If you are looking for CommunityWorks in Aurora or Colorado Springs, you should first look for a barbershop.
The non-profit found early on that the men and women who use their help to learn new work skills and receive certifications that could help them find steady employment weren’t interested in going to places that looked like workforce centers. They were looking for normalcy. A nice haircut and a trip to the back room to meet with teachers or mentors or take classes was just the ticket.
“The people transitioning from prison and using our supports want to get their lives back. They want to feel that sense of control again because for so long, their lives have been dictated by others,” said Nathan Kimbro, job development and outreach director for CommunityWorks.
On this day, Kimbro has been working with Larry, who after 36 years was transitioning out of prison to his own home. Larry was inquiring about the types of food that Kimbro bought for his family, how he managed his food budget and how he organized food prep to eat healthy.
“Food is a big piece of what we do with the people we serve. Food is a big part of creating a life that feels normal,” Kimbro said.
The non profit focuses on helping people transitioning from prison, as well as others who use their job skills services, to get enrolled in SNAP and learn to manage a food budget. They are hoping to add additional courses on food planning and preparation as well.
These efforts to attach people to food security, a place to live and meaningful work happen within the first month. The group has found that these early attachments are the surest path to success for the former inmates. And this strategy seems to be working. Last year, the non-profit served more than 300 people, 90 percent of whom were coming out of incarceration. Their recidivism rate was just 4 percent. The state’s current recidivism rate hovers around 45 percent. The organization continues case management with each individual they serve for a year.
“We focus on getting them a purpose as fast as we can. Once they are connected to that purpose, they find the transition much easier,” Kimbro said. “But we can’t do that without getting the essentials of life – food and a place to live – in place first.”
Kimbro noted that many of the people who come to their forklift certification on Fridays, come hungry during the early stages of their transition. CommunityWorks buys them lunch and spends time talking with them around other food access options while they await their SNAP enrollment.
“We can’t help them build anything else, and certainly not a healthy productive life, until we help them build a path to food security,” Kimbro said.
CommunityWorks class participants learn construction skills.