Putting Hope On the Menu - Webinar Recap

As 10.3 million people are currently incarcerated around the world, and that number is only increasing,  it's crucial to bring visibility to those organizations that are addressing the needs of returning citizens and their communities, providing dignified employment and opportunities for holistic growth.

Putting Hope on the Menu was a crucial conversation and co-created with members from Miss Mack Enterprises, the Clink Charity, and Cookmaster. Thank you to our panelists for bringing this discussion to the table, sharing best practices, and telling inspirational stories.

Prison systems have their international parallels but look different in every country. The breakout rooms of this session were divided by region, where we had the opportunity to take a deeper look at the local contexts informing workforce reintegration programs.

Read on for the recording of our main session, key takeaways, and quick links to the organizations that we heard from today.

Key Takeaways

  • Many re-entry and workforce re-integration organizations need more visibility to reach community members. One way to advance that is the creation of local networks of initiatives- it is crucial that these organizations collaborate for funding and to maximize their positive impact on returning citizens.

  • An effective way of replicating job reintegration programs and models in other countries is to look at what type of labor shortages exist locally and create training for returning citizens with stakeholders in that industry.

  • Mental health is an essential step for workforce reintegration programs. This includes making people aware of what resources are available to them and ensuring access to nutritious food.

  • Women represent a smaller percentage of the people in the prison system, but the number of women incarcerated globally is on the rise. There are fewer resources destined for their development during their stay in the facilities, as well as social programming.

Learn More About the Work of the Panelists

The Clink Charity

Changing attitudes, transforming lives, and creating second chances.

London, UK

Learn More »

Miss Mack Enterprises

Bringing business outcomes and social impact together.

New York, USA

Learn More»

Cookmaster

Food systems solutions for large communities.

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Learn more »

DonBites

Food entrepreneurship project by Miss Mack Enterprises' graduate, Diandra Sital.

New York, USA

Learn more »

Want more from Putting Hope on the Menu? You're in luck! Last week our panelists took over our Instagram. Check out their videos!

-Miss Mack Enterprises, Mikey Likes It Icecream, and Afi Turner

-Chris Moore and Danny Williams, from The Clink.

-CookMaster's journey at the Florencio Varela penitentiary center and CREER school.

SGM Team