Jobs for the Future has awarded $14.5 million to advance economic mobility for people with records

With funding from the Justice and Mobility Fund, the JFF can expand its work promote education, training and fair employment for people with criminal records

BOSTON, April 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Jobs for the Future (JFF), a national nonprofit organization driving the transformation of America’s workforce and education systems, today announced a $14.5 million award from the Justice and Mobility Fund – a partnership launched by The Ford Foundation and Blue Meridian Partners with support from the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies. This is a critical investment in JFF’s work to advance economic mobility for the more than 77 million people across the country with convictions and arrests.

(PRNewsfoto/JFF)

“Jobs for the Future is committed to helping remove the systemic barriers that consistently exclude people of record from the kinds of jobs that match their skills, abilities and ambitions,” said Mary Flynn, president and CEO of Jobs for the Future. “This investment from the Justice and Mobility Fund will enable JFF to deepen its efforts to create pathways for people impacted by the justice system by expanding talent development pipelines, working with employers to improve hiring practices of fair opportunity and influencing federal and state policy.”

Mass incarceration the United States has had a profound impact on the economy, especially in Black communities, where its effects are disproportionately felt. With one in three people indoors the United States With a record of arrest or conviction, the American economy cannot afford to exclude individuals with criminal records from our workforce. Many of these people experience enormous challenges in their efforts to access quality jobs that promote economic progress. JFF recognizes the urgent need to remove these barriers, many of which are rooted in systemic problems, and advocates for change through its Center for Justice & Economic Advancement.

‘Most people leave prison with… $20 Unpleasant $50 and the telephone number of a probation officer. They have little to no social support, require housing and health care, and often face the dual stigmas of racism and prejudice around incarceration,” the spokesperson said. Lucretia Murphy, vice president and director of JFF’s Center for Justice & Economic Advancement. “We share the Justice and Mobility Fund’s commitment to scaling the kind of solutions that break down barriers and unlock opportunities for quality jobs that transform the lives of millions of people affected by the justice system – to help people secure and enter quality jobs Succeeding with family-sustaining wages is central to our mission.”

Through its Center for Justice & Economic Advancement, JFF has launched several important initiatives aimed at driving economic advancement for people with criminal records. These include the Fair Chance Corporate Cohort, an employer training program designed to support employers in adopting and implementing fair opportunity hiring practices, as well as JFF’s Normalizing Education Resource Center, which provides postsecondary education professionals establish or update education in prison programs, provide access to tools and guides outlining best practices. Both initiatives are supported by JFF’s Normalizing Opportunity campaign, which aims to raise awareness of the life sentences faced by those with criminal records.

“We are proud to partner with JFF in their mission to advance fair hiring practices,” said Le’Ann Duran, senior director and co-lead of the Justice and Mobility Fund. “By investing in JFF, we are investing in a more equitable future where all individuals have the opportunity to thrive.”

This award is the second major gift from the Justice and Mobility Fund to JFF’s Center for Justice & Economic Advancement. This grant will play a strategic role in advancing JFF’s North Star goal of placing 75 million people facing systemic barriers to employment in high-quality jobs. It will enable the Center to continue its vital work ensuring that currently and formerly incarcerated people have access to education and training opportunities and quality jobs, while also moving the Center closer to self-sufficiency.

For more information about the Center for Justice & Economic Advancement and its initiatives, visit cjea.jff.org.

About jobs for the future:
Jobs for the Future (JFF) drives the transformation of America’s education and employment systems to achieve equitable economic progress for all. www.jff.org.

About the Justice and Mobility Fund:
The Justice and Mobility Fund is a partnership launched by The Ford Foundation and Blue Meridian Partners with support from the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies. By leveraging Blue Meridian’s pooled financing and performance-based investment model and the Ford Foundation’s expertise in social justice grantmaking, the Justice and Mobility Fund provides the opportunity to make investments that can transform the lives of generations . By investing the flexible, long-term capital that visionary social sector leaders need to build capacity and make lasting impact, the Justice and Mobility Fund puts significant resources on the ground to boost economic mobility, advance racial equity and reach the most achieve effective scale. solutions for people affected by the criminal/legal system.

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SOURCE JOBS FOR THE FUTURE INC

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