Training New Yorkers for Good Paying Jobs of the Future: Governor Hochul Announces More Than $15.5 Million Awarded Through the Office of Strategic Workforce Development

Governor Kathy Hochul announced the New York State Office of Strategic Workforce Development has awarded more than $15.5 million in additional grants to support five projects across Upstate New York. Funding will help CEO to expand its successful construction pre-apprenticeship training for justice-impacted New Yorkers, increasing capacity in Buffalo, and ...

Tariffs, tariffs, tariffs

“Being able to ensure people have access to food security and [job] training just allows them to become more self-sufficient in the future,” said Leah Bacon, director of the Center for Employment Opportunities, which is leading a coalition urging a new farm bill.

Opinion: Would voting send me back to prison? No one in local government can answer

I had recognized my mistake and served my time. However, dread, low self-esteem and a sense of exclusion communicated a repetitive, singular message: “your voice, your beliefs, your opinions don’t matter.”

San Diego County Advances Equity in Job Hiring for Formerly Incarcerated

A new County ordinance builds on the state’s Fair Chance Act to give people with a criminal past a better chance of gaining jobs in the unincorporated area.

Ozone Park cleanup initiative kicks off

State Sen. Joe Addabbo Jr. (D-Woodhaven) and Councilwoman Joann Ariola (R-Ozone Park) met with the Center for Employment Opportunities last week to participate in its community cleanup initiative.

State, local officials discuss initiatives to address gun violence, root causes at roundtable

Lt. Gov. Austin Davis hosted a roundtable conversation to tackle the issue, with local officials and community members commenting on the initiatives they’re taking to find solutions. “Some people think that this [gun violence] is just a Harrisburg issue, or a Philadelphia issue or a Pittsburgh issue,” Davis said. “I ...

Opinion: Oklahoma's punishment-based probation system only speeds up incarceration

Trapped within the tangled web of Oklahoma's probation system, I have felt the crushing weight of its injustices firsthand, revealing a system that promises rehabilitation but delivers only oppression and recidivism. I cannot overstate the challenges and injustices that pervade this often-overlooked aspect of our criminal justice system, leaving individuals ...

CAPITO LEADS BIPARTISAN EFFORT TO ENHANCE REENTRY PROGRAMS, PROMOTE PUBLIC SAFETY

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), and Peter Welch (D-Vt.) introduced the Second Chance Reauthorization Act of 2024, which would reauthorize critical reentry grant programs from the Second Chance Act of 2008, which was most ...

NY would pay ex-inmates $2,550 after prison under bill to aid transition, curb recidivism

New York could give former inmates up to $2,550 after they leave prison under a pending bill meant to help them pay for food and rent while they seek jobs and stability. Advocacy groups backing the bill plan to rally at the Capitol in Albany on Monday to push for ...

Prop 47 Has Saved California Millions. These Are the Programs It's Funded

In 1997, Tommy Eugene Lewis III was sentenced to 41 years to life in state prison for attempted murder after he shot and injured another driver. He was 18 years old. Three years ago, at 43, Lewis was released from prison. He’d spent his entire adult life behind bars and ...

New city program encouraging Louisville employers to hire former felons

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A new city program is encouraging Louisville businesses to hire former felons. The initiative is called The Second Chance Supporting Business Certification. To be eligible, 10% of a company's employees must be formerly incarcerated. John Doublin knows how hard it is to get a job out ...

How KYTC Offers Former Inmates Job Training

A recent video detailed how the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet has helped former prison inmates get hands-on crew experience in landscaping, graffiti removal, rest area cleaning, and litter pickups as part of a job skills program aimed at putting them on the path to gainful employment. Since 2019, the agency has ...

New York boosts post-prison support fund in ongoing recidivism reduction effort

CAPITAL REGION, NY (WRGB) — Oudahsa Gause of Albany knows what it means to start over. “Learning to re-adjust to the outside again, inside of prison you're closed in, so nothing matters; the biggest issues don't matter but coming home and trying to set up a whole life all over ...

One Mistake Led to a Lifetime Ban of SNAP Benefits. This Reform Rollback Can End It.

Lawmakers introduced the RESTORE Act to address problems stretching back to the Clinton administration.

New initiative in Pontiac promotes workforce reintegration for returning citizens

Pontiac Councilwoman Melanie Rutherford said she's excited about the possibilities of this partnership

Second chance jobs give formerly incarcerated people a fresh start in Kentucky

April is Second Chance Jobs Month, which highlights the need for job opportunities for formerly incarcerated people and re-entry support services to help them gain and keep employment.

Beyond Bars? ⏤ Forum will consider challenges after release from prison

COLORADO SPRINGS — Close to 600,000 people a year are released from state and federal prisons according to the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics. “The objective once you come back is to get out and to do the right thing moving forward,” said Darrius Taylor who spent 22 years in ...

Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO) Expands Reentry Pathways for Newly-Released People Looking for Quality Careers

NEW YORK, NY — The Center of Employment Opportunities revealed this week it is expanding its Advanced Training Pathways program to provide individuals with criminal records access to high-quality and well-paying careers in fields with fewer barriers to entry.

Second Chance Job Fair for People Seeking Reentry Employment

More than 150 people attended an employer seminar and job fair this week for National Second Chance Month. The job fair is designed to help justice-involved individuals reenter the workforce through committed fair chance employers.

A pathway for returning citizens to living-wage trucking industry careers

Two nonprofits collaborate to scale their efforts and train people with histories of incarceration

Campaign Calls for an End to Background Checks for Those Who've Been Incarcerated

Everyone deserves a second chance, even those who have a criminal record. That’s the message sent by the Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO) in a thought-provoking public awareness campaign launched in time for Second Chance Month.

Hawks and Chase host 'Second Chance' Community Program with Full-Day Workshop for 10 Local Aspiring Entrepreneurs

ATLANTA – On Tuesday afternoon, representatives from the Hawks and Chase engaged with 10 aspiring entrepreneurs who have been impacted by the criminal justice system through the new “Second Chance” community program.

Nonprofit connects recently incarcerated individuals with employment

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Every Tuesday, as part of our Greater Memphis on a Mission series, we highlight organizations making Memphis better. This week, we caught up with a group that believes in immediate employment with daily pay for people on probation or parole.

A New Way to Help New Yorkers Adjust to Life After Prison

Under a newly proposed bill by a former incarcerated state lawmaker, New Yorkers released from prison could receive $2,500 in direct cash payments over a year, if it becomes law.

