CEO’s mission envisions everyone coming home from incarceration with access to economic mobility and employment opportunities. Every year, more than 500,000 people return home from prison. Upon reentry, justice impacted people receive little to no support in finding a job, as well as a continual barrage of economic barriers. Without the right resources and opportunities, their path to economic stability is blocked, leaving 75% still unemployed a year after release. Our system fails to invest in these individuals—workers with real talent and drive—by ignoring their unique needs and shutting out their voices. 

Everyone should be able to access meaningful employment and step into a future filled with possibility. CEO aims to achieve this vision by advocating for changes at the state and federal levels that: 

  • Increase public investment to expand access to reentry employment and other services;
  • Redirect financial resources to people and families impacted by incarceration; and 
  • Dismantle policies and practices that reduce the quality of life and opportunities available to people with criminal records.


Top Level Priorities

1. Mobility: Every person returning from incarceration should have the opportunity, training, and support to access a quality job that advances their social and economic mobility.

2. Cash Support and Access to Benefits: Every person returning from incarceration should have access to immediate financial assistance benefits that ensure public safety, health, fairness, and access to opportunities during reentry.

3. Fair Chance Hiring: Every person returning from incarceration should be able to obtain employment without facing systemic barriers related to their records and the use of background checks in the hiring process.

Active Campaigns

The Reentry Cash Campaign is a multi-year policy and advocacy fight for meaningful employment and financial support for people returning from incarceration. The project builds on the success of CEO’s Returning Citizen Stimulus (RCS) program: the largest cash transfer program specifically for formerly incarcerated people.

This campaign is centered on evidence supporting the belief that when people transitioning from incarceration have the necessary support, the entire community benefits.

The 2024 campaign is currently active in CA, CO and NY - learn more about the campaign at reentrycash.org.

CEO’s Farm Bill Advocacy includes the Training and Nutrition Stability Act (H.R 3087 & S. 3190) and the Re-Entry Support Through Opportunities for Resources and Essentials (RESTORE)Act H.R. 3479 & S. 1753), both of which work to expand access for food security for justice impacted individuals.

  1. The Training and Nutrition Stability Act is bipartisan federal legislation that would fix an unintended consequence that occurred when Congress made changes to our nation’s largest food security program, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in the 2018 Farm Bill. Currently, wages that people earn in job training count towards one’s SNAP benefit levels, making the household ineligible for food assistance altogether during the precarious period of reentry. The Training and Nutrition Stability Act would close a harmful loophole that has excluded too many people for far too long from live-saving benefits. Factsheet available here.
  2. The bipartisan RESTORE Act would end the lifetime ban on SNAP for people with drug felony convictions. Currently, 21 states still enforce the SNAP drug felony ban to some degree. Learn more at the Drug Policy Alliance’s website.

The More than a Background campaign shines a light on the barriers justice-impacted people face in obtaining employment and seeks to limit the use of background checks in the hiring process. The goal of the campaign is to reduce the substantial challenges that justice-impacted people continue to face in accessing quality employment because of their records, regardless of their qualifications.

Learn more about the campaign at morethanabackground.org

Featured Stories

  • Broad Coalition of Over 50 Groups Urges House and Senate AG Committee Leadership to Pass a Comprehensive Bipartisan Farm Bill as Soon as Possible

    Anti-poverty, Agriculture, Employment Training, Food Security, Reentry, and Civil Rights Organizations Across the Country Fight to Expand and Protect Access to Food Security

    Read More
    press-releases

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

    External News Article

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

    External News Article

Organizing at CEO

The Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO) believes every person returning from incarceration should have the opportunity for full participation in society. Yet, people who have been impacted by mass incarceration are denied access to occupations and civic activities that would allow them to influence policy and systems. Public policies will have greater impact when crafted, championed and implemented by the people directly affected. In 2021, CEO launched the Organizing team to support justice-impacted leaders.

The Organizing team facilitates multiple opportunities to develop the advocacy and leadership potential of justice-involved people with diverse backgrounds, interests and professional goals. The Advocacy Leadership Committee (ALC) is a paid training program offered in several states as a supplement to CEO’s regular job development services. 

Through this 6-week evening virtual immersive program, ALC members gain a firm understanding of the democratic process, hone storytelling, and develop public speaking skills. Individuals with a key interest in CEO’s policy priorities are invited to join Policy Committee.Members continue to build upon existing skill sets, engage directly with elected officials and form new relationships on behalf of CEO’s campaigns. 

ALC alumni also have the opportunity to apply for the Advocacy Fellowship, a minimum 6-month work-based learning opportunity where fellows join the organizing team full-time, and acquire the training and practical experience necessary to launch a career in the social sector. The fellowship begins with completion of CEO’s 12-week internal apprenticeship program, known as the Emerging Leaders Program (ELP).

Fellows exit with a Certificate in Social Justice and Community Organizing through the University of Michigan.

CEO’s advocacy is fueled by the unique contribution of every person connected to CEO, and the belief that everyone, regardless of their past, deserves the opportunity to achieve a strong future. To that end, in FY24 we mobilized more than 700 impacted leaders within our organization and engaged nearly 200 public officials to advocate for our campaigns and ensure access to economic opportunity.

Please contact [email protected] for more information on CEO's policy and advocacy work.