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In Tennessee more than 62,000 people are on parole, probation, or community supervision. In Shelby County alone, approximately 7,000 people are released from prison or jail every year. Like Jason, most of them are ready to work and rebuild – but unlike him, they may not have a program like CEO to turn to.
In a period of great uncertainty, it is helpful to remember there are some basic economic goals that everyone can support, one of which is access to opportunity. Regardless of the tools we use to get there, an economy where everyone who is both qualified and ready for employment can participate is a victory for all: businesses grow, consumer confidence rises, the economic strain on our communities is greatly reduced, and the workers who are the bedrock of our economy can build careers that support themselves and their families.
It’s been nearly a year since Isaac Sanchez was paroled after nearly 18 years in prison. He credits a cash grant from the state’s Helping Justice-Involved Reenter Employment (HIRE) program for playing a key role in helping him stay on track.
A new Marin County Civil Grand Jury report highlights major gaps in employment support for people leaving jail, calling for stronger coordination between county agencies and reentry organizations like CEO to reduce recidivism and improve job outcomes.
RALEIGH – A state reentry program started last year is helping people who used to be incarcerated secure jobs on transportation work crews and get identification cards to access housing and healthcare more easily.
The Center for Employment Opportunities' (CEO) transition team seeks to help people in San José returning home after serving time in prison. "For people on parole or probation, the program helps them find work while they go to clean the highways," explained Fernando Hurtado, supervisor.
Now, a new independent evaluation of the initiative suggests that short-term aid may have positive long-term effects. The study comes as some states are considering whether direct financial support is an effective — or appropriate — tool for reducing recidivism.
A new bill in the U.S. House of Representatives could make it easier for people to get job training while they're receiving federal food assistance.
A nonprofit is helping people coming out of the criminal justice system find jobs. John Green is on a transitional work crew with the Center for Employment Opportunities in Tulsa. John was recently incarcerated and when he got out, he found changing his life would not be easy. “You know how it is, a lot of people are judgmental,” Green said. While Green was struggling to find work, he came across the Center for Employment Opportunities or CEO Tulsa.
Inside this recycling plant is a room full of second chances. “We help people who’ve been convicted of crimes get second chance opportunities to get into the workforce,” Center for Employment Opportunities social manager Ryan Marshall said. Formerly incarcerated people work recycling styrofoam, but for many its more than just a job. It’s a step toward a new life.
Oakland County Executive Dave Coulter, with a team of previous honorees, announced today the Oakland Together 40 Under 40 Class of 2025. They are a diverse and dynamic group of changemakers shaping the future of Oakland County. Now in its 13th year, the program highlights young professionals under 40 who are making a meaningful impact in their communities through innovation, leadership and service.
Jonathan Calixto is joined by Samra Haider, the President of the Center For Employment Opportunities, to address the employment barriers facing individuals after their release from incarceration.
One of the most challenging barriers to stability for the formerly incarcerated can be finding stable employment, said Courtney Daniels, director of CEO Cincinnati.
Programs like the Returning Citizens Stimulus don’t just improve lives—they reduce unnecessary incarceration and save public funds.
It can be tough for individuals to transition back into society after being in prison, but Columbus’ Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO) is working to make that process easier by providing immediate paid employment to those recently released from prison. “Thanks to CEO, I’m a better man today, and I look forward to more positive stuff in my life, and I just love waking up now,” participant Ronald Grier said.
Hundreds of Ohioans are getting a fresh start thanks to the National Returning Citizen Conference that gets underway in Columbus on Thursday. It’s an opportunity for people who used to be incarcerated to share their stories and find support as they reenter society. The Center for Employment Opportunities in Columbus is among those programs taking part in the conference. The organization helps former inmates not only find employment but also give back through city cleanup projects.
Providing direct support to people returning from incarceration can provide them with greater economic stability and job security, helping to break the cycle of recidivism.
Center for Employment Opportunities helps formerly incarcerated individuals find work and transition back into society after release. Participants earn $10.50 an hour picking up litter along the highway or at Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority properties.
Center for Employment Opportunities and the San Diego Homeless Court come together to acknowledge and celebrate the achievement of helping justice-impacted individuals turn their lives around.
Caltrans and a San Rafael-based nonprofit, the Center for Employment Opportunities, have struck a partnership that regularly sends out cleanup crews whose time alongside our freeways provides members with income while they are receiving job training and counseling.
The Los Angeles County homelessness budget approved last week included tens of millions in cuts to established services, including a 78% reduction in funding for the region’s main homeless workforce development program.
This week, the Center for Employment Opportunities launched "At What Cost?" The campaign says redirecting funds from incarceration to job training could save taxpayers billions and reduce repeat offenses.
Organizations like CEO Atlanta are crucial to the work JPMorganChase does to help drive impact in the communities it serves and support access to more career opportunities to justice-impacted individuals.
More than 30 organizations sent a letter to state lawmakers this morning voicing concern over the lack of funding for reentry programs in Gov. Gavin Newsom’s budget proposal, as the prison population is expected to increase following the passage of a tough-on-crime ballot measure last year known as Proposition 36.