Bill in Colorado to provide cash assistance to people leaving prison dies

Colorado lawmakers killed a bill that would have provided direct cash assistance for daily expenses to support people recently released from incarceration.

CM Joann Ariola leads effort to keep streets in southeast Queens clean

Council Member Joann Ariola aims to keep the streets clean in her southeast Queens district with the help of city agencies and an employment program looking to improve the area.

Pilot program would provide cash assistance to people leaving prison

A Colorado bill aims to provide direct cash assistance for daily expenses to support people recently released from incarceration, with the ultimate goal of reducing recidivism.

Colorado lawmakers consider giving felons who are leaving prison up to $3K

State lawmakers are considering a bill that would provide up to $3,000 to convicted felons to help them transition back into society when they leave prison or jail.

An Inspiring Journey of Advocacy and Recovery

In the journey of recovery, one of the most powerful tenets is the idea of reaching back to help those who are still struggling, forging bonds of unity and selflessness within a community. Terissa M., a member of Voting Access For All Coalition, personifies this philosophy through her remarkable journey.

LOCAL NEWS Proposed bill in Colorado would give people leaving prison $3,000 to restart life, could save state money

Colorado state Sen. James Coleman knows times are tough for a lot of Coloradans. Especially if they have been convicted of a crime and served their sentence.

Democrats Propose Giving $3,000 to People Leaving Prison

Colorado Democrats are proposing a new cash assistance plan that would give people leaving prison up to $3,000 for "basic life expenses."

A New Plan to Lower Recidivism: Stimulus Payments to Formerly Incarcerated People

A bill filed in Colorado aims to break the cycle of incarceration by giving people up to $3,000 upon release from prison.

'You Can Succeed': Tulsa Woman Who Spent Years in Prison Wants to Inspire Others with Her Comeback Story

She says she's living proof people can succeed after being incarcerated.

Center for Employment Opportunities funding announced

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) — Senator Samra Brouk and Assemblymember Sarah Clarke announced $100,000 in funding for Rochester’s Center for Employment Opportunities office on Thursday.

Center for Employment Opportunities opens their doors for formerly incarcerated people

She says she continued to pay for her crime after she was released - that is until a parole officer told her about the Center for Employment Opportunities, or CEO.

Employment services for formerly incarcerated expand in Tulsa

A nonprofit dedicated to helping people released from prison is expanding in Tulsa. The Center for Employment Opportunities opened a new location on Denver Avenue and held an open house Thursday evening. CEO says they’ve helped thousands of former prisoners gain employment.

Center for Employment Opportunities expands reentry services to formerly incarcerated

TULSA, Okla. (KTUL) — The Center for Employment Opportunities in Tulsa expanded its reentry services to formerly incarcerated people with a new location.

Tulsa Nonprofit Helps Formerly Incarcerated Individuals in Job Search Training

Since Center for Employment Opportunities has been in Tulsa, it has helped over 2,000 people find jobs after incarceration. It's now moved into a new facility downtown, allowing it to help more people than before.

“I can see myself doing this for the rest of my life.” Finding a calling after incarceration

Michael Holder credits the Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO) with helping him find his professional calling and achieve job security. CEO provides employment services including community support, job-readiness training, and job placement and retention assistance—to individuals recently released from incarceration.

Amid millions of open jobs, finding work remains a struggle with a criminal record

While employers have indicated they are more willing to hire workers with criminal records in a tight labor market, job seekers say they face a tangle of barriers to getting work.

Proposed legislation could prevent jobseekers from losing SNAP benefits

New legislation announced Thursday could prevent those looking for jobs from having their SNAP benefits revoked.

Buffalo Next: Uncovering talent in a tight job market

McClam was part of a recent Buffalo Niagara Partnership discussion about cultivating “hidden talent.” The speakers agreed that employers can find good people to hire, if they know where to look for them.

NBA Foundation Teams up with the Center for Employment Opportunities to Expand Job Training in the Southern Region

Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO) is proud to announce a partnership with the NBA Foundation that will help justice-impacted job seekers access employment and career mobility across the South.

The Antidote to Street Crime​: Outsourcing, Employment, and the Recently Convicted

When I was a newly-minted Probation Officer in 1982 with the New York City Department of Probation in the Bronx, one of my first probationers was a middle-aged man who was convicted of Criminal Possession of a Firearm that he used to threaten his estranged wife with.

Formerly incarcerated individuals join county program to re-enter the workforce

HARRISBURG, Pa. — A new program started in Dauphin County that helps formerly incarcerated individuals get back on their feet. In partnership with the county, the Center for Employment Opportunity (CEO), a New York-based nonprofit, provides a structured, supervised program to assist formerly incarcerated people with their re-entry into the workforce.

Episode 142: Dr. Genevieve Rimer and Samra Haider - Center for Employment Opportunities

Joshua B. Hoe talks to Dr. Genevieve Rimer and Samra Haider about CEO's commitment to reimagining America's criminal justice system. Listen Now!

Donations to the Center for Employment Opportunities Support People Returning from Prison

Everyone has the potential to build a brighter future for themselves, their families, and their communities. Card rewards and other donations help the Center for Employment Opportunities give more people that chance.

Why Legislators Should Staff Formerly Incarcerated People Like Me

Experiencing the Colorado State Capitol for the first time can be overwhelming. I never experienced anything like it, and I certainly didn’t expect it to result in a job.

Graduating Into a New Life

State prison yards may not look much like college quads. But some activists and educators want to bring a piece of the collegiate experience to incarcerated people in California, allowing them to earn degrees and job training behind prison walls — and potentially reducing their likelihood of returning to prison ...

The Unemployment Gap Between Black and White New Yorkers Is Widening

The gulf between Black and white unemployment rates in New York City is now the widest it has been this century, exceeding even the largest gap during the Great Recession, according to a new report.

Opinion: Background checks and blanket hiring exclusions don’t reduce risk – they limit opportunities

Hiring restrictions, including background checks, prevent qualified job applicants from securing employment. For a work-obsessed nation in the midst of a labor shortage, we still go to great lengths to prevent people with past criminal convictions who want to work from accessing a job.

IT Training Initiative Provides Second Chances for Formerly Incarcerated While Filling the Tech Skills Gap

Amid rolling layoffs at major tech companies and talk of an impending recession, the information technology sector continues to have steady demand for talent that it can’t fill because of the widening skills gap.

Job Fair Hosted for Justice-Involved People Seeking Employment for Reentry

As part of National Second Chance Month, more than 200 people, many of whom had been previously incarcerated and are now looking for a fair chance to be part of the workforce, attended an employer seminar and job fair.

