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The first time David stood on a stage and looked out at an auditorium filled with rambunctious kids, he was 27 and in the custody of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR). He was sweating under the bright lights and a little nervous, but David knew he was there for a reason bigger than himself.

In the heart of North Carolina, Charlotte is steeped in rich history and known affectionately as Queen City, the fight for voting rights continues to unfold, especially for those facing the justice system. Eddie, a participant with the Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO) in Charlotte, knows these challenges all too well.

From the start, the Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO) Charlotte’s Site Director, Tiffany Miller, has had a passion for serving those who have been justice-impacted.

“I had the same enthusiasm with my new company as I did with CEO, and within three months I got a promotion,” Tiffani said. “The staff at CEO taught me that my past doesn’t define me, and encouraged me to be my best.”

Success is often built on solid partnerships, trust, and shared values. For Construction Junction, a leading player in the construction industry, this has undoubtedly been the case in their collaboration with Pittsburgh's Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO) office. We had the pleasure of hearing from Melissa Mongelli, the General Manager of Construction Junction, to discuss this employment partnership and how it has positively impacted their business and work culture through reentry services.

“CEO had staff available for anything I needed, but I didn’t ask for much until I had to,” Eddie said. “You can extend a hand to someone, but they still have to do the work. CEO gave me the opportunity, and I took advantage of it and worked hard.”

After returning home from incarceration two years ago, Anthony knew that he needed to work towards a career path if he was going to support his family, so he called the Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO) after a friend recommended the organization.

When Junior M. first met State Senator Cooney (D-NY) in Rochester, New York last September during a site visit, the father of three was working for the Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO), beautifying the highways for the New York Department of Transportation and rebuilding his life as a formerly incarcerated person.

Lori doesn’t believe in limitations. She was told that the trucking industry wasn’t for women, so she studied every day until she learned the commercial driver's license test inside and out.

In the bustling streets of Philadelphia's Germantown area, a remarkable partnership recently unfolded between the Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO) and Mayor Cherelle Parker.