Nonprofit connects recently incarcerated individuals with employment

Corie Ventura
·2 min read
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MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Every Tuesday, as part of our Greater Memphis on a Mission series, we highlight organizations making Memphis better. This week, we caught up with a group that believes in immediate employment with daily pay for people on probation or parole.

During a job fair, Jason discovered CEO, the Center for Employment Opportunities, a nonprofit connecting the recently incarcerated with employment, advanced training, and support services.

“I was just having a lot of trouble finding a job,” Jason said, “and I don’t like being out of a job for long.”

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Patience Lewis-Walker is the Deputy Executive Director. “We connect them pretty immediately to employment. They participate in our transitional crews and work crews– where they’re paid every single day. They’re also receiving other support, some wrap-around services so that they can be successful at gaining longer-term employment.”

Four days a week, participants load up in work vans, pick up trash, and mow grass across the city.

“We do a lot of landscaping and things of that nature,” said Patience. “Something that they can do pretty quickly. It’s really less about the work and more about the experience of building the skills that make a great employee.”

What Jason likes most about CEO is, “It’s a good thing that you’re getting paid every day and you’re picking up trash but they don’t want that for you. They want more for you.”

That is why the fifth day is resource day.

“Training on computers, doing job searches, meeting one-on-one with your job coach, practicing interviews, doing resumes,” Patience said.

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Jason will celebrate his one-year full-time employment this summer and was recently promoted to Car Sales Certification Inspector.

“Regardless of your background, regardless of the kind of conviction, we believe that every person deserves an opportunity for another chance,” said Patience.

That is why Brown Missionary Baptist Church donated $1,000 to the Center for Employment Opportunities. Because seconds chances can be life-changing.

For more information about CEO, click here.

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