THE MISSION
The mission of Career Resources, Inc. is to be a transformative leader in workforce development, providing comprehensive, innovative, and practical solutions for employers and jobseekers by strengthening the family unit through the dignity of work.
CRI is dedicated to improving the employment situation of Connecticut residents in order to mitigate the causes and effects of poverty. The organization achieves this through training and employment that provides youth and adults with the skill sets, personal development, and learning opportunities needed to reach economic self-sufficiency.
FINDING DIGNITY THROUGH WORK
Connecticut’s unemployment rate is 3.6 %, as compared to the national average of 3.5%.
The most important resource in any community, and economy, are the collective knowledge, attributes, skills, experience, and health of its workforce.
Meaningful work provides individuals with a sense of personal fulfillment, which contributes to greater health and happiness. With such a close relationship between employment and health, the positive effects of finding fulfillment in our professional work extends into our personal lives and communities.
INVESTING IN SECOND CHANCES
$90,000 is spent by the State of Connecticut to incarcerate 1 individual each year. By this metric, when 100 formerly incarcerated people are employed at a minimum wage of $15 per hour, Connecticut saves $9M and earns an additional $3.6M in taxes.
$635M is saved by states that reduce their recidivism rate by 10%.
82% of managers’ report the value of second-chance employees as high or higher than that of workers without records.
REDUCING RECIDIVISM
#1 factor behind recidivism is joblessness.
50% recidivism rate for those who do not secure employment shortly after their release.
5% recidivism rate for those who do secure employment shortly after their release.
WITHIN BRIDGEPORT
1000+ citizens return to Bridgeport from incarceration each year.
300 people per night are without shelter in Bridgeport. 50% of those who frequent homeless shelters are formerly incarcerated individuals, and 20% have been incarcerated in the past 3 years.
30,000 Bridgeport residents live below the poverty line.
20%+ poverty rate in Bridgeport is 2X the state average.
95%+ represent the BIPOC community and low-income status