Michigan law should require prisoner ID program, lawmakers say

When Kenneth Nixon left prison in 2021, it took him six months to get his ID and driver's license. Because he didn't have his vital documents, such as a birth certificate, he couldn't open a bank account or get a job.

How To Improve Employment Outcomes for Young Adults Leaving Incarceration

Young adults reentering communities after incarceration face many barriers to finding stable work, but forward-thinking policies can lead to better employment outcomes and safer communities.

Activists vow to protect bail reform and close Rikers Island at Manhattan rally

On the last day of Black History Month, around 40 protestors gathered outside Governor Kathy Hochul’s Manhattan office, demanding the governor lay off her proposed bail reform rollback. Simultaneously, they also called for the permanent closure of Rikers Island.

Inclusive hiring: New LinkedIn partnership helps job seekers with criminal backgrounds

Genevieve Rimer's journey from incarceration to becoming a college-educated social worker illustrates that there is life after prison. And thanks to a new digital educational program that she’s leading at LinkedIn, Rimer hopes to prepare thousands of Americans with felony convictions for employment, a major step toward new opportunities and ...

Philly employment programs kick off this spring to help end cycle of violence

Rasheed Abdus says when he got out of prison four years ago, at age 21, he struggled to find a job. “Maybe cause I didn’t know how to use a computer,” he said. A friend connected him to the Center for Employment Opportunities, a national work readiness organization with a ...

2023 Farm Bill: What Lawmakers are Hoping to Achieve in Agriculture, Nutrition and Beyond

The 2023 Farm Bill is the comprehensive package that US Congress uses to set national agriculture, conservation, nutrition and forestry policy. The bill is made up of 12 titles and is known as the biggest safety net for American farmers. However, unlike most bills, the Farm Bill must pass. The ...

Lawmakers Are Laying Out Their Priorities For The 2023 Farm Bill : NPR

Lawmakers drank thick milkshakes brought to them by the Pennsylvania Dairymen’s Association as they listened to farmers, ranchers, and community leaders from around the state talk about their needs and wants for the 2023 farm bill.

Job Seeking with a Criminal Record

The course provides tangible skills on topics such as interviewing and resume building. Importantly, it also focuses on inspiring confidence in people with past convictions. Based on her own experience in the criminal legal system, Dr. Rimer shows learners that it is possible to find a great job even if ...

NPR: The U.S. farm bill is up for renewal this year. Here's what's at stake

The U.S. farm bill is up for renewal this year. It's a sweeping piece of legislation that contains provisions for food stamps, disaster aid, as well as agricultural subsidies.

The U.S. farm bill is up for renewal this year. Here's what's at stake

A long to-do list for lawmakers this year, and on that list is passing the 2023 Farm Bill. It's more than just money for farmers. It's also a bill about food stamps, disaster relief and climate change.

The U.S. farm bill is up for renewal this year. Here's what's at stake

A long to-do list for lawmakers this year, and on that list is passing the 2023 Farm Bill. It's more than just money for farmers. It's also a bill about food stamps, disaster relief and climate change.

Opinion: As a 58-year-old who was in prison for 40 years, I didn’t even know how to use a cellphone

After serving almost four decades in prison, I look at my wonderful life and can’t believe how blessed I am to have a career, a home and a loving fiance. It wasn’t a given, and it took hard work and a commitment to learn that helped me get on a ...

Opinion: How do we help formerly incarcerated people lead better lives? Digital skills training

When the pandemic took hold in 2020, remote work became a reality for millions of Americans — making digital skills even more necessary for job seekers.

Opinion: I got out of jail in February. Let me tell you about the job training that changed my life.

Some of my happiest memories are of my days playing baseball in San Diego’s Logan Heights, as the pitcher on my Little League team, the Little Padres, at Memorial Park. My mom loved to watch me and my older brother, who was our catcher.

OKC’s Center for Employment Opportunities Receives $1 Million Grant to Connect Jobs to Formerly Incarcerated

The Oklahoma City office of the Center for Employment Opportunities has been helping connect the recently incarcerated with employment since 2013. Now, thanks to a grant from the Truist Foundation, they’ll be able to offer additional support services to their clients.

Truist Foundation Awards Center for Employment Opportunities $1M

Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO), the nation’s largest provider of comprehensive employment services to people returning from jail or prison, has received a $1 million grant from Truist Foundation.

Thompson holds first farm bill session

Newly installed House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson, R-Pa., hosted his first public meeting on the 2023 farm bill on Jan. 13 at the Pennsylvania Farm Show here, emphasizing the need for farmers and producers to get involved in the process and “stay at the table.”

Researchers Partner with CEO’s Participant Advisory Council to Learn How to Improve Feedback

The Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO) provides employment services and other supports to individuals who have recently returned home from incarceration. CEO believes that organizations that listen to their participants and incorporate their voices into program decisions are better able to provide accessible and effective services.

Portable vacuums to 'make a big difference' in litter cleanup across Colorado Springs

Three new portable outdoor vacuums are helping Colorado Springs Public Works crews clean up the city more efficiently and effectively, part of an ongoing initiative to clear trash bags, aluminum soda cans, cardboard and other litter from medians and gutters.

This Winter the City Partners with RTS to Help with Snow Removal

Mayor Malik D. Evans recently said that a first-of-its-kind snow-removal partnership with Regional Transit Service (RTS) and Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO), which will clear snow from 85 prioritized bus stop and shelter locations in the city of Rochester.

RTS and Center for Employment Opportunities partner for snow removal intiative

Mayor Evans announced a snow removal partnership between Regional Transit Service (RTS) and the Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO).

Nonprofits fill void in training people of color

Nonprofits are working to prepare young people of color, those formerly incarcerated and tribal college students for career growth, especially in fields where they remain underrepresented.

Where employers fall short in reentry for formerly incarcerated individuals

Incarceration is undoubtedly one of the most trying periods of a person’s life. But at the point many are finally released and working to transition back to society, the barriers they face to education and employment can, in some ways, be more unexpectedly insidious.

After waiting three decades, 54-year-old Michigander will vote in first general election

At 54 years old, William Lewis is a first-time voter. It’s not that Lewis wasn’t interested in voting before this election cycle — for more than three decades, he was denied the right to vote because of several felony convictions and a prison sentence for armed robbery. But Lewis, who ...

Center for Employment Opportunities Partners with CompTIA

The Center for Economic Opportunities (CEO), a national nonprofit that provides employment services to people returning from jail or prison, is expanding its efforts to create pathways to IT careers through a new partnership with CompTIA, the nonprofit association for the information technology (IT) industry and workforce.

