members in over 55 locations around the world.

“Give freely and become more wealthy; be stingy and lose everything. The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.” Proverbs 11:24-25

2023 Charitable Donations

Requests for funding are by invitation only.

SFF Map of areas served, all states are colored in.
Organizations:
100+
Donated:
$17,000,000 +

Gifts By States

  • Alabama
  • Alaska
  • Arizona
  • Arkansas
  • California
  • Colorado
  • Connecticut
  • Delaware
  • Florida
  • Georgia
  • Hawaii
  • Idaho
  • Illinois
  • Indiana
  • Iowa
  • Kansas
  • Kentucky
  • Louisiana
  • Maine
  • Maryland
  • Massachusetts
  • Michigan
  • Minnesota
  • Mississippi
  • Missouri
  • Montana
  • Nebraska
  • Nevada
  • New Hampshire
  • New Jersey
  • New Mexico
  • New York
  • North Carolina
  • Ohio
  • Oklahoma
  • Oregon
  • Pennsylvania
  • Rhode Island
  • South Carolina
  • South Dakota
  • Tennessee
  • Texas
  • Utah
  • Vermont
  • Virginia
  • Washington
  • West Virginia
  • Wisconsin
  • Wyoming

Gifts By Country

  • Canada
  • China
  • Dominican Republic
  • England
  • France
  • India
  • Malawi
  • Mali
  • Rwanda
  • Senegal
  • South Africa
  • United States
  • Zimbabwe

Mission

Steward the word of God through acts of service to help create opportunities for underrepresented individuals and communities of color.

Vision

Serve as a philanthropic vehicle to advance the Kingdom of God by partnering and supporting organizations with aligned values, cultivating an eternal return on investment.

Pillars

Faith

Our giving decisions are guided by our deeply rooted faith in God and passion for helping others.

Family

We engage three generations of family member perspectives in our overall giving approach.

Flexibility

We practice flexible giving within each priority to help diversify and strengthen community impact.

Priorities

Arts

Arts contribute to healing trauma, strengthening cultural identity and fostering a shared vision for marginalized communities.

Education

Unlocking access to equitable STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education is key to preparing children for the nation’s most rapidly growing and highest paying careers.

Human Services

Human service organizations assist vulnerable individuals and families in accessing needed support during challenging times, helping them meet their basic needs and find success in society.

Agency Highlights

Array Alliance, Inc.

Your support touches every aspect of ARRAY. From the space we occupy and learning companions we create, to the POC (People of Color) and women of all kinds who are finding employment in Hollywood and more, you’ve been behind every single achievement. Thank you for being our true partner in this work!

Mary Institute and St. Louis Country Day School

We have seen an increase in the number of people utilizing our facility. Our camps were able to return and had a record number of participants this past summer. Due to having access to this facility on campus, we have seen an increase in participation in our high school swim and dive teams and we continue to add additional offerings to our PE curriculum. We also added middle school swim teams for our 7th and 8th graders. We have had more internal athletic teams using the space for rehabilitation and injury reduction. Our community swim program and early bird membership continue to draw a committed group every year. We’re thrilled to be able to support so many programs and organizations.

We are so thankful for the generous philanthropic commitment from the Steward Family Foundation.

On behalf of MICDS, all the students and individuals who continue to benefit from the generosity of the Steward Family Foundation, we extend our deepest gratitude.

Jackie Joyner-Kersee Foundation

The Jackie Joyner-Kersee Center stands as a beacon of hope in East St. Louis, dedicated to empowering youth and families to thrive against adversity.

Thanks to the funding of the Steward Family Foundation, our impact reached new heights in 2023. Through our diverse array of programs and activities, we’ve been able to provide a safe haven for over 3,100 youth, adults, and families in our community.

Copyright © 2024 United Way of Greater St. Louis