Month: March 2023

By Kim Borges

The Bottom Line:

“Truth be told, there’s a real good chance I’d be back in prison already if it weren’t for this program.”

The Good News:

John R. is on a road to redemption. He knows he has Jobs Partnership Peoria to thank for it. And he’s doing the hard work to keep it going.

We’re calling him “John R.” to help protect his privacy. Getting back on your feet after incarceration can be tough. Very tough.

Still, John R. wanted Regions Bank to help share his story – because he wants people everywhere to know second chances are for real.

The Saving Grace:

“John is a legitimate go-getter,” said Vicky Eckhardt, a financial opportunities coach who’s worked with John to build his credit – and his finances – since 2021. “He follows up. If you talk about something, John actually goes and does it.”

Eckhardt and her Jobs Partnership Peoria colleagues are there not just for John, but for hundreds of other people in Illinois through their organization’s effective Reentry Program. The nonprofit is another example of good work supported by Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) Central Illinois.

How Regions Bank Comes In:

Regions supports LISC Central Illinois and its nonprofit community partners as they reach people who are underserved and connect them with career development, financial coaching and more. In December 2022, the bank presented LISC Central Illinois with its latest gift of $20,000.

Bart Rose, Regions’ Commercial Banking leader and market executive for Central Illinois, serves on LISC Central Illinois’ Local Advisory Committee.

“The results are changed lives,” Rose said. “This is thoughtful, strategic work. LISC and groups like Jobs Partnership Peoria are investing in people – and they are doing so in ways that bring about self-sufficiency, restored confidence, and restored futures.”

This is thoughtful, strategic work. LISC and groups like Jobs Partnership Peoria are investing in people – and they are doing so in ways that bring about self-sufficiency, restored confidence, and restored futures.
Bart Rose, Regions’ Commercial Banking leader for Central Illinois

Results that Last:

John R. was incarcerated for 18 months last time. And he’s determined that it will, indeed, remain the last time.

“I’ve been to prison five times,” he said. “I’ve been locked up right around ten years all together.”

His history as a repeat offender isn’t unusual.

Why Successful Reentry Programs Matter:

At the end of 2020, more than 1.8 million Americans were incarcerated.600,000-plus people are released from state and federal prisons, and 9 million are released from local jails annually, according to Harvard Political Review.Of those released, two out of three are rearrested, and more than 50% are incarcerated again within three years.It’s estimated criminal recidivism reduces the annual U.S. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by $65 billion.

But Work Like This Can Help:

“One of the biggest barriers our clients face is they are sometimes starting over with no identification, no Social Security card, nothing,” Eckhardt explained. “We’re helping them navigate the basics like, ‘Where are you staying tonight?’ They’re starting from ground zero. One thing clients often tell me is things are moving so fast, they don’t have any foundation underneath them. They go from everything being dictated in prison to complete freedom, sometimes literally overnight. We want them to know that at Jobs Partnership, you have someone to walk through this with you.”

Hence the strategic, step-by-step guidance Eckhardt provides.

Consider the success she’s already built with John R.

“John went from no credit score to a credit score of 707 in a year and a half,” said Eckhardt. “He’s also saved a significant amount of money and is taking homebuyer classes. John has maintained employment, saved the money, and built his credit. He’s setting himself up for what he wants to do and for success.”

We want them to know that at Jobs Partnership, you have someone to walk through this with you.
Vicky Eckhardt, Jobs Partnership Peoria financial opportunities coach

Another Result of a Reentry Program – Lasting Gratitude:

“Vicky has helped me with a lot of different things,” John said. “My credit score is now in the mid-700s and I’m hoping to buy a house in the next year.”

Eckhardt sees additional opportunities for John on the horizon.

“I feel like John’s just really beginning to understand that he can do this … that this is all really possible for him,” she said.

The excitement of those possibilities bubbled over during a recent conversation the two had.

“The last time I talked with John, I said, ‘You’re really doing it, I’m so proud of you,’” Eckhardt said. “I wanted him to know that he is actually doing what so many only talk about. I could tell by the way he received it that it really meant something to him.”

Moving Forward:

John R. has now held the same job for two years and is working toward being four years drug and alcohol free.

They all add up to one discovery he’s made:

“It’s never too late to start over.”

Having someone like Eckhardt working with him makes hard days easier.

Having community partners like Jobs Partnership Peoria, LISC Central Illinois, and Regions Bank sharing resources and services makes it possible.

Learn more about Jobs Partnership Peoria and its reentry program on their website.

As a way to support those impacted by Monday’s devastating earthquake in Türkiye and Syria, the Gilead Foundation is donating $1 million for on-the-ground relief efforts. The donation will be divided evenly between the International Medical Corps and Direct Relief, two organizations that we have long supported.

About Gilead Sciences

Gilead Sciences, Inc. is a research-based biopharmaceutical company that discovers, develops and commercializes innovative medicines in areas of unmet medical need. The company strives to transform and simplify care for people with life-threatening illnesses around the world. Gilead has operations in more than 35 countries worldwide, with headquarters in Foster City, California.