CompTIA partners with nonprofit to take individuals from incarceration to an IT career

CompTIA has partnered with a nonprofit to bring IT training to individuals returning from jail or prison, it announced Oct. 26.

CompTIA and Center for Employment Opportunities Launch IT Training for Formerly Incarcerated

Finding a job after being incarcerated is enormously difficult for a variety of reasons, yet it’s key to reducing recidivism.

Center For Employment Opportunities Partners With CompTIA To Help Returning Citizens Learn Tech Skills For Sought-After It Jobs

Free online training program provides CEO participants with a career pathway to high-paying jobs and economic mobility.

Center for Employment Opportunities Partners With CompTIA To Help Returning Citizens Learn Tech Skills for Sought-after IT Jobs

The Center for Economic Opportunities (CEO), a national nonprofit that provides employment services to people returning from jail or prison, is expanding its efforts to create pathways to IT careers through a new partnership with CompTIA, the nonprofit association for the information technology (IT) industry and workforce.

More Than 3,000 Residents in Workforce Development Services Engaged Through Community Partnerships

The City of Rochester has selected nine partners in the local human-services sector to engage more than 3,000 residents in workforce development programming.

City & State 2022 Nonprofit Power 100

Nonprofit organizations play an invaluable and yet overlooked role in New York. These organizations, with rare exceptions, are led by idealistic executives who toil day after day to make New York a better place.

Mayor Evans Announces Partnerships for Workforce Development Services

Mayor Malik D. Evans announced today that the City has selected nine partners in the local human-services sector to engage more than 3,000 residents in workforce development programming.

Agency offers free health clinic to formerly incarcerated residents

Free health screenings are part of a community health fair for residents who were formerly incarcerated.

Solano hosting community health fair next week

The fair, which will be hosted by the Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO) will provide access to free health screenings, wellness information and food to CEO participants and other formerly incarcerated individuals in the local community.

PBS NEWSHOUR: California looks to increase ‘gate money’ to help people adjust to life after prison

PBS NewsHour story on the importance of re-entry cash assistance featuring our RCS recipients Thanh and Allan and our CEO Sam Schaeffer.

Capital Region career fair helps formerly incarcerated individuals get on track

The Capital Region ReEntry Resource and Empowerment Fair isn’t a typical career fair. It's a fair and second chance for those in the criminal justice system.

Teaming Up Cleanup: CEO Partners with City of New Orleans

A first-hand look at teams in action working to clean up the City of New Orleans. The city is partnering with organizations to focus on litter, graffiti, and light.

Opinion: Why companies should hire formerly incarcerated workers like me

I’ve been an information technology support specialist in Detroit for half a year now, and I consider myself lucky because I love my job helping other people solve problems. But it wasn’t easy getting here.

Nonprofit helps former Green Country inmates become truckers

When Rodney Fisher was 22 years old, he was given a 52-year sentence for purse snatching. He was finally released in 2020 after maintaining his innocence for 34 years.

Local groups aim to build a ‘prison-to-tech pipeline’

Job discrimination against formerly incarcerated people in Oakland and elsewhere is rampant, despite California’s ‘Ban the Box’ law.

Preventing reimprisonment of formerly incarcerated individuals starts with higher-paying jobs

The city should work with unions and re-entry providers to create work opportunities that facilitate and track long-term success.

Multiple organizations work to clean up flooded basements on Detroit’s east side

It happened over a year ago, but folks on Detroit’s east side still desperately need help cleaning out flooded basements. Thanks to a significant grant, workers were out in the neighborhood Thursday doing just that.

The Hard Virtues of ‘Soft’ Program Measurement

Participant feedback is generally pegged as the “softer” leg of nonprofit program measurement compared to quantitative approaches like randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Organizations can view input from users of social products and services more as a “suggestion box” than a critical measure of effectiveness. Meanwhile, the field has long considered ...

The National Reentry Workforce Collaborative Opens Registration for Inaugural Conference

Issues surrounding reentry, equity and inclusion, and the opportunities made available to justice-impacted individuals, are some of the most relevant, pressing civil rights challenges in our country today. Organizations and legislators that advocate for these individuals have a new opportunity.

New grant to help homeowners clean up basement flood damage

At the top of the year, nonprofit neighborhood organization Jefferson East, Inc. (JEI) announced a new program that would help residents of the East Jefferson corridor repair, replace, and elevate furnaces damaged by basement flooding brought on by the rainstorms of 2021, a program bolstered by a $250,000 grant from ...

New York Times: For People Just Leaving Prison, a Novel Kind of Support: Cash

Joining a raft of initiatives aimed at helping the formerly incarcerated, a program gives money to defray expenses they face, including court fines and rent.

JEI Receives $125K to Support Flood-Related Basement Clean-Ups

Jefferson East, Inc. (JEI) and the Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO) have received a $125,000 grant from the McGregor Fund to support their partnership in providing emergency support for flooding-related basement clean-ups for low-income households in Detroit.

GreenLight Fund exceeds goal in 2nd round of fundraising for anti-poverty programs

GreenLight Fund Detroit, launched to bring to the region programs with proven success in lifting people out of poverty, has completed a second round of funding.

Pittsburgh City Council gives approval for partnerships to hire formerly incarcerated people

Pittsburgh City Council has given the final go-ahead for the city to begin two partnerships — one with an organization that helps employ people who have recently been released from jail, another to refurbish old electronic devices.

Pittsburgh council advances measure to help recently incarcerated people find jobs

Pittsburgh City Council on Wednesday advanced legislation that would allow the city to enter an agreement with a nonprofit to provide temporary employment opportunities to recently incarcerated individuals.

Pittsburgh working on partnership to find employment for recently incarcerated people

Pittsburgh City Council on Wednesday gave preliminary approval to creating a partnership between the city and the Center for Employment Opportunities, a nationwide organization that helps provide temporary employment to people who were recently released from incarceration

Opinion: After prison, it was hard to find work and start over. I now make it easier for others.

It’s been 22 years since I walked out of prison with a GED diploma, a handful of program certificates I earned “inside” and a mixture of fear and optimism about what was ahead of me. Looking back from the place where I now get to help people who are in ...

Opinion: I was facing years in prison for a burglary charge. Here’s how I turned my life around.

In June 2019, a South County Superior Court judge gave me a choice between accepting 12 years to life in prison or choosing the stringent conditions of a plea agreement and rebuilding my life after a burglary charge. I chose my life. After a year in the George Bailey Detention ...

