Each April marks the celebration of Second Chance month, recognizing the power of redemption and the importance of providing opportunities for people to rebuild their lives after experiencing incarceration. This nationwide event was created in 2017 by the Prison Fellowship to bring awareness to the barriers faced by the estimated 19 million people with a criminal record and high recidivism rates that result.
At JBM, Second Chance month gives us the opportunity to put the spotlight on our Fair Chance Program. With more than a quarter of our team members hired through this program, our Fair Chance program has continued to grow since its start in 2016. Our purpose is to become the role model for a sustainable, purpose-driven company, and we hope that by sharing how Fair Chance has worked for us, we inspire other businesses to explore second-chance hiring.
Here’s a snapshot of some of our Second Chance month activities:
- Katie Pyzyk, Senior Reporter for Packaging Dive, profiled our program in the feature article “Second Chance Hiring Can Bridge Labor Gaps, Break Employment Barriers.”
- Cara Plus, a non-profit workforce development organization, created an excellent case study detailing our Fair Chance Program and all the highs and lows we’ve experienced throughout its development.
Read the case study: REASSEMBLING THE WORKFORCE: THE CASE FOR FAIR CHANCE HIRING
View their promotional video “Reassembling the Workforce with JBM”
- Our President and CEO, Marcus Sheanshang, led a Fireside Chat with Tina Galiano Mandell, Senior Manager of HR Regulatory Operations of Discover Financial Services, for a Cara Plus webinar that unpacks how employers can take the leap to invest in fair chance talent.
- Jacqueline Cooley, JBM’s Leader of Learning and Development, participated in a webinar with the Manufacturing Institute: “Manufacturers Continue to Lead the Way on Second Chance Hiring” (you can still download the toolkit for the presentation).
- The JUMPSTART team announced big news about a new correctional institution they will be supporting in this video!
- We hosted our annual Better Lives Graduation event celebrating those Fair Chance team members who committed to our year-long “Better Lives” support program.
As we close the doors on Second Chance month, we hold our doors open to other organizations looking to explore how Fair Chance hiring can work for them. Please contact us if you’d like to learn more about our program and the services we provide our Fair Chance employees to support their re-entry and build Better Lives!
