On December 17th, RecycleForce and Brightmark Energy announced a partnership that will enable our organization to continue its mission and expand our ability to support and prepare formally incarcerated citizens for the workforce. In turn, Brightmark Energy has committed to hiring workers who will be trained at our facility in Indianapolis, Indiana. Also, we will supply Brightmark Energy with 1,700 tons of hard-to-recycle plastics that we collect from partners, clients, and folks like you. The plastics that we will provide Brightmark Energy’s facility in Ashley, Indiana will be converted into ultra-low-sulfur diesel and commercial grade wax.
This partnership is important to our organizations’ missions and bottom lines, and it is also a big step forward for the people we work with to find meaningful employment at an income they need to support their families. The trained workers we will provide to Brightmark Energy will be paid a starting wage of $15 per hour, and they will live in and around Ashley, Indiana, where they will be close to work.
The Department of Correction is moving increasingly more returning citizens into Marion County. For some formally incarcerated citizens this can be miles from home. We currently employ a number of people who are originally from Fulton County, Jay County, Allen County, and other Northeast Indiana communities. With no or limited means of transportation, many returning citizens have to stay in Marion County away from their base of support and resources.
RecycleForce-trained employees will have a positive impact on communities that have experienced a decline in manufacturing jobs and seen residents move to cities for work. Last August, we released the finding from the Enhanced Transitional Jobs Demonstration (ETJD) project that details how our program reduces recidivism, benefit families, and local and state governments. The men and women who will be employed by Brightmark Energy will not only be going home, they will also be paying taxes and spending money in communities that have been affected by factory closings and the rise of low paying jobs.
We are excited about the partnership with Brightmark Energy, and we look forward to keeping you up-to-date on our progress.