TFE receives Community Impact Award
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True Freedom Enterprises recently received the Community Impact Award from Dominion Energy which is given to local non-profits that are making Ohio communities great. Below is the article that appeared in the Cleveland Magazine showcasing the work we are doing.
Founded in 2017, True Freedom Enterprises’ Workforce Training Experience connects incarcerated individuals - first-time, nonviolent offenders who receive training in prison and are within 90 days of release - with externships.
The program includes transportation, on- the-job supervision and job placement help. The first work sites were culinary settings, with construction experiences added later. The inaugural group of seven women graduates had a 100 percent placement rate upon their release from prison, all with full-time work and benefits in restaurants.
Michael Swiger, executive director of True Freedom, notes that initial skepticism on the employers’ behalf was mitigated quickly. “We were able to show that we have people who want to work and have the skill to work if they’re just given a chance,” he explains. “The problem we’re having now is having enough people available to the employer.”
