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Shannon has made a career turning struggling businesses into winning operations. But his biggest success has been his ability to turn his own life around in a way that positively influences many.

Losing a job during the pandemic could have been a catastrophe for Shaun. But thanks to the Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO) program and our Returning Citizens Stimulus (RCS) cash assistance, this setback didn’t stop him from achieving economic mobility.

Jordan, a Center for Employment Opportunities participant in San Diego, didn't think he'd need access to the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). While transitioning back home, Jordan's sober living facility provided meals. Even if he had been eligible, Jordan didn't want to apply for a benefit he didn't need. But like so many, Jordan was negatively impacted by a SNAP policy that penalizes people for getting employment training.

At CEO, we have a vision that each person returning home from incarceration will have access to a quality job and economic mobility. Even though more than 600,000 individuals return home from incarceration each year, they are largely unable to access our country’s public workforce system and the support needed to focus on employment training during reentry. This past winter, CEO invited federal lawmakers to 9 of our sites to hear directly from justice-impacted experts on needed changes to law to make employment training better.

Devon Hickman, CEO Cleveland Site Director, testified before the Ohio legislature in support of SB 288, which expands opportunities for judicial release in Ohio.

“Growing up, I always wanted to be popular and fit in,” Jose says. “That’s basically how it all started.”

Carmen was 40 years old when she found herself caught in the grips of addiction. Carmen’s life began spiraling out of control, resulting in recurring trips to jail and drug clinics, followed by long stretches of probation. She felt her life was starting over again from scratch every time she returned from incarceration or rehab, with no resources or support system. Carmen’s children grew weary of the seemingly never-ending routine, and cut off contact with their mother.

Joel was raised in Uptown New Orleans, the youngest of four siblings. Being the “baby boy,” as he calls himself, Joel grew up mostly with just his mother in a “crime-ridden neighborhood.”

“For individuals returning from incarceration,” Christopher says, “financial support is needed immediately. Without my SNAP benefits, I hate to imagine what life would have been like for me coming home. I never want to be in that position of desperation.”

Isaac talks on a cell phone outside of a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) training center in Detroit, Michigan, during his lunch break. Despite the cold weather, he insists that the fresh air is gladly welcomed. After being incarcerated for over four decades, he is taking the reentry process “day-by-day.” While acknowledging his strong support system of family members, he admits that the transition hasn’t been without its difficulties.

Imagine what it is like to look for work with a past felony conviction. Every time you are applying for a job, the burden of your conviction weighs on you. You worry about having to explain your conviction to a hiring manager -- a person that doesn’t know you. Even if you are qualified for a job, you might find it hard to get past the initial application process, where you may have to check a box indicating you have a past conviction, and you know deep inside that you won’t get a call back.

CEO is the largest provider of transitional job opportunities for people returning to the community from prison or jail. We connect people immediately to paid employment and guarantee every participant who completes a one-week job-readiness orientation up to four days a week of transitional work on a crew and daily pay – a critical asset during an important time.