Jobs

READI Chicago: North Lawndale Employment Network

Founded in 1999, the North Lawndale Employment Network (NLEN) serves residents of the West Side neighborhood through innovative employment initiatives to promote economic opportunity and improved quality of life.

“We started NLEN in direct response to a community need we were seeing for employment opportunities for our brothers, sisters, sons, and daughters returning from correctional institutions,” said Jose Wilson, director of facilitation and organizational learning for NLEN. “When we looked at the mission and vision of READI Chicago, we were excited because we knew there weren’t a lot of services being provided for this population.”

‘This population’ is those who are at the highest risk of gun violence involvement: typically young adult men facing high exposure to trauma, barriers to employment, and disconnection from traditional social and support services.

This is why partners like NLEN, with meaningful and longstanding community relationships, are critical to the success of READI Chicago. By relying on organizations with deep community presence and credibility, READI ensures that community change and economic development come from those who know their communities best, and that participants have access to a wide array of services and resources.

“It’s important for NLEN to hire individuals with lived experience because those are the folks who we’re serving,” Jose said. “We believe that once an individual has done their time, they deserve an opportunity to work and move forward.”

One of these employees, who Jose says are critical to identifying service gaps and informing programming, is READI Chicago Lead Coach Sadie Joseph.

Sadie has been with the READI initiative since its launch in 2017. Her professional skills facilitating cognitive behavioral therapy and professional development, along with the 25 years she spent incarcerated, have helped her inspire and support countless young men in READI.

This summer, Sadie shared her experience at Heartland Alliance’s annual women’s event, Standing Together: A Conversation About Equity. The panel featured four Chicago-based women and criminal justice experts discussing and exploring what can be done to help women who are impacted by permanent punishments—the complex system of policies that prevent people with criminal records from accessing resources necessary to rebuild their lives.

“When you come home after incarceration, it’s like starting all over again from the beginning,” Sadie said. “It’s heartbreaking when no one is willing to take a chance on you.”

Sadie said she is where she is today, helping others to turn their lives around, thanks to NLEN’s U-Turn Permitted, and to the training and investment Heartland Alliances makes into READI Chicago staff and partners. Through our staff’s lived experience, credibility, and compassion they’re able to build relationships with men who have been disconnected and are off the grid. Investing in communities and people through community-based organizations is essential to building a lasting ecosystem of safety and opportunity.

“It’s important for us to shift from punitive to restorative when we think about criminal justice involvement and community development,” Jose said. “People are worth restoring.”

When it Comes to Creating Opportunity, Farms Work

When your model for individual and community development is based upon human interaction, things like a global pandemic really throw a wrench into your work. For Hannah, Jo, and Irvin of our Chicago FarmWorks urban farm, the arrival of COVID-19 forced the team to quickly adapt their nutrition and workforce development programs. It was just in August that the farm was reopened to participants and volunteers, but what they are coming back to is a system that is in some ways more efficient, welcoming, and impactful.

“We are a person first farm, meaning our production model is designed with the people we serve in mind,” said Jo Mathias-Porter, FarmWorks site coordinator. “Not just recipients of the food, but the participants who come in and make this whole place thrive.”

Chicago FarmWorks builds access to opportunity and nutrition through two systems: an in-depth transitional jobs program that provides workforce trainings, and hands-on skill-building through work on the farm itself. As coronavirus spread, the team had to build two new systems at the same time to adapt. To ensure the safety and health of their participants, in-person interactions shifted to telecommunications. To ensure fruitful yields for our community partners, they found ways grow more produce on less land.

“We focused on growing as much as we could – for both our participants and the farm,” said Hannah, FarmWorks project manager. “We provide food to our Vital Bridges food pantries – and lines were only getting longer during this crisis.”

The team also manages two other gardens – one at our Harvest Commons affordable housing development and one with our partners at Inspiration Kitchens. The new systems put in place resulted in an increased production per square foot by 44 percent, placing the farm in a position to meet or – even beat – its highest-ever servings-per-year while using less than half the land and fewer people.

“Those new efficiencies have made a huge difference. Now that we’re able to open up to participants again, that production is just going to skyrocket.”

But FarmWork’s production means little if their participants aren’t growing as well. The workforce development challenges caused by COVID-19 have been similar to what many have faced across the country. Workshops and readiness trainings had to shift toward conference calls, as many did not have sufficient access to internet. Even more, the team had to develop new tactics and strategies to help their participants find and obtain work in the new normal.

