Oregon Hospitality Foundation Supporting Reentry Work
By Ella Sturdevant
As featured in the Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association blog
Opportunity Oregon is an organization dedicated to supporting the success and career goals of individuals with felony charges. Amongst their impressive roster of programs is their in-prison career fairs that bring employers into the facility to speak to tomorrow’s workforce. OHF was given the privilege and honor of partnering with Opportunity Oregon to attend their Eastern Oregon Correction Facility (EOCF) fair. Located in Pendleton, EOCF is a medium-security adult male correctional institution.
Anecdotally, attending this event was an amazing experience. All of the adults in custody whom I interacted with were interested in building their careers, curious about the next step, and eager to find employers who would see them for their expertise and training. Our fellow exhibitors were all united with Opportunity Oregon in trying to help attendees overcome barriers and reach these goals.
Nancy Pance, the executive director behind this organization, uses her platform to educate people about the benefits of hiring formerly incarcerated people. Given that a major barrier to employment for this population is the stigma surrounding incarceration, employer education plays a huge role in boosting hiring outcomes.
For those interested in learning more about how to partner with this organization and others like it, Nancy will be joining us at the ORLA Hospitality Conference on Monday, September 15th, from 12:10-1:10 PM for our Tapping Into the Workforce breakout session. There, she will speak about how hiring formerly incarcerated people can not only help meet but also exceed hiring needs. Because “When rehabilitated people are given the OPPORTUNITY to successfully reenter our community, our society wins too”.
If you are interested in aligning with Opportunity Oregon’s mission, attend the ORLA Conference or contact me, Ella Sturdevant.
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