News
CEO Highlighted in the New York Times and The Nation!
After MDRC announced the results of CEO’s evaluation, the media has taken notice to our organization’s hard work! We’ve been highlighted by a few top media sources, which you can read about below.
In his editorial “The White Underclass” on the February 8th New York Times Opinion Page, Nicholas Kristof singles out the Center for Employment Opportunities for the compelling results of a randomized study by MDRC. The results of the study show that CEO’s jobs program for newly released prison inmates left them up to 22 percent less likely to be convicted of another crime. In addition, the program more than paid for itself: each $1 spent delivered up to $3.85 in benefits.
To read the article click here.
In his February 10 article in The Nation, Greg Kaufmann focused attention on the randomized study of CEO and how it significantly reduces recidivism and cost savings.
“The nonpartisan, nonprofit social and education policy research organization, MDRC, found that program participants were 16 to 22 percent less likely to be convicted of a crime and reincarcerated; and cost savings associated with reduced recidivism were between $1.26 and $3.85 for every $1 in program spending.
“’It is very unusual to find recidivism effects like this,’ MDRC spokesman John Hutchins commented. “’In fact, other research on transitional jobs programs that we’ve conducted has not shown the same results.’”
To read the article click here.
CEO on Important EEOC Settlement
The Center for Employment Opportunities’ Executive Director/CEO Mindy Tarlow was quoted in an article detailing the historic settlement in which the EEOC narrowed the scope of criminal background checks that employers may use on prospective employees. In the finding, the EEOC determined that employers may not use blanket exclusions in hiring practices, particularly for individuals who were arrested but not convicted, applicants convicted for minor offenses, and applicants convicted decades earlier. Tarlow noted that with overly broad bans ”job candidates never get in the front door and don’t have any chance to explain their situation.” The ruling by the EEOC should go a long way in reversing that trend.
To view the article please click here.
Watch us install the Released exhibit!
If you are walking down 5th avenue you may find yourself looking at windows filled with a display quite different from the shops that line midtown. CEO has recently installed an exhibit in the Art in the Windows at the Mid-Manhattan library located on 5th avenue and 40th street. The exhibit features photography taken from Released with Conviction, a multimedia project that features participants of the CEO program photographed by three talented photographers. The photographs will be up until April 30th.
The installation took a long day, a tall ladder, 50″ prints and several helpers. Our photographer, Jeyhoun Allebaugh, took a video of our Director of Marketing, Cara Shih, and crew installing the exhibit. Check it out:
Stop by the Mid Manhattan library and make sure to sign our guestbook! Also make sure to check out our events happening in Brooklyn this month.
Released with Conviction at the Mid-Manhattan Library!
Just as Released with Conviction closed last week at the Bronx Library Center, we are taking our exhibit on the road to other New York Public Library branches! Yesterday we were busy installing Released with Conviction at the Mid-Manhattan branch of the NYPL.
Released with Conviction multimedia exhibit offers a rarely seen perspective of those returning home from prison or jail through photography and interviews. Three photographers documented the lives of nine participants, all at different stages of the re-entry process. The photographs along with quotes tell the stories of these individuals and their families and friends on the journey with them.
For those of you who have already seen Released either at Culturefix last June or at the Bronx Library Center just recently, there is still plenty to see at this exhibit. The photographs are presented in a different way, changing the viewing experience. Part of our photographic exhibit in this iconic location is visible from the street, in the corner windows of 40th Street and Fifth Avenue. But there is much more to see once you’re inside!
Our opening night reception and screening will take place in early March. Check back to this blog for more details! You can also stop by during the library’s normal hours (until 4pm) to see the exhibit, now through April 30, 2012.
Follow us on Twitter (www.twitter.com/ceoworks) or Facebook (www.facebook.com/ceoworks) to stay updated on our events.
The Mid-Manhattan Library is located at 455 Fifth Avenue at 40th Street. Take the 4, 5, 6 or 7 to 42nd Street, Grand Central or the B, D, F or M to 42nd Street, Bryant Park.
CEO San Diego has Opened!
Last week our newest office opened in San Diego, CA! In total, 13 eager participants graduated from Life Skills Education and began their first day of Transitional Work on Monday. All of the participants seem motivated to succeed – for some, this was the first time they had graduated from anything; and for others, this was the first time they had earned a paycheck!