“The technology divide is ripping wide open, and so we wanted to make sure people had their resources were saved for job interviews and the like. We’ve had to really focus on learning to be good listeners and good salespeople in a digital world.”

In August, health and safety protocols were in place to begin accepting people back onto the farm – a welcome shift for both staff and participants. It’s particularly nice to work outside this time of year, even with a mask on. The team and the people they serve are out on the farm four days a week, getting their hands dirty, and learning the fundamental skills and norms necessary to find work in the city. Job club is in the afternoons and on Fridays, and everyone agrees that the hands-on experience helps to put job skill theories into practice.

“This has changed everything this year – now we can really work with people at an emotional level,” Hannah said. “Routine has made a huge difference in everyone’s lives, and we can even train on social-emotional learning skills in a way that’s difficult over the phone.”

Perhaps more importantly, the program’s strengths-based philosophy has allowed for a return of community ownership and purpose. FarmWorks exists at a nexus of social problems: food insecurity, health, unemployment, community investment. Every day, the work happening at the farm addresses these issues as our participants and staff work together to create solutions for both individuals and communities.

“You can literally see the impact you make here. Now that we’re firing on all cylinders, we can pack up our vans with produce and it’s full,” Hannah said. “When you know that it goes to Vital Bridges food pantries, we’ve really seen how participants are emotionally impacted by that. It’s such a powerful experience.”

Learn more about the programs mentioned in this piece:

Fair Tax on Ballot in November

On this year’s ballot, you’ll get to vote on the Fair Tax – an opportunity to support middle class families in Illinois.

Our research shows that far too many families are struggling to make ends meet, and more of us in Illinois are struggling with poverty, unemployment, healthcare access, and education barriers. As we stare down the economic and public health crises forced on us by COVID-19, our state needs to find concrete solutions to help middle-class families thrive. This November, one of those concrete solutions is on the ballot in Illinois.

People who struggle to make ends meet should be able to be taxed at a lower rate so they can use their money to support their families – it’s that simple. And because Illinois leaders cannot implement a graduated tax, the state perpetually underfunds critical services – like health and human service programs – that are meant to provide a safety net for the most vulnerable people in our state.

Illinois is one of the last states that doesn’t have a graduated income tax or “Fair Tax” – meaning that all working families, no matter how much they make, have been forced to pay the same percentage of their income in taxes as the super wealthy.

At Heartland Alliance, we know how critical it is to have social workers and clinicians on the streets to help individuals experiencing homelessness face the coronavirus. We know how providing transitional jobs and cognitive behavioral therapy can change lives and combat our city’s gun violence. We know how affordable housing can transform communities. Our program participants rely on a robust safety net of health and human services supported by the state and provided by community-based organizations. Our program participants – and the myriad services they rely on – need a state with stronger financial health, year after year. A Fair Tax can help us achieve these goals for our communities, our cities, and our state.

Imagine what our communities could do with the resources they need to help their most vulnerable neighbors thrive.

It’s only possible if you vote “yes” for fair tax this November.

Creating Space to Talk About Racism

“We’re dying to live,” says Dartrell, to nods and affirmations. “We’re dying to live.” 

Dartrell is a member of READI Chicago’s Participant Advisory Council (PAC), a weekly convening of men from across Chicago who are current or former READI participants. Typically, the PAC uses its weekly meetings to discuss opportunities for the initiative and advise on concerns or areas for improvement, but this meeting is different.

In the aftermath of the murder of George Floyd, the shooting of Jacob Blake, and weeks and months of protests and demonstrations nationwide, Community Project Manager Kimeco Roberson is instead leading a restorative justice circle with the PAC and READI Chicago staff to talk about what’s going on with them and their communities.

“Restorative practices can bring enlightenment instead of chaos—help inspire change in a way that moves to renew and uplift and bring peace,” Kimeco says. “Racism, police brutality—that’s pure controversy, but we want to have this conversation. We need to have this conversation throughout the country.”

This is not the first circle held for READI Chicago participants this year. Restorative justice circles have become an important part of how READI Chicago builds and maintains trust, relationships, and an atmosphere of healing within our communities. These circles complement the critical cognitive behavioral therapy that sets READI apart, providing an additional healing space to address the generational trauma and decades of oppression and disinvestment facing our communities.

