ReEntry Fair Provides Opportunities to the Formerly Incarcerated
Dolph Santorine of Monoceros Properties, right, hands information to Paul Griffenberg of Wheeling during the ReEntry Job and Resource Fair at West Virginia Northern Community College.
Photo by Derek Redd
Michael Novotney, outreach specialist for the Wheeling Vet Center, left, talks with Ryan Ewing, policy advocate for Uplift West Virginia, during the ReEntry Job and Resource Fair at West Virginia Northern Community College.
Photo by Derek Redd
Dolph Santorine of Monoceros Properties, right, hands information to Paul Griffenberg of Wheeling during the ReEntry Job and Resource Fair at West Virginia Northern Community College.
Photo by Derek Redd
Michael Novotney, outreach specialist for the Wheeling Vet Center, left, talks with Ryan Ewing, policy advocate for Uplift West Virginia, during the ReEntry Job and Resource Fair at West Virginia Northern Community College.
Photo by Derek ReddWHEELING - Many employers are needing to hire employees, and many people recently released from prison are looking for jobs.
The ReEntry Alliance for the Ohio Valley on Thursday hosted its first ReEntry Job and Resource Fair at West Virginia Northern Community College to bring together employers and reentry job seekers.
The ReEntry Alliance for the Ohio Valley is a partnership of more than 40 local employers, and includes agencies in human services, corrections, and government as well as private employers and people with lived experiences of incarceration.
Last year, the alliance hosted an employer breakfast where the employers were educated on the benefits of hiring and giving a second chance to those with a history of incarceration or criminal charges, said Claudia Raymer, executive director of the Ohio County Family Resource Network.
Those who do can take advantage of tax incentives and a number of programs that are available to them, she added.
"The next logical step was to connect individuals who were experiencing barriers to reentry with the employers who are open to hiring them," Raymer continued.
But organizers also wanted the benefit of a resource fair, as many of those seeking employment may not have proper identification, be in need of mental health assistance or housing or just maybe want to go to trade school.
"We wanted it to be a comprehensive one-stop shop for individuals reentering the community who are looking for work, and are not always given that opportunity," Raymer said.
Taylor Adams, transitional housing case manager for Helping Heroes, assisted Raymer in organizing the reentry fair.
She said Helping Heroes was there to provide resources to veterans - many of whom have experienced incarceration.
"I can take veterans out of prison - as long as they are not sex offenders - and house them in Helping Heroes transitional apartments for up to two years," Adams explained.
The veterans also receive help with employment, medical issues or any legal services they need. Adams added that Helping Heroes reaches out to prisons to identify veterans who may be in need.
Many of the employers present at the job fair seeking to recruit employees have a history with employing those who have been incarcerated.
One of those is the Ziegenfelder Company in Wheeling. Melissa Kovalski, operations recruiter, said the company has been doing "second chance hiring for years" with some success.
The length of time the employee stays with the company varies, she said. Often they start with Ziegenfelder while on work release, then are hired by the company after they are released from prison.
Employees start out in a production position, assisting in the packaging and storing of the well-known Twin Pops produced by Ziegenfelder.
Dolph Santorine, who oversees Monoceros Properties, explained he is in need of hiring people to do outside maintenance, repair and grass cutting.
He estimates that about half of his company's staff to have been at one time incarcerated.
"We have had really good luck with them," Santorine said. "We find them to be very loyal."
He explained the jobs are set up by design to be transitional. Some work for him for just six months, or stay for two to three years.
"And if they have no place to stay, an apartment may be part of the deal," Santorine said. "We're willing to do what works for us and them."
He added that the best thing is when a former employee comes back five or six years later and says, "Thanks for giving me a break."