Worcester Business Journal

wbjournal.com | September 30, 2019 | Worcester Business Journal 21 Worcester could be a craft beer town Prostitution survivors need jobs V I E W P O I N T E D I T O R I A L I n 2018, craft brewers made up 13% of all beer made in the U.S., up a per- centage point from 2016. That's good for $28 billion in reve- nues split among the country's 7,000+ craft breweries. Even as less beer was consumed in the country overall from 2017 to 2018 – down 1%, according to the trade group Brewers Associa- tion – craft beer's star is rising. The share of that market in the city of Worces- ter last year was split among four breweries, with another facility added in January. By 2021, Worcester should have at least eight brands be- ing brewed in the city after Wachusett Brewing Co., Bay State Brewing Co. and Soul Purpose join Wormtown Brewery, 3Cross Fermentation Cooperative, Flying Dreams Brewing Co., Great- er Good Imperial Brewing Co. and Redemption Rock Brewing Co. While eight is certainly not a number to sneeze at, it still pales in comparison to beer-lover destinations like Portland, Maine with 22 breweries and Burlington, Vt. with 11 breweries, where visitors can walk around all day imbibing at different locales. Yes, Central Massachusetts has several well established breweries including Tree House Brewing Co. in Charlton and Jack's Abby Craft Lagers in Framingham, which attract a sub- stantial number of visitors in their own right, but they are not part of a larger beer scene in their neighborhood. L iving in Freedom Together, Inc. is a survivor-led nonprofit working to end prostitution through implementing the Equality Model – calling for high-quality exit services for individuals exiting that life, including education and employment. Prostitution doesn't occur in a vacuum, and exit services cannot either. is is a community issue, and must be solved by a comprehensive approach relying on business support. It's easy to get swept up in the ex- citement of the Worcester renaissance and even easier to forget how such significant change impacts the com- munity's most vulnerable populations. Consideration must be given to how a sprawling city center and new stadium will benefit our whole community, and what consequences big development brings. For example, areas with big sports venues experience increased incidents of prostitution. LIFT works to help women exit the sex trade, and we need businesses to support our efforts in order for survivors to remain out. Recovery requires employment, for without employment women cannot access essential needs. Viable employment options for survivors, matching their interests and skills and giving them a purpose, are vital to sustaining recovery. e biggest driver to women reentering the sex trade is lack of meaningful employment. It may seem as if the business community and women exiting prostitution have nothing to do with the other, but that is untrue. We recognize businesses are hesitant to take on the risk of hiring someone with a criminal history or in recovery from substance-use disorder; but if local business- es took the opportunity to hire survivors and invested in their development, the return on the investment would far surpass the time and energy spent acquiring it. Survivors are some of the most creative, hardworking, resilient, and resourceful individuals, and these are transferable skills. More than 75% of LIFT staff are survivors, and our growth is due to our commitment to investing in them. LIFT wouldn't be a thriving nonprofit without these incred- ible women. Survivors have the skills to benefit an array of businesses. e question is: Are employers willing to play their role in addressing exploitation and stop the cycle of exit and reentry into prostitution? We at LIFT hope so, be- cause if our community doesn't provide access to economic opportunity, we are continuing to fail our most vulnerable. I encourage business owners to invest in this communi- ty and provide employment to survivors. Companies can help prepare survivors to reenter the workforce by offering professional development or other skill-building programs. If you're interested in providing economic opportunities for survivors, empowering women to remain out of prostitu- tion, and assisting them in recovery, please reach out. We talk about equality and shattering glass ceilings, but as we do, we must help survivors get a foot in the door. As Fallon executive Kimberly Salmon said earlier this month at the WBJ 40 Under Forty event, "Li as you climb ladies." I put that message into action, and I hope you will too. Nicole Bell is CEO of Worcester nonprofit Living in Freedom Together. BY NICOLE BELL Special to the Worcester Business Journal Worcester, on the other hand, feels like it can grow its craft brew niche further, not by adding more large facilities, but by encouraging more of the smaller brands like Redemption Rock or 3Cross, who are brewing a few hundred barrels and primarily selling their creations onsite. With a strategy to become even more of a craft beer destination, support from the Worcester Planning Board and City Council, and a little more buzz, the city has the potential to develop a corridor of craft beer facilities. While Portland benefits from a strong base of tourists, Worcester County has more than twice the population of Cumberland County in Maine and benefits from a significant college population. Reaching critical mass with our craft brewers would likely add to the number of outside visitors attracted to the region. The culture in the craft brew industry is already extremely collaborative with the five existing Worcester breweries partnering on numerous marketing and manufacturing efforts, including working together to make a distinct Worcester beer. Whether it's restaurants or craft breweries, the more entrepreneurs who are producing a high-quality product, the better it is for all. The craft brew scene in Worcester has yet come close to a saturation point, and that encouraging the expansion of the industry can have a significant upside in keeping Worcester's buzz going strong. The Worcester Business Journal welcomes letters to the editor and commentary submissions. Please send submissions to Brad Kane, editor, at bkane@wbjournal.com. Nicole Bell W A T H O U SA N D WO R D S B Y D O N L A N D G R E N W

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