Worcester Business Journal

wbjournal.com | April 18, 2022 | Worcester Business Journal 11 We would hire former convicts Would you consider hiring a former convict to work at your company? The Worcester County Sheriff's Office and the nonprofit Fresh Start, among others, are working on programming to help former prison inmates get workforce training and jobs, both to reduce recidivism and help the labor shortage in the Central Massachusetts economy. When polled online, more than three out of four WBJ readers said they would consider hiring a former convict at their company. F L AS H P O L L Impacts of U.S. incarceration Yes 78% No 22% "In the '70s, I exited after taking the Honeywell Dat Program in the big house. Was by a computer company. Over my career, I rose to a senior director with a large staff. Buried my stay in the big house over time, as it served no purpose. Ex-cons can be a viable source of labor, including the ones I would take a risk on & appreciate the opportunity to change the path they were on." - D.B. "Former convicts are worth the chance you take on hiring them. If they work out, they will be a loyal employee, and most of them do not want to go back to their former ways and would appreciate the opportunity you can provide to them." - Mike Emberley COMMENTS and I promise to change my life'. Twenty-five years lat- er, I got my promise, and here I am now," Kiser said. A second chance for the forgotten As a former Worcester public school teacher and mental health coun- selor, Kiser under- stands the complex- ities that influence young people to join gangs. rough Fresh Start, he focuses on four pillars: self- care, life skills, community involvement, and intervention and prevention. e wellness center features a music room, gym, and art room where local kids can express their emotions in a healthy way. He also uses subliminal therapy while offering services such as haircuts and employment assistance. Ul- timately, Kiser's goal is to eliminate the mental anguish, sadness, and anger. Children in schools and adults with jobs cannot focus on learning or work- ing if they are focused on literal survival such as being in dangerous environ- ments, not having access to food, or worrying about violence affecting their family and friends. "at's what I do, I minimize your negative risk factors and empower you with positive factors through your life choices because life's all about choices; but if you are so polluted in your choices it becomes so cloudy, you're not seeing the clarity of what's right or what's wrong," Kiser said. Kiser has strong relationships with both gangs and local law enforcement, making him a bridge in a divided system. Fresh Start has provided 280 in- dividuals with jobs and provided mental health services to more than 100. Where is the funding? Judges have court-ordered prisoners attend Kiser's program and work with him to find jobs. Fresh Start has part- nered with the likes of the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce, which has hired program participants for the cleaning initiative Worcester Green Corps. Chamber President and CEO Timothy Murray speaks at Fresh Start classes. Yet, while Fresh Start works to deter criminal activity, Kiser has not been able to secure consistent community funding. Kiser's personal savings and remortgaged house sustain Fresh Start. He does not get paid for the 40 hours a week he works. During the pandemic, Kiser had to reduce the entire first floor he rented out on Austin Street to a few rooms since he could not afford the expense. When seeking nonprofit funding, Kiser oentimes feels like the process is stacked against him. "I'm not a good grant writer. I don't know how to do the proposals," he said. "en say, 'Where's your data at? Where's your funding at, and where's your financial sponsor?' You have individuals that's in this community that want to continue self preservation. ey want to continue to give to the indi- viduals that they know. A lot of these individuals from the city that hold this money are on certain boards, and that's the good old boy network." Fresh Start in 2020 received a $60,000 grant from the Barr Foundation in Boston, in order to keep its doors open during the pandemic. at funding will run out soon. A volunteer workforce On any given day, Fresh Start's space is being used by other nonprofit orga- nizations who lack space of their own. Roberta Nelson, Daniela Marie, and Lisa Candalaria are all volunteers at Fresh Start who use the 16 Austin St. office to coordinate their community efforts. Candelaria has been a social worker for 22 years and is a clinician at Worces- ter nonprofit Seven Hills Foundation. She volunteers at Fresh Start and uses his reputation to give her access to help individuals who otherwise would not seek treatment. She said Kiser understands the idiosyncrasies that oen derail those in recovery or those who want to leave a life of crime. Employment is key to stabilizing a person who is at-risk. "It's like a cycle. If you can't get a job, you go back to the life," she said. Nelson is a family friend of Kiser's whose nonprofit Life Empowerment Coaching uses motivational program- ming to help people, especially youth, deal with daily stressors in healthy ways, rather than seek drugs. As someone who is in recovery herself, Nelson un- derstands the struggle and seeks to help children build hopes and dreams. Nelson has been a volunteer at Fresh Start for over a year when she began beautifying the neighborhood so that kids could take pride in their homes. "It is a blessing to work with Derrick," Nelson said. Marie focuses on urban gardening to yield community benefits like sus- tainability, providing fresh foods, and beautifying neighborhoods. "It was not just about the food, but it was a way for people to participate in their community; and Derrick has given me a platform to do that," Marie said. Ideally, Kiser would like to hire peo- ple like Nelson, Marie, and Candelaria who want to work and help at-risk populations in Worcester. "If I was able to pay them, we would accomplish so much because we have vision," Kiser said. Employment program Kiser visits the Worcester House of Correction multiple times a week to speak to the prisoners and gang members to help them break unhealthy cycles. With a bicep full of tattoos hon- oring friends who died in gang fights, Kiser can connect to the jailed men in a way that most people cannot. "Because of his experience being involved, particularly in the gang cul- ture of Worcester, he can not only talk to talk, he's walked the walk; and not everybody has that background," Sheriff Evangelidis said. Kiser and Evangelidis both recognize the importance of re-entry programs and job opportunities. Stable em- ployment oen makes the difference between prisoners reforming their lives or falling back into crime. "It's oen said that a job is the best social service program, and I believe that. If you do the work on the inside, we will help you outside," Evangelidis said. Incarerated today in prison or jail 1.9 million 4.9 million Formerly incarerated in state of federal prison 19 million Ever convicted of a felony 79 million or more Have a criminal record Have an immediate family member who has ever been to prison or jail 113 million adults Source: Prison Policy Initiative, 2020 Kiser chats with Timothy Murray, president & CEO of the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce, after Murray speaks to a class. W

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