Women entrepreneurs are breaking down barriers and succeeding in business, all while boosting their local economies and paving the way for others to do the same. According to GoDaddy’s Venture Forward research initiative, there has been a 26% shift in the share of startups toward women compared to men. Women founded 59.6% of businesses started since the pandemic compared to 47.3% of businesses started before 2020.

Black women are the fastest growing segment of entrepreneurship. Venture Forward research reveals that the share of Black women starting businesses surged more than 100%, jumping from 10.7% of all businesses started before 2020 to 21.5% of all businesses founded since the pandemic.

While women’s entrepreneurship is on the rise overall, those who were surveyed noted that marketing and getting online effectively were among the top challenges faced when starting a business. This is one of the reasons, in 2017, GoDaddy created Empower by GoDaddy, the company’s global social impact program equipping entrepreneurs from underserved communities with training, tools and peer networks to accelerate their journeys. Together with nonprofit and community partners, Empower by GoDaddy focuses on supporting the unique needs of entrepreneurs with customized neighborhood-based programs, mentorship and digital skilling.

GoDaddy asked six program graduates – and powerhouse women entrepreneurs – to share their best advice for the next generation of entrepreneurs and some of the most rewarding parts of being an entrepreneur. Here’s what they had to say:

Cherilyn Yazzie, Co-Founder & Owner, Coffee Pot Farms: “I’ve found that being a small business owner is a lot like farming. You put blood, sweat and tears into harvesting something you’re proud of. However, the work never stops. I like to tell new business owners that bad things are teachable moments. Don’t get too caught up in the negative because if you continue to put in the time, action and energy into your goals, there will always be something positive out of the bad times.”
 Chong Mi Land, Founder & Owner, Land of Moon: “It’s so important for small business owners to have a digital presence – especially when shopping for products and services these days is mostly done online. As a costume designer, having a compelling visual component to complement my business is critical and something as simple as an eye-catching website can go a long way. To me, inclusive entrepreneurship is all about leveling the playing field for starting a business. It’s supporting and empowering minority groups to build businesses and ultimately grow their communities. My business, Land of Moon, is named after my daughter, Arya Moon Land. My goal is to show her that turning your dreams into reality is possible, no matter the obstacles.”
 Consuelo Rosales, Founder & Owner, Conseulo’s Cleaning Services: “My biggest piece of advice for the next generation of entrepreneurs is to never stop believing in yourself. It’s during difficult moments that I feel like I’m propelled forward. I’m falling but I get back up stronger. Having my own business has helped me to believe in myself. It’s helped me to have extra time to spend with my kids, and most importantly, I’m showing my kids that they too could choose to work for themselves someday.”
 Jaz Erenberg, Founder & Lead Artist, Jaz Erenberg Art LLC: “It is so important to find your community of colleagues and mentors but just because they found a way that works for them and what they do, doesn’t mean it will translate to what you do, even in the same field. Be creative with your solutions and follow your intuition, after all it got you this far.”
 Kimberly Muhammad, Co-Founder & Executive Designer, Zuri’s Circle: “Be willing to learn! We don’t and won’t know everything on our own and can learn a great deal from those that come before us. If we just push pride aside, we can thrive.”
 Tanika Nelson, Owner & Head Designer, Nika’s Cupcake Bar: “The most rewarding part of being an entrepreneur is being able to take an idea from my brain, put it on paper and then do the work to make it come to life. Everyone tells you when you are a child that you can be whatever it is that you want to be, and you can do whatever you want to do. It’s true and I am proof.”

Year-round, GoDaddy is proud to support its more than 21 million customers globally as part of its mission to make opportunity more inclusive for all. Learn more about how GoDaddy empowers entrepreneurs everywhere: https://www.godaddy.com/godaddy-for-good/empower 

The University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth (HSC) teamed up with Remote Area Medical (RAM) to host a pop-up clinic in Dallas, Texas, in December. RAM is a nonprofit provider of free pop-up clinics with a mission of preventing pain and alleviating suffering by providing free dental, vision and medical services to underserved and uninsured individuals. Quest Diagnostics was tapped to provide no-cost lab testing for the event.

Quest Diagnostics, through the Quest for Health Equity (Q4HE) initiative, supported the medical services team by providing clinical laboratory tests at no cost for event attendees, including well-woman screenings. More than 500 local community members received healthcare services; approximately 140 persons received lab testing at no cost. These healthcare screenings and services will help provide insights on personal health strengths and risks to support those community members in taking more control of their health. 

The 2-day event took place at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center. In addition to full medical evaluations, including well-woman exams, participants had access to full dental workups, eye exams with prescription and selection of glasses onsite, and free HIV testing.  Additional community resource organizations were in attendance as well, providing toys and pajamas for children, free books for all ages, and bags full of toiletries and personal care items. RAM estimated that the value of donated services for the 538 participants seen was nearly $2.1 million!

Several Quest employees volunteered their time to support this important community event, including Executive Sales Director David Dale. 

To learn more about HSC, visit www.unthsc.edu, and for more information about RAM, visit www.ramusa.org.