Company helps formerly incarcerated people

Kurt Phillips, who was formerly incarcerated, works for a company that tries to help people like himself find jobs and support.

Editorial: Jamming the revolving door between prison and the streets

More than any other reason, released prisoners end up back in jail because they can’t find dignified work that pays a decent wage. Mr. Burgess’ proposal would establish a partnership with the Center for Employment Opportunities to provide transitional work for people coming out of prison.

Pittsburgh councilman introduces legislation that would provide jobs for former inmates

The city of Pittsburgh has 10,000 vacant lots that need care and former inmates who need new careers. Councilman Ricky Burgess sees the chance to help both.

Pittsburgh Council delays vote to 'strengthen' bill regulating pedestrian stops by police

Pittsburgh City Council on Tuesday held off on giving final approval to a bill that would regulate pedestrian stops by police in order to consider suggestions for amending the bill.

Pittsburgh councilman wants to provide temporary jobs for recently jailed people at no cost to the city

Legislation introduced to Pittsburgh City Council Tuesday would urge the city to explore employment opportunities for recently incarcerated people.

City council considering new legislation surrounding policing and incarceration

Pittsburgh City Council proposed two new ordinances during Tuesday’s meeting, one to approve a contract for an outside consultant to analyze the city’s police force, the other to create a work program for people recently released from incarceration.

Google expands program to help train the formerly incarcerated

Last April, Google launched Grow with Google Career Readiness for Reentry, a program created in partnership with nonprofits to offer job readiness and digital skills training for formerly incarcerated individuals. As a part of an expansion, Google today announced that it’ll invest just over $8 million in organizations helping “justice-impacted” ...

Congress Needs to Invest in Returning Citizens

A little after five on frigid, dark Buffalo mornings, Audrey Mayo fires up her van to begin picking up her team for the 6:20 AM meeting to drive to Gamma North, a global major window contractor.

Charlotte groups pair mental health services and job opportunities as potential solutions to cut down crime

The SAFE Charlotte program just released its latest round of grant recipients and this time, two of the main focuses are pairing mental health and workforce development as a way to hopefully deter crime.

Scanlon announces $1 million to support workforce training

Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon announced $1 million in new federal funding she recently secured to support a workforce training program for formerly incarcerated Philadelphians. It is one of 10 Community Project Funding awards, formerly known as earmarks, Scanlon delivered for her district through the Fiscal Year 2022 federal government funding ...

Colorado Springs woman calls stimulus funds 'blessing' for formerly incarcerated Coloradans

A new program is helping formerly incarcerated people across the country.

Nonprofit gives $1.5M cash to more than 600 formerly incarcerated Coloradans transitioning back to community

Heather Fitzsimmons was working on getting her life back together and staying clean while on probation in Aurora when she noticed what seemed to be an extra deposit in the account where she gets paid.

Empowering Returning Citizens To Connect To Higher Education And Employment Opportunities

When people leave prison or jail and reenter society, they often face a variety of barriers that can make it difficult to successfully and permanently reacclimate and avoid returning to old destructive habits. One factor in whether reentry is successful is whether returning citizens can find good jobs and careers ...

Cuyahoga County hosting job and resource fair for formerly incarcerated

During “Reentry Week 2022,” the Cuyahoga County Office of Reentry is hosting a job and resource fair to help people with criminal records opportunities for employment and a fresh start.

YMCA job fair to showcase opportunities for Bronxites with past convictions

The Center for Employment Opportunities and Councilmember Kevin Riley will host a job and resource fair on Friday, April 22 for people who have been incarcerated or convicted of criminal offenses.

Cincinnati residents with criminal history get a second chance at jobs

The Center for Employment Opportunities hosted a re-entry job fair aiming to employ those who have a criminal history.

Fair Chance Hiring: An Employer’s Competitive Edge

In this tight labor market, employers are eager to hire. But too often, they overlook a large pool of talented, dependable, high-performing workers, who tend to stay at a job longer than the average hire.

Broken Ladders: 15 years in prison taught Fresno man lessons about life and redemption

Programs like the Center for Employment Opportunities make all the difference in the lives of formerly incarcerated people, like Christopher Williams, 37, who now works as an assistant at the CEO office in Fresno, doing office work and filling in wherever he is needed.

CEO's Derick Bowers on the Lurie Daniel Favors Show

The Center for Employment Opportunities' Director of Social Enterprise Derick Bowers joins activist, attorney, and author Lurie Daniel Favors on SiriusXM to discuss the Returning Citizens Stimulus.

Broken Ladders: How a new Fresno program is helping 68-year-old parolee restart life

Timothy Rodriguez was serving a 20 years to life jail term when Gov. Gavin Newsom commuted his sentence in March 2021 because of his age (68) and vulnerability to COVID.

Broken Ladders: New program gives formerly incarcerated people chance to work, restart life

When 37-year-old Christopher Williams was released from the Corcoran State Prison after serving 15 years for second-degree murder, he found his trials were far from over.

Solano County Center for Employment changes lives daily by breaking the cycle of incarceration

As director of the Solano County Center for Employment Opportunities, Dr. Marcus Mills and his team have seen firsthand the impact immediate and effective employment services can have on individuals with justice backgrounds.

A blessing in disguise: The Workforce Development Board of Solano County and its partner gave a Vallejo woman a new life after jail

When Mariah Nance, 31, of Vallejo was arrested and released on bail in 2017, the once storage rental company manager found herself jobless.

From incarceration to career: A workforce development partner gives a Vacaville woman a pathway to full employment

After five years of incarceration, Erica Kucinskas walked out of prison in January 2021. She had her freedom, but no job.

Opinion: Little-known policy penalizes returning citizens training for new jobs

As more than 10,000 Michiganders prepare to rejoin their communities this year, they will face steeper barriers to rebuilding their lives because of a little-known policy that penalizes them for pursuing critical job skills and paid training that aligns with their career dreams.

Broken Ladders: Climbing the economic ladder in Fresno can be tough. Here's why

Americans love rags-to-riches stories. But Fresno, like many cities in the U.S., has not shown itself to be a city of opportunities, especially for certain populations. Social and economic mobility are limited — a lingering product of Fresno’s history of racism, segregation and redlining.

California gives people leaving prison just $200 to start over. After 50 years, that could change

A California lawmaker wants to increase the allowance that people released from prison receive to cover basic needs for the first time in nearly 50 years.