As our city, state, and nation work toward addressing racism and achieving equity and opportunity for all, we are also seeing how important these restorative spaces are for promoting open and trusting dialogue in a broader context. To promote that dialogue and bring access to men deeply impacted by decades of silence, READI Chicago is now partnering with the Illinois Department of Corrections to facilitate healing circles for people incarcerated in select prisons. This is a starting point for processing and changing the systems, policies, and attitudes that have impacted Black and Brown communities, resulting in their disproportionate representation in corrections systems.

“For a long time, there wasn’t enough unity in our communities of color—not enough conversations between people with different experiences,” READI Chicago Job Coach Kevin Holifield said. “Now, we have to have as many of these conversations as we can, so we can start to come up with some solutions.”

Reflecting on 2020 Violence: Invest in Our Communities

This week, Senior Director Eddie Bocanegra and Centers for New Horizons Executive Director Christa Hamilton joined representatives from Chicago CRED and Communities Partnering 4 Peace to reflect on 2020’s surge in gun violence and to call for increased funding in outreach and critical community development approaches to public safety.

At the press conference, Eddie shared early analysis results of READI Chicago from the University of Chicago Crime Lab, indicating a considerable reduction in gun violence victimization among participants.

“Early results show that our guys are staying engaged, and that they are less likely to shoot or be shot than peers in their same communities,” Eddie said. “These are among the highest-risk individuals in the city. If we had sufficient funding, we could expand access to READI Chicago—we know that doing so would make our neighborhoods safer.”

While recognizing that the City faces budget challenges, the groups that met this week have previously called for $50M in city funding, as well as major investments in state funding.

“This is a life or death program,” Christa said. “We know the program works, but we need help to keep pushing and keep encouraging employers to open their doors to our guys. We can’t deal with this issue in isolation—we need funding and support to engage families and communities.”

Read the press release here.

While Congress Debates Future COVID Relief, Many Illinoisans Still Haven’t Received the First $1200 Stimulus Check

Heartland Alliance is a lead partner of Get My Payment Illinois, an initiative helping low-income Illinoisans receive the $1200 CARES Act stimulus payments. Many of the people who need the payment the most – people experiencing homelessness, people with very low incomes, and people with limited technology – will have to take action to receive the payment. Heartland Alliance has seen this directly, working with participants to obtain their payment – see what that months-long process has looked like for three participants: Catherine, Bill, and Mandi.

Get My Payment Illinois is raising awareness about this, and has recently received news coverage in Champaign, the Quad Cities area and Rockford, and launched billboards and media throughout the state.

Help people in your community receive the payment by watching our training for nonprofit organizations and sharing about the stimulus payments using our social media toolkit.

Mothers Find Support, Look Toward a Safer Chicago

When Linda decided to attend a Mothers United for Justice rally organized by the Zakat Foundation earlier this month, she looked forward to connecting and sharing stories with other women like her who had lost children to violence. Having lost three of her sons, two to gun violence just 20 days apart, Linda has learned to find comfort in connecting with other mothers.

However, Linda was also there to tell people about READI Chicago, the program she said is helping her two remaining sons work toward a safer future.

“READI Chicago has been a great opportunity for my kids—I really believe it’s going to help our neighborhoods,” Linda said. “I’m seeing it keep these guys off the street and be a support system for young people who don’t have that anywhere else.”

After losing three children in three years, Linda felt relieved when a READI Chicago outreach worker whom she had grown up with reached out to say he had a job lined up for Linda’s son Nishawn—one that would help keep him safe and off the street. Seeing how supported and successful Nishawn was in READI Chicago, Linda asked if her other son, Darron, could join as well.

Now, almost two years after Nishawn first began READI Chicago, he is operating a successful lawn-care service with another former READI Chicago participant. Darron works a second job, in addition to his subsidized employment through READI Chicago, and Linda is continuing to connect with and support other mothers who have experienced loss.

“The rally started off as a call-to-action to demand justice for these parents and their lost children, but it ended up being this large support group instead,” said Reality, a READI Chicago Englewood outreach worker who spoke at the rally, along with Sen. Dick Durbin and many of the mothers in attendance. “Seeing that can be rare because a lot of times people feel so isolated—that nobody understands what it’s like to lose a child. Here though, it was all mothers supporting each other.”

