Social Threads: Empowering Lives through Work and Design

Food insecurity and access to basic needs

Pilot or new project, program, or initiative (testing or implementing a new idea)

Dozens of individuals are released from prison daily, the first quarter of 2024 alone having 4,974 individuals released. Employment is a major barrier for these individuals, keeping them in the cycle of poverty and criminal behavior. A 2018 Prison Policy Initiative study showed that poverty is the best predictor of recidivism, with lack of employment forcing individuals back into illegal activities for survival. Formerly incarcerated people are nearly five times more likely to be unemployed than the general public. Programs that develop job skills in a supportive environment are key to addressing this problem. Homeboy Industries’ social enterprise programs exemplify the impact of such support, training, and placing hundreds in jobs annually. The US Sentencing Commission found that those who find work within a year of release are 40% less likely to recidivate. By cultivating their skills and securing employment, we can transform lives, uplift families, and enhance community safety.

Combining job creation, training, and art therapy, God’s Pantry will launch its first social enterprise: a screen printing and machine embroidery business. Participants will receive instruction in screen printing techniques, from screen preparation to design creation and printing on various materials, as well as running embroidery machines. They will also gain experience, alongside a mentor, in various roles within the enterprise, including day-to-day operations, budgeting, marketing, sales, and team management.
These opportunities provide valuable work experience and personal growth while teaching the basic skills needed to run a small business. Trainees will also benefit from our comprehensive wraparound services, including mental health and substance use counseling, anger management and parenting classes, tattoo removal, social service navigation, and one-on-one mentorship.
Central to our enterprise is personal storytelling through art. We will pilot “Inked Narratives,” a program where trainees can translate their lived experiences into art that can be screen printed or embroidered. These designs will be showcased at a public event to announce our social enterprise launch. Participants will share the stories behind their work, fostering empathy and challenging stereotypes about justice-involved individuals. Our holistic approach aims to enhance participants' employability and economic stability, while also promoting personal growth and positive reintegration into society.

If successful, this program will contribute to a safer Pomona, fostering wellbeing and economic stability for one of our most vulnerable populations. It will demonstrate the potential of every individual, regardless of their past, to contribute positively to society. This will be showcased through the personal healing and professional growth of those we’ll employ and train through our social enterprise and their ability to secure meaningful employment, leaving their former life of crime in the past. The success of our social enterprise will pave the way for God’s Pantry to establish additional businesses and create more opportunities for those we serve. The transformative impact we have in Pomona can serve as a model for other LA County cities who have a high number of justice-involved individuals in their community. The success of this social enterprise will also pave the way for God’s Pantry to create additional businesses and create more training and employment opportunities.

For program impact, we’ll use check-ins, interviews, and surveys to assess and track:
Personal & Professional Growth: Understanding how participants have benefited from the program in terms of skill development, personal growth, and emotional wellbeing
Increased Employment: The number who secure jobs and maintain employment for at least 6 months after leaving our program
Reduced Recidivism: The number who don’t reengage in crime, both during the program and 6 months after they leave
Stereotype Shifts: How effective our launch event is in addressing stereotypes about formerly incarcerated individuals
We will also evaluate our social enterprise performance, looking at:
Financial Sustainability: Monitoring the revenue generated from sales and evaluating profitability over time Customer Satisfaction: Gathering feedback from clients and customers on the quality of products and services provided by the social enterprise.