How the Returning Citizen Stimulus and CEO Help the Formerly Incarcerated

CEO's Director of Social Enterprise Derick Bowers appeared on Roland Martin Unfiltered to discuss the Returning Citizen Stimulus and CEO's program model. (Clip begins at 1:21:43)

Current state of workforce and innovations practices highlighted at Kentucky Chamber Summit

In the midst of the ongoing workforce shortage, Kentucky businesses, workforce development partners, and human resource experts gathered at the 7th Annual Workforce Summit to discuss solutions, best practices, and resources to help address hiring and retention needs.

Employers Must Rethink How They Treat Talent With Criminal Record

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.

Philly looks to expand initiative offering support to potential shooters before they pick up a gun

Despite the ongoing pandemic, Philadelphia officials said they are trying to expand one of their key gun violence prevention programs. Read More

CEO Cleveland Ready to Help Formerly Incarcerated Get to Work

CEO Cleveland Director Devon Hickman spoke with TV20 News to discuss CEO’s program and work. (Discussion starts at 5:08)

Indy Give! 2021: Center for Employment Opportunities

COLORADO SPRINGS — FOX21 News is once again working with the Colorado Springs Independent for this year’s Indy Give! campaign. Recently, the Center for Employment Opportunities joined FOX21’s morning crew to talk about its work and what help it needs from the community.

CEO Provides Second Chance Through Work

(A free email subscription on Colorado Springs Business Journal is required to view) - For those newly released from prison, especially those who have served extended sentences, reacclimating to society can seem like an insurmountable task. Industries have been shuttered, technology has marched on without them, and old contacts and ...

Released Prisoners May Receive $2,750 in Direct Cash Assistance?

What happens if the state gives direct cash assistance—$2,750 spread out over three payments to released prisoners? This is what the state of California is trying out. A law now allows prosecutors to recommend incarcerated people for release if that person received a particularly excessive sentence, or has shown that ...

Prisoners will get a $2,750 check when they leave prison

Gate money: The concept of “gate money” — a little bit of cash upon leaving prison — isn’t new. In fact, a lot of states send prisoners home with some funds in their pocket, generally at least enough for bus fare and a meal. But for most, the cash barely ...

How $24M in Cash Grants Provided a Lifeline for Returning Citizens During Pandemic

Commentary by Sam Schaeffer and Ivonne Garcia: Navigating a return from prison or jail is hard even at the best of times. But during a pandemic it can be daunting. Scott, who was released from a California prison this year after serving six and a half years of a 10-year ...

This Program Is Testing What Happens When You Give Cash To People Leaving Prison

In California, a law allows prosecutors to recommend incarcerated people for release if that person received a particularly excessive sentence, or has shown that they’ve rehabilitated themselves while in prison. Now, 50 people who are released under that law will be part of a test: What happens if they also ...

Innovative Cash Transfer Program Helped 10,000 Former Prisoners Meet Essential Expenses During Pandemic, Improving Their Feelings of Financial Stability

Nonprofit research organization MDRC released a new study today showing that the Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO) successfully implemented an ambitious cash transfer program, the Returning Citizens Stimulus, during the pandemic.

CEO Atlanta Speaks With NEWS-TALK 1380 WAOK [PODCAST]

CEO Atlanta was a guest on the Rashad Richey Morning Show from 7:00 AM - 10:00 AM. Check out the segment that starts around the 7:40 AM mark.

Reporter’s Notebook: Center for Employment Opportunities establishes first Georgia office

[Scroll towards the bottom for story] The Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO) is coming to metro Atlanta, its first office in Georgia, in collaboration with GreenLight Atlanta. The two organizations aim to increase economic growth and mobility among folks who are coming home from prison.

GreenLight Fund Detroit seeks second-round funding for efforts to improve lives of Detroiters in poverty

Boston-based GreenLight Fund announced its intent to come to Detroit in 2016 and made its first "investment" or grant of $600,000 in 2018 to New York-based Center for Employment Opportunities to bring its proven model for getting returning residents into jobs to Detroit. Since then, the group has employed 25 ...

How Listening to Constituents Can Lead to Systems Change

Giving stakeholders space to ask questions, interrogate findings, and brainstorm responses is a second way that peers evolved from listening to participants to empowering them to self-advocate. For example, the Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO)—which works across 31 cities in the US to help formerly incarcerated individuals find steady jobs—began ...

Removing Barriers to Success Created by the Criminal Justice System

The Justice and Mobility Fund is a collaborative effort of the Ford Foundation, Blue Meridian Partners, and the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies, which together have pledged US$250 million to boost the economic mobility of 77 million Americans—about one third of all adults—who have been caught in the criminal ...

U.S. Bank uses grant to create employment opportunities [VIDEO]

Erica DiMartino-McNertney, CEO Cincinnati Site Director, joins Fox19 Now to discuss U.S. Bank's investment in CEO's program.

U.S. Bank Foundation invests $1 million to support emerging leaders and community-led solutions to address economic disparities

MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--U.S. Bank Foundation today announced a $1 million investment to 20 nonprofit organizations driven by a diverse group of exceptional emerging leaders who are focused on creating effective community-led solutions to the increasing economic disparities.

Coalition Boosts Economic Mobility Within Criminal Justice System

A new coalition, The Justice and Mobility Fund, is heading an effort to help lift the economic fortunes and provide opportunities to people previously impacted by the criminal justice system. The coalition starts with an initial investment of $250 million, $145 million of which has already been distributed to nine organizations.

New Partnership Focuses On Helping Former Inmates Find & Maintain Employment [PODCAST]

Michael Taylor, CEO Atlanta Site Director, discusses the launch and goals of the organization's 31st location. Discussion starts at 25:30

How to Implement Fair Chance Hiring at Your Organization

As many as one in three Americans have some kind of criminal record — more specifically, between 70 and 100 million. But even a minor infraction, such as a misdemeanor, can create lifelong obstacles for someone when it comes to accessing housing, public assistance and especially employment.

Ford Foundation and partners announce $250 million commitment to easing the path from prison to workforce

LaTanicia Rogers needed a lot of things when she was released from federal prison last May. After serving 10 years of a 15-year sentence for Medicare fraud, Rogers was released early as covid-19 overran the prison where she was incarcerated. She saw guards and inmates become ill, and a woman ...

Opinion: Key Fixes for New York’s Broken Parole System Await the Governor’s Signature

It wasn’t the eight months of military-style, intense shock incarceration that finally broke me; it was my parole officer. After my incarceration at Lakeview Shock Incarceration Correctional Facility for non-violent offenders in Brocton, New York, I quickly realized I was living in constant fear of reincarceration. My parole officer had ...

