When Emanuel Price left prison after serving almost five years on an armed robbery charge, he was more fortunate than most people reentering the community. Although he found that his stint in the Oregon prison system offered little in the way of rehabilitative services, he decided never to allow anything to come between his freedom, his family and his will to start over and succeed.
Seeking employment upon release, Price quickly targeted non-profits for employment opportunities. Price knew that non-profits were more forgiving and accepting in their hiring practices. He also sought out volunteer organizations to give back to society and to use his experience in the criminal punishment system to help others stay out of prison.
Price found employment as a residential counselor at a juvenile transition home. He also did volunteer work with young people of color who were affected by gangs. But his experience with reentry drove him to create his own organization, Second Chances Are For Everyone (S.C.A.F.E.), located in Portland, Oregon. S.C.A.F.E. (pronounced Scaf-AY) came into being when Price recalled his frustration during the first few weeks of reintegration. Besides the need for employment, Price soon discovered that access everyday basic necessities, such as clothing one could wear to a job interview, were lacking. In 2010 Price created S.C.A.F.E. with the mission “to reduce the rate of recidivism by providing support services to promote employment, empowerment, and community engagement for men and women in transition.”
Under Price’s direction, S.C.A.F.E. offers formerly incarcerated persons:
Career and Life Skills Training
Community and Volunteer Involvement
Suited for Success Clothing Donation Station
Mentoring and Peer Mentors
In an effort to remove barriers to employment, SCAFE also:
offers workshops in writing resumes and cover letters
conducts mock interviews
offers training in professionalism and communication
assists in the process of pursuing training and education
reaches out to businesses for employment opportunities for its clients
seeks professional opportunities for its clients
Emanuel Price can be reached at info@scafe.org or S.C.A.F.E., PO Box 12452, Portland, Oregon 9721
For more information on S.C.A.F.E. click here.
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