Linda was one of several mothers of participants in READI Chicago who attended the rally. Anthony, another member of the READI Chicago Englewood Outreach team, said it was a no-brainer to invite the mothers of slain READI Chicago participants to join the Englewood team at the rally.

“When we convince a guy to participate in READI Chicago, we don’t only engage them—we engage their family and community, as well,” Anthony said. “That support doesn’t stop—we maintain those relationships.”

Fighting Food Insecurity with Job Training

When COVID-19 hit Chicago in mid-March and the city began to shut down, Malik Kemokai, director of workforce development for the Greater Chicago Food Depository, immediately began thinking up new ways to address food insecurity.

“There are two ways to address hunger—we support over 700 partners with food distribution, but the other side of that is workforce development and offering people with employment barriers a path to self-sufficiency,” Malik said. “So when READI Chicago approached us because their programming had been disrupted, we knew it was a great fit to see what we could do virtually.”

Prior to COVID-19, the Food Depository offered warehouse and kitchen training programs to READI Chicago participants. Brandon, who has always been interested in restaurants and who participated in the kitchen training program, said the Food Depository was instrumental in helping him land unsubsidized work at a cafe after he completed READI. However, as Chicago sheltered in place, Malik saw and heard from the Food Depository’s partners that traditional jobs in the culinary hospitality industry were drying up.

“We had to think about where the industry is going through all of this, because in the end it really is about making sure that our students are set up for the jobs that are out there—relevant jobs,” Malik said. “That’s why we started our virtual customer service and food handling programs, tailored to people who might have a lot of employment barriers.”

The virtual program offers two hours of training per day, five days a week, and the Food Depository has set aside one third of the program slots for READI Chicago participants.

“READI Chicago has been a great partner, in-person and virtually, and we’re so encouraged by the progress we’re seeing,” Malik said. “It’s really important for us to keep working with READI Chicago and supporting populations disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 and food insecurity. That’s what we stand for at the Greater Chicago Food Depository.”

For more information on the Food Depository’s workforce development offerings, click here.

The Jobs for Economic Recovery Act

An Important Step Toward an Equitable Economic Recovery

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in an unprecedented unemployment crisis. Over 45 million people have filed joblessness claims. As the result of deeply-rooted systemic racism, the virus has ravaged communities and people of color who were already facing disproportionately high rates of poverty and unemployment prior to the crisis.  

At Heartland, we know that subsidized employment and transitional jobs can be proven strategies to quickly connect people to work, earned income, and onramps to economic opportunity—including people who have historically, and currently, face barriers to employment.

That’s why we are asking that you urge Congress to support the Jobs for Economic Recovery Act of 2020. Introduced on June 30 by Senators Tammy Baldwin (WI-D), Ron Wyden (OR-D), Chris Van Hollen (MD-D), Michael F. Bennet (D-CO) and Cory A. Booker (D-NJ) the Act will address the immediate crisis by providing funding to create or expand subsidized employment and transitional jobs programs to get people back to work, including jobseekers who have been left out and left behind.. When the public health crisis is over and the job market improves, the Act will continue to address inequities in the labor market by providing ongoing funding for employment, training, and supportive services for jobseekers who face barriers to employment. 

The Jobs for Economic Recovery Act is the type of legislation that is needed to help ensure that every person has equitable access to employment and economic opportunity today and in the future.

We urge you to voice your support. Dial the capitol switchboard at 202.224.3121 and ask to be connected to your member of Congress, and ask them to pledge their support for the Jobs for Economic Recovery Act.

READI Chicago: Real Promise for a Safer Path Forward

READI Chicago relentlessly engages men who are most at risk of gun violence victimization, providing participants up to 18 months of transitional employment, cognitive behavioral therapy, coaching, and support to provide a new path forward.

Incarceration doubles down on the drivers of gun violence in our communities: violence, trauma, and lack of investment. More than $1.3 billion was spent over five years jailing residents of Austin, West Garfield Park, North Lawndale, and Greater Englewood.

“I hope we learn from what’s working so we don’t keep doing the same thing over and over,” said Diondre, a READI Chicago participant. “I wish more people could see what we’re doing in this program.”

Early outcome analysis is showing that READI Chicago can help save lives—we are finding the right men, keeping them engaged, and trying to help them stay safe.

“It makes a huge difference seeing guys like yourself who have turned their lives around,” said Scottie, a READI Chicago crew chief and former participant. “I wanted to show other participants what is possible.”