Opinion: Addressing biases and barriers can help solve worker shortage

Employers across California are asking, “Where can we find workers?” The truth is that many hundreds of thousands of Californians are locked out of opportunity. And it doesn’t have to be that way. Many of our state’s most pressing economic challenges are the consequence of inaction. In this case, more ...

To Boost Hiring, New York Makes Case for a ‘Clean Slate’

For many Americans, criminal records stand as stubborn barriers to employment and housing. Several states are now advancing efforts to automatically seal and expunge those records.

Getting Former Prisoners Back in the Workforce [Video]

It can be hard for people to find employment because of their past mistakes. However, this nonprofit helps citizens get back on track with the tools they need to find work.

CEO Denver's Kristen Payne Talks with Channel 9News About the Program in the Local Community.

Watch video in the link.

A Transitional Work Program That Leads to Long-term Success

One in three adults in the United States has a criminal record. That’s 70 million people, according to American Progress. Even after they’ve fulfilled their time, the formerly incarcerated are five to seven times more likely to be unemployed, a statistic further exacerbated by COVID-19. Organizations such as the Center ...

Google, nonprofits, to expand training for previously incarcerated people in Bay Area

Google Partners with Nonprofits on Skills Training for Formerly Incarcerated People

Google will join New York-based groups The Ladies of Hope Ministries, Center for Employment Opportunities, Defy Ventures and The Fortune Society to help improve job prospects for people with criminal records, a group that's unemployed at 5x the national average.

‘They have a chance’: Center finds jobs, restores hope for formerly incarcerated

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A Charlotte organization is making progress finding work for people released from prison, despite the pandemic. Channel 9 has previously reported on the outcome of a lawsuit that is forcing North Carolina prisons to release 3,500 people early due to COVID-19 concerns. Anchor Brittney Johnson talked to ...

'You just want to ... have a chance.' Ex-offenders struggle to find jobs amid pandemic

Back in 2015, Bill Livolsi Jr. had no trouble finding work even though he'd been convicted of wire fraud and was upfront with potential employers about his crime. But that was before the COVID-19 pandemic. "I am applying to jobs left, right and sideways, " says Livolsi, who has been ...

Wilson’s World: Proper Recycling and Waste Management with Mecklenburg County Solid Waste

For the past 3 months the Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO) has been working for Mecklenburg County. CEO provides immediate, effective, and comprehensive employment services exclusively to individuals who have recently returned home from incarceration and provides employment to folks that normally would have a difficult time finding full time ...

BronxNet Discusses CEO's Program for the Formerly Incarcerated

OPEN Host Daren Jaime sits with the Communications Manager at the Center for Employment Opportunities, Jovanni Ortiz discussing how the program is providing employment services for recently incarcerated individuals.

Moving Mountains discuss CEO with Chris Watler [Podcast]

Sasha Talks welcomes the opportunity to recognize nonprofits that are delivering value and empowering communities through professional development within the United States. This segment highlights the efforts of CEO Works, Center for Employment Opportunities, which exclusively serves people who have recently returned home from incarceration, the majority of whom who ...

Wind, unsecured trash bring more litter along Interstate 25 in Colorado Springs

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- A common perception is that much of the litter that accumulates along I-25 in Colorado Springs comes from people who toss it from their vehicles as they drive by. But that's hardly the case.

San Diego ‘Gets It Done’ — 7,000 Tons of Trash Removed from Public Spaces

Three years into a citywide effort to keep San Diego clean and safe, Mayor Kevin Faulconer brought together partners of the city’s Clean SD program Tuesday to highlight the progress in removing more than 7,000 tons of trash, debris and waste from public spaces across the city.

Michigan to end ban on food stamps for people with drug convictions

Michiganders with two or more felony drug convictions will no longer be banned for life from receiving food stamps under a change in the state budget.

Center for Employment Opportunities is increasing jobs and reducing recidivism for returning citizens

'Now I have a second chance': Center for Employment Opportunities connecting former inmates with jobs in Charlotte

Putting Rochester First: Center for Employment Opportunities

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) — News 8 is continuing a two month initiative with the United Way called Putting Rochester First where we put the spotlight on local organizations that need your help. Jessica Centeno from the Center of Employment Opportunities came into the studio to discuss how their organization is ...

Nonprofits offer stimulus to Detroiters returning home from prison, jail during COVID-19

Nonprofits that help individuals re-enter society after incarceration are providing up to $2,250 to hundreds of Detroiters who need assistance during the coronavirus pandemic. The Center for Employment Opportunities, a national nonprofit with an office in Detroit, is spearheading the Returning Citizens Stimulus for formerly incarcerated people and others involved ...

Groups want Whitmer to end lifetime ban on food stamps for people with drug convictions

A coalition of organizations is calling on Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and legislative leaders to end a longtime policy that permanently bans Michiganders from receiving food stamps if they have two or more felony drug convictions.Advocates argue the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services policy that disqualifies people from Supplemental ...

[PODCAST] Getting to Know Tulsa's Center for Employment Opportunities

On this edition of ST, we learn about Tulsa's Center for Employment Opportunities (or CEO). CEO is a nationwide nonprofit that helps people who've just come out of prison find jobs and/or acquire skills and training. The Tulsa CEO branch opened in 2011; our guest is Adrienne Yandell, who directs ...

United Way Wednesday: Center for Employment Opportunities

This week’s United Way Wednesday highlights the Center for Employment Opportunities in Rochester. Sarah Fletcher, site director, joined us to explain how the United Way is working with the center to provide people with tools needed to build a successful career and maintain financial stability.

The Positive Mind Radio Show Interview on Mental Health

The Positive Mind Show on 99.5FM in New York City spoke with Christopher Watler, CEO’s Chief External Affairs Officer and Alexandra Poolt, CEO’s Manager of Supportive Services regarding the organization's mental health initiatives.

Picking up trash on Ohio's highways, interstates is never-ending work

Helping ODOT in cleanup efforts are inmates at the Lebanon Correctional Institution and workers from the Center for Employment Opportunities. “That is a tremendous benefit to us. It saves time, money, puts our manpower to work to maintain the roadways, repair the roadways,” said Fuller. "When you’re looking at the ...

[PODCAST] Center for Employment Opportunities: Providing jobs as a launchpad

The Returning Citizens interviews CEO Detroit. Finding a job can be a daunting task for returning citizens for all types of reasons-- gaps in work experience, lack of resources, stigma, and so much more. In this episode, we sit down with a team that’s in the trenches every day, hitting ...