CEO work crews, in partnership with the City of Chula Vista, will perform a variety of public works tasks, such as landscaping and maintenance of the City’s numerous parks and open spaces, as well as some light custodial work in their Civic Center Complex.
Currently our San Diego office has the capacity of one crew, serving up to 75 participants a year. We’re hoping to expand to 5 crews serving 375 participants by 2013. This office is being supported through Federal Social Innovation Fund Awards from the Edna McConnell Clark Foundation and REDF.
For more information about our offices visit: http://ceoworks.org/our-offices/
Released with Conviction Opening Night a Huge Success!
The opening night event of Released with Conviction on November 16th was a huge success! The Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO) was proud to present the Released with Conviction multimedia exhibit with film screening and panel discussion at the Bronx Library Center.
CEO was thrilled with the community’s response to the event. Over 80 people-who made it out despite the chilly rainy weather!-watched Released with Conviction, a rare perspective of nine people who relate their struggles returning home from prison with the joys of reconnecting with family, community and the workplace.
After the screening, a panel discussion ensued about the larger topic of Second Chances. Sharon Jarvis, Head Librarian, was the moderator for the panel.
Bronx Council Member, Maria del Carmen Arroyo shared her strong support of CEO’s efforts and how important CEO’s services are not only to the formerly incarcerated but also to the families and communities that benefit from them. Council Member Arroyo is a strong supporter of the ATI (Alternatives to Incarceration) Coalition of which CEO is a proud member.
Mindy Tarlow, the CEO and Executive Director of CEO, discussed the mission of the organization, which is to help formerly incarcerated people find employment. She shared that, even in this tough economic climate, the proven model of CEO has led to 1600 job placements in the past year.
Also on the panel was Nick Higgens, Supervising Librarian for Correctional Services. Mr Higgens’ department brings mobile libraries to prisons and offers inmates a choice of reading material and advises them of the services the public library system can offer after incarceration.
Baron Johnson, a CEO graduate who was featured in Released with Conviction, touched the audience with his honesty and his humor as he relayed his story and his fears about reentry.
If you were unable to attend the opening night celebration, don’t fret! The Released with Conviction exhibit and screening will run through December 17th at the Bronx Library Center. If you enjoyed Released with Conviction, stay tuned for other upcoming events at other libraries throughout the city!
CEO Buffalo Receives Award from Mayor Brown!
On November 16, Buffalo’s Mayor Byron W. Brown and Citizen Services Commissioner Oswaldo Mestre presented CEO and fellow organizations with certificates for their work on Buffalo’s successful Clean Sweep program. The latest prevention program of the Save Our Streets (SOS) Task Force, the Clean Sweep program works to mitigate some of the challenges the citizens of Buffalo currently face and help improve the overall quality of life.
CEO crew members help during a Clean Sweep
In 2010 there were 23 different clean sweeps, resulting in many positive changes for the city. Services from various different agencies have, in the past, included: replacing missing or damaged street signs, rescuing animals from unsafe conditions, removing graffiti, distributing free smoke detectors to homes that needed them, addressing gas leaks and disconnecting illegal connections, providing referrals for children and adults to receive free or discounted dentistry services, and much more!
So how does CEO fit into all of this? According to Jeff Conrad, the Erie County Director of CEO, “Clean Sweeps entail CEO crews working with several other City of Buffalo departments such as Forestry, Police, Fire, Public Works, Sanitation, and Community Services. This is an extension of our normal duties working with the City of Buffalo.” Two CEO crews of 14-16 people assisted in the effort of removing debris and weeds inside and outside of a property, cutting overgrown grass, and cleaning up garbage.
Just how impressive is the work done by our crews? There were 234.82 tons of debris moved from homes, and out of the 116 lots with debris CEO was responsible for 114 of those properties. And they accomplished all of this within a regular work day. Amazing work!
Jeff received the Mayor’s award on behalf of CEO on November 16 at the annual Clean Sweep debriefing. CEO was mentioned throughout the meeting and we received high marks for our work in the neighborhoods. In particular we commend our Buffalo Site Supervisor Lonnie Angel for their leadership and effort on the sites! Congrats to the entire Buffalo team for your hard work and dedication!
