Gov. Mike Braun visited RecycleForce and Keys2Work on Aug. 5 to recognize two federal grants totaling $10.2 million to expand career pathways, strengthen Indiana’s workforce and create more opportunities for Hoosiers to build successful futures.
RecycleForce and Keys2Work are partner nonprofits that are committed to helping formerly incarcerated Hoosiers reenter the workforce.
“Indiana’s workforce is one of our greatest strengths.” Braun said. “These grants, coupled with the work of organizations like RecycleForce, Keys2Work and 2nd Chance Indiana will create a clear path to good careers for formerly incarcerated Hoosiers, help employers find qualified workers, and ensure more Hoosiers have the opportunity to build successful futures through meaningful work.”
The two grants are part of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Reentry Employment in Skilled Trades, Advanced Manufacturing, Registered Apprenticeships, and Training (RESTART) initiative.
One $5.1 million RESTART grant was awarded to Keys2Work, which will serve as the lead grantee in partnership with RecycleForce and 2nd Chance Indiana. Through the Developing the Working Muscle initiative, these organizations seek to expand workforce training, paid employment and career development opportunities for approximately 680 formerly incarcerated young adults ages 18 to 24 over the next three years.
Under the program, Keys2Work will coordinate participant recruitment, intake and case management, while RecycleForce and 2nd Chance Indiana will provide paid transitional employment, workforce training and career development opportunities designed to prepare participants for long-term employment.
“Today we celebrate more than a grant. We celebrate the dignity of work, the pride of earning a paycheck and the stability that comes from being able to care for your family.” Tiana Johnson, COO of Keys2Work said. “Second chances matter, but they only become real when they come with opportunity, with training, with work and with jobs that pay a real wage.”
Founder Jannett Keesling started Keys2Work in 1996. Initially operated as a for-profit business and certified as a Minority and Women’s Business Enterprise (MBE/WBE), Keys2Work and Keesling received many awards for their innovative approaches to alternative staffing.
Braun also announced that the Indiana Department of Workforce Development received a separate $5.1 million RESTART grant to expand workforce training, registered apprenticeships and employment opportunities for formerly incarcerated adults across Indiana.
Together, the two investments represent a $10.2 million commitment to strengthening Indiana’s workforce while expanding opportunities for formerly incarcerated Hoosiers to gain valuable skills and secure employment.
For more information visit in.gov or keys2.org.
Contact Staff Writer Malik Simon at 317-762-7847.
Malik Simon is a Staff Writer for the Indianapolis Recorder Newspaper. Originally from Memphis, TN, he graduated from Mississippi Valley State University with a Bachelor of Arts in General Studies concentrating on journalism. Before joining the Recorder, he wrote for the Devil’s Gazette newspaper at MVSU and served as a freelance content and video editor. He seeks to use media to help communities flourish through literacy and factual reporting.