Weather slows some trash pickup along I-25 in Colorado Springs

According to the Colorado Department of Transportation, the frequency of snowstorms this fall is delaying some trash removal.The private agency [Center for Employment Opportunities] former prison inmates who do the work as part of their parole -- replacing Keep Colorado Springs Beautiful, which employed volunteers who working off community service ...

Oklahoma's First Lady Welcomes Commuted Workers To Centennial House

It’s been 10 days since Oklahoma’s historic commutation. Nearly 500 inmates were released from the Oklahoma DOC. With a record, many formerly incarcerated individuals knew it would be hard to find work. But some of those who found the Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO), landed in the governor’s backyard.

Hundreds of Oklahomans are free from prison tonight, but what happens next?

Oklahoma no longer leads the nation in incarcerated citizens. This was not a one-time event to try to make the numbers look better, it's actually a change that took place three years ago in the courts. Several felonies were dropped down to misdemeanors for things like simple drug possession and ...

CEO's Sr. Director Cynthia Brackett of Vocational Services on BronxNet Talks Bronx Open House & More

Senior Director Cynthia Brackett of Vocational Services for Center for Employment Opportunities (C.E.O.), joins Host Doctor Bob Lee on BronxNet for a look at their Bronx location, their work to provide employment, and their upcoming Bronx ribbon cutting.

Kentucky Launches Partnership with Nation's Largest Evidence-Based Reentry Employment Provider

FRANKFORT, KY (Oct. 8, 2019) – The Kentucky Department of Corrections (DOC) today announced the opening of the Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO) -- a program that provides immediate, comprehensive employment services to people returning home from prison.

‘It’s hard coming out of the penitentiary’: CEO offers new opportunities

As a regular routine, Sky Easley gets up at 5:50 a.m., brushes his hair and teeth, eats a block of cheese for breakfast and hops on his bike for a 19-minute ride to a “work crew” meeting at Northwest 4th Street and North Walker Avenue. Easley, 23, and other individuals ...

CENTER FOR EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES PLANS TO HELP MORE CLIENTS INSIDE ITS NEW, LARGER SPACE

With its larger space, the Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO) is planning to expand its reach to formerly incarcerated residents. Since June, Greater Oklahoma City Chamber member CEO has been operating out of its new space, 501 N. Walker Ave., Suite 160. The nonprofit organization used Chamber-member CBRE commercial real ...

For Minority Mental Health Month and Beyond, Services Must Meet People Where They Are

The scenario was familiar to anyone working in social services: a young man sat in the reception area of the Center for Employment Opportunities’ New York City office waiting for a weekly appointment with his job coach. Recently released from incarceration, he had enrolled in CEO’s reentry employment services, joined ...

Rochester's New Office Open House a Success!

CEO Rochester hosted a successful new office opening event on June 27, 2019 to formally introduce the new space to the community! It was a packed event with guest speakers that included The Monroe County District Attorney, Sandra Doorley, Monroe County Public Defender Director, Tim Donaher, City Councilmember Willie Lightfoot ...

C.E.O. Works battles the prison-to-poverty pipeline in Cincinnati

CINCINNATI (WKRC) - In Cincinnati, there's a new program working to end the prison-to-poverty pipeline. The goal is to help people formerly incarcerated find housing and work. In just one year, C.E.O. has helped 196 people. Patrick Guggino is one of them.

Stitt appoints reform advocates to parole board

Gov. Kevin Stitt announced three appointments to the state’s Pardon and Parole Board on Tuesday that he said will bring a “fresh perspective” to a board from which he wants more inmate applications. The governor’s office announced the appointment of Kelly E. Doyle, Adam Luck and Robert Gilliland, who each ...

How to address your criminal history in a job interview

For many job seekers with a criminal background, getting asked by a prospective employer to describe their record is their worst nightmare. But having a criminal past isn’t a deal-breaker for most employers, a recent survey by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and the Charles Koch Institute (CKI) ...

How I Would Spend Trump’s Wall Money

Is an additional $5.7 billion for a border wall really the best way to protect Americans? While President Trump is playing with billions of dollars and millions of lives, I decided to play with that money, too – to advance the greater good. Here’s our own toy wall, which may ...

Time for businesses to take the second step for prison reform

This past December, President Trump signed into law the Formerly Incarcerated Reenter Society Transformed Safely Transitioning Every Person Act — also known as the First Step Act. This legislation represents a powerful bipartisan commitment to federal criminal justice reform. Following the passage of the First Step Act, there has been ...

Oklahoma City: Finding career success after prison

OKLAHOMA CITY (KOKH) — Oklahoma has one of the highest incarceration rates in the United States, and leaving the system can be a vulnerable time for a person. The Center for Employment Opportunities says job training for people who were formerly incarcerated is a money saver for tax payers and ...

Improving an Employment Service With a Former Prisoner’s Feedback

When Betty McCay finished a 27-year prison sentence, she was 63 and needed help finding work. The Oakland, California, chapter of the Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO), an organization that helps formerly incarcerated people find jobs, got her a position picking up trash on California highways. CEO sends texts to ...

CDOT acknowledged for parolee work program partnership with Center for Employment Opportunities

DENVER — The Center for Employment Opportunities has recognized the Colorado Department of Transportation for its role in providing transitional work to individuals on probation or recently released on parole. CDOT's partnership with the Center for Employment Opportunities has provided employment for nearly 200 people since May 2017. Participants in ...

Building Organizational Muscle and Mindset to Gather Participant Feedback

The Black Lives Matter movement and national voices like Bryan Stevenson of the Equal Justice Initiative have placed a spotlight on the grim shortcomings of our criminal justice system—calling for it to improve the lives entrusted to it. Downstream organizations like ours, the Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO), are also ...

More nonprofits embrace data-driven decision making

In a world awash in data, it's not only Wall Street firms and Silicon Alley data scientists crunching numbers these days. Nonprofits, traditionally viewed as risk-averse, slow-moving organizations, are increasingly getting on the performance-review train. A growing number of firms are amassing information, analyzing trends and testing methods to better ...

San Diego Center for Employment Opportunities helps former inmates find jobs

One local organization is giving jobs to hundreds of people who were formerly incarcerated. Elizabeth Alvarez was live with Robert Smith from the Center for Employment Opportunities to talk about how the organization helps former inmates get back on their feet after prison.

Funding Feedback

How the Center for Employment Opportunities in San Bernardino gives those on probation or parole a second shot

SAN BERNARDINO – Inside an inconspicuous building on South E Street, Michael Wahome, Larry Bethea, Armando Lopez and a team of others are attempting to lower recidivism statistics one parolee, one probationer, one person at a time. Those at the Center for Employment Opportunities know what they’re up against: A ...