RecycleForce is a unique social enterprise, in that we offer services that appear to be very different from one another; our transitional jobs services would not be successful without our training and certifications programs; our reentry programs wouldn’t reduce recidivism if it were not for our partners and relationships with local law enforcement and the Department of Correction; and we wouldn’t be recycling toxic electronic waste and generating revenue if we didn’t operate like a business.
We are able to balance these complicated and seemingly unrelated services and business models because we are constantly learning, testing, implementing and adjusting the way we approach all of the disciplines required to accomplish three primary goals; to provide men and women with the counseling, training and knowledge they need to be productive members of our community; recycle toxic materials to generate revenue to pay employees and to clean-up our environment; and lastly, to harness the talents and energy of our team and partners to maintain and sustain a social enterprise that benefits families, our community, public safety, and the local economy.
The balance isn’t always easy to maintain. The commodities market is in constant flux; a political or policy change at the U.S. Department of Labor can force us to adjust our monitoring and reporting systems; and the rewarding of a grant can open new doors to more counseling opportunities for our clients.
How do we maintain the balance between the recycling industry, social services, and human services that we provide? We analyze the ways each service supports or hinders the other, and through the principle of consilience, or unity of knowledge, we make the adjustments necessary to increase efficiencies and to maximize our impact on our clients and community.
I invite you to visit our website and to arrange a tour of our facility and see firsthand how RecycleForce is changing lives, bolstering public safety, and supporting our local economy.