We are excited to announce that on Friday, June 28th, we were informed that RecycleForce has been awarded a U.S. Department of Labor Reentry Employment Opportunity grant! These grant funds will allow us to provide training and employment opportunities for 190 more formerly incarcerated adult men and women in our community.
The Reentry Employment Opportunity grants are designed to support programs and improve employment opportunities for those who have been incarcerated in the youth or adult criminal justice system and released from prison or jail within two years of enrollment.
This is great news for RecycleForce, our clients and employees, and our community!
We’re also seeing some positive results from our partnership with the City of Indianapolis and their panhandler initiative, the Pathways to Employment program. Thanks to this innovative program, we are seeing men and women leave panhandling behind and regaining their dignity with paying jobs.
Personally, I am encouraged to see the growing interest and willingness of local governments, social enterprises and corporations to engage in reentry initiatives that encompass the recovery, job training, and employment opportunities needed to reduce recidivism and enable those reentering our communities to gain meaningful employment. Giving the formally incarcerated a second chance has a major impact on families, public safety, and in our case, a positive impact on our environment.