Local Employment Nonprofit Receives Support from International Staffing Company
OKLAHOMA CITY - November 10, 2016
- Express Employment Professionals donates clothing, accessories and funds to The Center for Employment Opportunities.
- The nonprofit organization focuses on providing immediate, effective and comprehensive employment services to men and women with recent criminal convictions.
- For broll of the donation to The Center for Employment Opportunities of Oklahoma City,
click here
. For a photo of Chris Carter, a participant in the CEO program who received a suit through the donation,
click here
.
For men and women with recent criminal convictions, one of the most difficult barriers to overcome is finding work. Unfortunately, one of the components to finding a job is having the clothing appropriate for job interviews, something many of these men and women don't have.
The Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO) of Oklahoma City recently received donations from the employees of Express Employment Professionals International Headquarters.
Express employees donated 950 items to CEO, including clothing items like suits, jackets, shirts and slacks, toiletry items and accessories, including belts, shoes and undergarments. They also contributed $600 in cash donations to the organization.
"The mission of CEO matches with what we do at Express every day, so we couldn't miss out on an opportunity to help with the amazing work they are doing in the Oklahoma City community," said Bob Funk, CEO and chairman of the board of Express Employment Professionals.
CEO's vision is that anyone with a recent criminal history who wants to work has the preparation and support needed to find a job and to stay connected to the labor force.
"I've never actually owned a suit before, so it was so nice that someone would donate this to CEO," said Chris Carter, a participant in the CEO program. "People look at me differently when I wear the suit, like I'm a new person. I've actually received several compliments on it. When I walk into an interview, even with a background, I feel like I'm on equal terms with the person interviewing me."
"CEO values partnership with business leaders such as Express and we are extremely thankful for their employees' generosity," said Pat Viklund, CEO Oklahoma City metro area director. "Employment is an essential component for men and women to successfully reenter their communities, but so many of these individuals can't afford the appropriate clothing when interviewing for jobs. Now, due to the contributions of Express employees, our participants will have one less barrier to overcome."
According to statistics, the recidivism rate for Oklahoma (the number of offenders released in a given year who are reincarcerated within three years) is 22 percent. CEO is dedicated to providing immediate, effective and comprehensive employment services to help participants regain the skills and confidence needed for successful transitions to stable, productive lives.
Express Employment Professionals has a long-term goal to put a million people to work annually. With the international headquarters based in Oklahoma City, Express put a record 500,002 people to work in 2015 in a variety of industries. Express provides expertise in evaluation hire, temporary staffing, professional search and human resources.
Express has more than 770 offices in the U.S., Canada and South Africa, including 30 locations in Oklahoma, and is committed to the vision of helping as many people as possible find good jobs by helping as many clients as possible find good people.
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For More Information:
Sheena Karami
Director of Corporate Communications and PR
Express Employment Professionals
(405) 840-5000
sheena.karami@expresspros.com