Released with Conviction to Open at the Bronx Library Center!
Released with Conviction is back! CEO and the Bronx Library Center are proud to announce Released with Conviction multimedia exhibit. The project offers a rarely seen perspective of those returning home from prison or jail through photography and interviews.
We’re busy installing today and the exhibit opens tomorrow! Stop by during the library’s normal hours from November 9-December 17.
The official opening night with panel discussion and film screening is November 16 at 6pm. Click here to RSVP if you would like to attend. The Bronx Library Center is located at 310 East Kingsbridge Road.
The Center for Employment Opportunities is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing immediate, effective and comprehensive employment services to men and women with recent criminal convictions.
The CEO Academy: Advancing Our Client’s Careers
The second CEO Academy cohort of 2011 begins orientation on Monday, October 24th at 6pm.
CEO is dedicated to finding permanent full-time employment for our participants. We are also interested in making sure our participants are happy with their jobs and have the opportunities they deserve to advance their careers. The CEO Academy, which opened its doors in the fall of 2008, prepares participants with criminal convictions for entrance into trade school, supports them throughout training and helps them find jobs in the trades after graduation. The program is a great opportunity for participants to earn a nationally recognized certificate in plumbing, electricity and carpentry trades.
CEO Academy students spend 9 weeks at the Academy in the Bronx and approximately five and a half months at a participating institution. There is a graduation ceremony for participants who have successfully completed the program. Assistance with job placement and development opportunities is available after graduation.
The response to the program has been overwhelmingly positive. Staff have commented that for some students, the certificate they earned at the CEO Academy and the job opportunities that resulted have changed their and their families’ lives for the better.
“The Academy gave me knowledge of the electrical field,” said Jeffrey Guzman, a CEO Academy participant. “For me, it was a second chance. The skills I learned there, I use them every day.”
When asked why the CEO Academy is important to her, Career Enhancement Specialist January Johnson commented, “Any program with reentry is important. You’re interacting with formerly incarcerated people every day. It’s great to have a part in their development either directly or indirectly.”
Staff and students celebrate at this year's CEO Academy Graduation
Every year CEO Academy has two cohorts that join the program. The second cohort of 2011 begins orientation on Monday, October 24th at 6pm. Classes officially begin on this day but the CEO Academy is continuing to accept applicants until orientation.
Participants qualify for the CEO Academy if they:
- Have a criminal conviction
- Make an eight month commitment to the program
- Be willing to commute to and from the designated trade school twice in the evenings
- Have an interest in pursuing plumbing, electricity and carpentry trades!
- Have been working on a job for three months.
If you are interested in a career in plumbing, electricity or carpentry, call 646.393.4400 for information and scheduling an assessment. The address is 975 Kelly Street, Suite 401 in the Bronx. Take the 2 or 5 train to Intervale Ave and walk on Westchester Ave until you hit Kelly Street, where you make a right.
CEO Wins Small Business Best Non-Profit of the Year Award!
Chief of External and Legislative Affairs, Tani Mills with Chief Executive Officer, Mindy Tarlow
The results are in! CEO is thrilled to be recognized by the New York Enterprise Report as the Small Business Non-Profit of the Year. Every year, the NY Enterprise honors top small businesses in the New York area. Nominees were judged on their achievements and ability to demonstrate innovation and continue to create programs and activities that help fulfill their mission.
CEO’s own Mindy Tarlow and Tani Mills went to the New York Enterprise Award Gala and were inspired to meet the great New York businesses attending that evening.
As Mindy said, “Receiving this award reinforces our impact as a successful small business in NY with proven services that help match formerly incarcerated job seekers with small business employers that need our high quality human resource services.”
This award confirms our model for success as we expand nationally into Upstate NY, Oklahoma, and California. September’s Forbes Magazine highlighted our innovative work in our new office in Tulsa, Oklahoma that is supported by the federal Social Innovation Fund, the Edna McConnell Clark Foundation and the George Kaiser Family Foundation.
We are proud to have received the New York Enterprise Small Business Award and are honored to be affiliated with the other recognized small businesses in the New York area.
If you are interested in joining our team of employers please click here.
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